Honestly unless you're rock crawling on a regular basis where you're getting a rear tire off the ground in my opinion a limited slip in the rear is the best option. Putting a selectable locker like an ARB in the front is going to gain you a lot more traction off road vs. the normal open front end...that's what I did anyway.

 

Ok thanks, that was what I was thinking. Just wanted to see what people has done. So are you enjoying the locker in the front? Did it make a huge difference

 

I haven't had a chance to really test it out yet, just had it thrown in with the gears when I was home on R&R. They made a huge difference on the power wagon I had before...there's really no substitute when looking