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Old 03-04-2012, 08:38 PM   #11
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

I have TrueTrac's front and rear. I plow snow with my Van without studded tires and have very little slip. TrueTrac's are totaly automatic and have no clutch plates to wear out. It is also a Torque sensing diff and does not try to spin both wheels at the same rate. If you put one wheel on clean asphalt and on on ice they will start to spin and then the one on ice (no traction) will slow dow as Torque is sent to the wheel that has grip. What I find funny is how often people recommed Lockers (Air, Electric, or Auto) yet you will not find a single Locker in any piece of Heavy equipment. Every Aircraft pushback tractor has a Gleason Thorson diff (Indrustral TrueTrac) and they have to push or pull up to 900,000lbs! A Locker will always send equal Torque 50/50 (except a Detroit that allows the outside wheel to spin faster when cornering) to both wheels so in daily use on the street can be a hinderance. A TrueTrack will not ingauge until it is needed, then it will send more torque to the wheel that has more grip. On Ice and snow you could quickly find yourself swaping ends with a locker as if one wheel looses grip it quickly overwhelms the other side.
Check this video for a good explaination:

This one has two Dodges one stock one with TrueTrac's front and rear in simalar situations.

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Old 03-06-2012, 04:52 PM   #12
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

I found out today when the parts were being ordered that Eaton doesn't make a 30 spline high pinion truetrac for an early 90's front Dana 60. I had to spend the extra $82 for my second choice. A Detroit E-locker. Having them installed next Monday. The shop I'm using was able to save me $200 by using an almost brand new set of 4.10s for the front diff. I want a brand new ring and pinion for the rear due to the abuse they take. The shop had a used set available but I didn't want to buy someone elses used problem.
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Old 03-06-2012, 09:13 PM   #13
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

High or Low pinion has notheing to do with the Diff. Eaton does make a 30 spline for the 4.10 and lower ratios. Little late now as you have already started. I do just like the fact that I can drive mine around in 4wd if I like without the front wanting to walk unlike if I had a locker.
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Old 03-06-2012, 09:45 PM   #14
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

The way the shop guy explained it to me if the driveline goes in on a high pinion diff the truetrac would be spinning backwards and they aren't designed to do that. I don't really understand the nuts and bolts of it but so far this shop hasn't given me any reason to not trust them. They have an excellent reputation with everyone I've talked to.

Eaton does make a truetrac for the 30 splined front dana 60 but it's not designed to work with the high pinion model.

I would have rather had the Truetrac but the E-locker is an excellent choice for the type of wheeling I plan on doing.
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Old 03-09-2012, 01:45 PM   #15
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

More info on the front diff decision.

I was down at Six States this morning looking for switches and wiring components to set up the E-locker when Don from the 4 X 4 shop spotted me out front. He came out and told me there is still hope for a Detroit Truetrac for the front. He had some questions due to my custom 4X conversion that he felt his supplier couldn't answer to his satisfaction so he called Eaton/Detroit direct. The word from the guys who really know what's going on is "it's all about the spline count" for my particular front diff. Detroit makes a 35 spline Truetrac that will work for me. They do not make a 30 spline Truetrac that works in my diff. Don couldn't tell from the numbers he pulled off the diff which spline count was inside. He will have to count them when it gets pulled apart Monday morning. I asked him if it's possible to get some new 35 spline front axles if I did have the 30 spline axles. He's going to look into that option. At this point it would be worth it to me to replace the axles if I have to in order to get the Truetrac. The E-lockers are nice but I'm still not a big fan of all that electrical junk just sitting down there not getting used very often just waiting to break on the rare occasions I really need it.
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Old 03-09-2012, 02:56 PM   #16
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

Have you looked at Ox Lockers? They are cable actuated lockers.

http://www.ox-usa.com/ox/Products/Locke ... fault.aspx


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Old 03-09-2012, 11:01 PM   #17
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

Herb

I really like the design of the Detroit Truetrac. If I do have the 30 spline axles I'm pretty sure I can replace them with the 35 spline and end up with a Truetrac.

The cable activation on the OX locker is a neat idea but I'm really hoping for the TrueTrac. One of the guys I work with was telling me about some company that makes a LSD diff that is also an on demand locker. I think it's a electrical thing not air like the ARB's.
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Old 03-10-2012, 01:51 PM   #18
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

Update to the last update

I dropped Gnarvan off at the drivetrain surgeons today. The shop manager said getting the 35 spline axles for the Dana 60 front diff so I could use a Truetrac shouldn't be a problem. He has to pull the axles out and measure them. He was hoping he even had them in stock. If he has to order them the fix could take an extra day.

Looks like I'll get my first choice of having a Truetrac front and back.
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Old 03-10-2012, 10:52 PM   #19
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

Ford front Dana 60's after 78 all had 35 spline inner shafts. Our front axles are not "Reverse Rotation" but what is known as Reverse Cut. the diff rotates the same direction in Low or High pinion. The ring and pinon have to be cut with the teeth in reverse due to the High mesh vs the Low.

One of the best articles I have found on the 60 is:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... index.html
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Old 03-11-2012, 09:06 AM   #20
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Re: Front diff upgrade help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bones_GSXR
One of the best articles I have found on the 60 is:
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavist ... index.html
Thanks for the info and the very informative link. The article cleared up a bunch of things I didn't really understand.

Since my rig is a 92 I'm wondering which style kingpin I have. It would be nice if it was the earlier 88-91.5 knuckle version. Since the front end was done by Advanced 4-wheel Drive I guess it all depends on when they bought the parts.

Thanks also for clearing up the reverse rotation vs the reverse cut thing.

I'm feeling better about my chances of getting the Truetrac.
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