[Kreepiekid]

have welded diff rear and open front, haven’t had problems getting stuck. Stock gears and 33s with a 302

 

[mattmann]

I have 35’s with a 6” lift. This is more of a cruiser and not a trail rig but I’m installing 4.10 front and rear at the moment and a Detroit true track on the rear only. I don’t use 4x4 enough to justify full lockers and definitely not for the front diff also.


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[Bruners4]

I've read/thought a lot of the same things about mine also. I'm going to wait until I do a gear change before committing on different differentials. Dana 44 has a 3.90 split and I only want to buy the front diff once. While waiting on deciding on what gear ratio to go to, I've rebuilt my rear Trac-Loc with the carbon-fiber clutches. This was enough to get me over any trail that we have taken. I tested it with one wheel on ice and the other on dry pavement, It held to about half throttle before excessive slipping.
One thing to keep in mind is that the rear axle bearing inner race is the actual axle shaft. So when they take it apart, they may find that this inner race is worn out and the only good way to fix it is to replace the rear axles. I replaced mine with JBG 32362.

 

[rain252]

I like the idea of a TrueTrac in the rear for snow and other types of slippery road contitions. It's automatic traction.
Then, a selectable locker in the front.

Filthy Motorsports in Boulder, Colo (Ben) says exaclty this. I may find out that this was the best way to go. I have an E-locker for the front installing at end of month, and I feel good about that except for the higher likliehood of damaging front components, but I'm going with it and I will upgrade axles, U-joints, tie rod ends in the next couple yrs when I rebuild the front end to help alleviate that concern.

 

[rain252]

You’re wrestling with hard problems and I don’t think there is a perfect choice. Has a lot to do with your preferences.

I’d wait on the front and just do the back to start.

I’ve had a truetrac in the back and open diff in the front of my FSB for years now. I do some silly off-roading and I have yet to feel
like I “need” a locking setup up front.

That truetrac is SOOOO effective it’s amazing! That allows me to get the push I need to keep
The front tires moving and get over anything a jeep can.

I’ve also heard when you do lock the front you start breaking axles. I’ve also heard that adding LSD, truetrac or lunch box and steering in low traction like snow gets very sketchy.

Have fun and good luck!


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All good points! Having a locker in the rear would seem not as good as a Truetrac for snow/slippery, but weighing how very little historically I am exposed to that has lead me to order the Ox Locker for the rear. Rocky desert trails is the norm around the Arizona desert. Everythng is a tradeoff? So looking at the conditions I will be most exposed to, I went with selectable lockers front and rear. And I realize I may come to regret it!

 

[rain252]

have welded diff rear and open front, haven’t had problems getting stuck. Stock gears and 33s with a 302

That saved the bucks! A lot to be said for simplicity if it works for you. Is it squireely on paved roads?

 

[rain252]

I have 35’s with a 6” lift. This is more of a cruiser and not a trail rig but I’m installing 4.10 front and rear at the moment and a Detroit true track on the rear only. I don’t use 4x4 enough to justify full lockers and definitely not for the front diff also.


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Not being a rough trail rig, that sounds optimal.

 

[rain252]

I've read/thought a lot of the same things about mine also. I'm going to wait until I do a gear change before committing on different differentials. Dana 44 has a 3.90 split and I only want to buy the front diff once. While waiting on deciding on what gear ratio to go to, I've rebuilt my rear Trac-Loc with the carbon-fiber clutches. This was enough to get me over any trail that we have taken. I tested it with one wheel on ice and the other on dry pavement, It held to about half throttle before excessive slipping.
One thing to keep in mind is that the rear axle bearing inner race is the actual axle shaft. So when they take it apart, they may find that this inner race is worn out and the only good way to fix it is to replace the rear axles. I replaced mine with JBG 32362.

As they say.... buy once, cry once. Smart to be patient. My Trac-Loc in the rear is 25 yrs old and no doubt seen better days, but it really has done me very well. I have wanted to get away from wearable clutchpacks. I thought about just having my shop put a renew kit in it and adding a TrueTrac in the front. But I have thought about this and read for a long time, and I'm going to just do the selectable lockers on both ends. I hope I don't regret it! Now i have pictures in my head of my locked axles getting bound up and breaking stuff. One of the positives to a lim slip diff I have learned from all the good input here, is some slip protects components.

As to the axle shaft bearings at the ends of the tubes...... I had not thought about that. I will raise that with the shop when I drop it off at the end of the month. If that turns out to be the case, that will be a good time to replace (maybe upgrade) the axles and keep the old ones as spares, eh? But since this truck only has 75k miles, I would be surprised if they are worn down. The 32362 is still listed at Bronco Graveyard for $159 pair. When I was talking to differential distributors, one guy said axles (I guess he meant both front and rear) are getting harder to find for these Broncos.

 

[djyaz]

All good points! Having a locker in the rear would seem not as good as a Truetrac for snow/slippery, but weighing how very little historically I am exposed to that has lead me to order the Ox Locker for the rear. Rocky desert trails is the norm around the Arizona desert. Everythng is a tradeoff? So looking at the conditions I will be most exposed to, I went with selectable lockers front and rear. And I realize I may come to regret it!

I’m sure that will workout well! Selectable front and back is the most versatile/capable, but priced accordingly. Have fun and post some pics!


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[rain252]

I’m sure that will workout well! Selectable front and back is the most versatile/capable, but priced accordingly. Have fun and post some pics!


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When I get it done, I sure will. Thanks!

 

[rain252]

This 5 min video cinched it for me, Glad I am not going with a TrueTrac. Not that TrueTrac is not an excellent LSD if it suits your particular needs. I don't want to be two-pedal driving all the time in rough stuff.

 

[BigBlue 94]

This 5 min video cinched it for me, Glad I am not going with a TrueTrac. Not that TrueTrac is not an excellent LSD if it suits your particular needs. I don't want to be two-pedal driving all the time in rough stuff.

Hah imagine those of us with 3 pedals... it works better in the front with a locker in the rear.

 

[rain252]

Hah imagine those of us with 3 pedals... it works better in the front with a locker in the rear.

Good point, BigBlue! Been a long time since I was a 3 pedal driver! Like your avatar.....I always liked Johnny Cash.

 

[randby]

Boy, this is like asking what oil you like 😁 I'll toss my situation into the ring. I run1ton running gear and went down this same road of choosing. I went with the OX locker front and rear, I couldn't be happier with their function so far ( 3 years) Now, I used their cable for the rear and had a hard time keeping it adjusted right. Didn't care for it so I ordered their little air cylinder for it and man does that work awesome. I then ordered a front locker with the "air" diff cover. I don't run an onboard compressor. ( My rig is 100% snow plowing and I'm in and out of locked all the time) I run them off a small paint ball cylinder mounted behind my seat. I didn't want moist air getting into the system to cause issues. One cylinder lasts me all winter. ( just tossing out ideas) I have 2 rocker switches on the dash to activate them, the selinoids are mounted with the air cylinder on top of my sub. See photo.

 

[rain252]

Boy, this is like asking what oil you like 😁 I'll toss my situation into the ring. I run1ton running gear and went down this same road of choosing. I went with the OX locker front and rear, I couldn't be happier with their function so far ( 3 years) Now, I used their cable for the rear and had a hard time keeping it adjusted right. Didn't care for it so I ordered their little air cylinder for it and man does that work awesome. I then ordered a front locker with the "air" diff cover. I don't run an onboard compressor. ( My rig is 100% snow plowing and I'm in and out of locked all the time) I run them off a small paint ball cylinder mounted behind my seat. I didn't want moist air getting into the system to cause issues. One cylinder lasts me all winter. ( just tossing out ideas) I have 2 rocker switches on the dash to activate them, the selinoids are mounted with the air cylinder on top of my sub. See photo.
View attachment 177787
View attachment 177789

Wow! That is awesome. Ingenious. I'm getting OX in th rear, and would have gone OX in the front also, but they don't make it for my Dana 44.TTB. Getting E-locker in front. Question about the air (or gas) operated OX.....it just pushes the shift fork in same as the cable would? Gets me thinking. If that little bottle lasts you all winter, I could do something similar because I air up and down with a 10 lb. CO2 bottle, so I already have gas onboard. I like the simplicity of the cable, and I heard somewhere at some point that OX improved the cable to work better. If it works well. I'm fine with moving the lock handle. Would the necessary change to go from manual cable to gas operation alll be done on the outside of the diff cover? (Re-read your post.....I guess I would need a different diff cover and the air cylinder)

 

[randby]

Yes you CO2 bottle would work great, just need to regulate down to about 130 psi. If you don’t like the cable, no worries, you just have to unscrew the cable at the diff and screw in the little air cylinder they seem ( look on their site) it’s about 2.5” long and 1” diamiter You air line goes into it. Very simple upgrade. If you order the locker “with air” instead of cable, the diff cover is machined and had the air cylinder built in so to speak. It’s very simple and uses o-rings inside with a plunger to push the fork. Really nothing to go wrong. (Famous last words ehh? ) I get my cylinder filled at a local safety shop with nitrogen or any inert compressed gas that’s dry.

 

[rain252]

I'm going to give the cable a go. If it works well, I will really like the simplicity. Nce to know I could convert to gas if needed. Really appreciate you bringing this up!

 

[KyleQ]

I've got an aussie up front with a trac-lok out back and I've never had any traction issues, just getting caught up on this with 32" tires issues. The factory rear trac-lok is more than enough for 32" tires for whatever you're going to be doing on 32" tires and an aussie up front works awesome, besides it's axle destroying nature. I plow snow, I trail ride and I street cruise my 96' and I've never wanted more of it on the tire size without any lift.

For refrence, I've got a 74' Bronco on 43's that stomps over everything all the way down to a 88' Samurai on 31's with lunchbox lockers front and rear and that goes places it shouldn't either. A FSB on 32's is only going to go so far with the size and weight of it, but then again, your terrain may very, I'm in the midwest.

Detroit tru-trac's are the ultimate tow rig traction aid and are better suited in the rear as the front is off the ground for more often than the rear.

 

[rain252]

I've got an aussie up front with a trac-lok out back and I've never had any traction issues, just getting caught up on this with 32" tires issues. The factory rear trac-lok is more than enough for 32" tires for whatever you're going to be doing on 32" tires and an aussie up front works awesome, besides it's axle destroying nature. I plow snow, I trail ride and I street cruise my 96' and I've never wanted more of it on the tire size without any lift.

For refrence, I've got a 74' Bronco on 43's that stomps over everything all the way down to a 88' Samurai on 31's with lunchbox lockers front and rear and that goes places it shouldn't either. A FSB on 32's is only going to go so far with the size and weight of it, but then again, your terrain may very, I'm in the midwest.

Detroit tru-trac's are the ultimate tow rig traction aid and are better suited in the rear as the front is off the ground for more often than the rear.

Good points all. The owner of Filthy Motorsports in Colorado recommended the same.....locker in front and Truetracs in rear. I thought real hard about just doing one of the lunchbox lockers in the front myself and having my shop do a Truetrac in back (or juist renew the factory Trac-lok in rear). Finally I decided to go with selectable lockers on both ends. My uise is rocky jeep trails in Arizona so far. I've read over the years that 33" is about the tallest tire that the Dana 44 should have due to the weight of a full size Bronco. I have 33" BF Goodrich Alll Terrain's on it and that will likely be it from now on. 35's would be nice, but I'm pretty happy with the 33's. Yes, my bronco is not going to be a super capable offroader with it's size and weight (and not being able to unlockl the sway bar like those Rubicons can), and being I have not ever pursued long travel upgrades. Seems like those long travel kits are super expensive now. I also don't want to get into having drop brackets for the axle beams. My desire with this was keeping the center of gravity low as possible and go to 33" tires to not overwhelm the Dana 44, and improve the traction capability. I already have a 10,000 lb winch on the front. But never say never! Maybe at some point the leanred members here will open my eyes to doing more, but right now I'm feeling that after the diff's are upgraded, I will be content, accepting the limitations that exist.

 

[Kreepiekid]

That saved the bucks! A lot to be said for simplicity if it works for you. Is it squireely on paved roads?

Nah I cruise at 80 and let go of the wheel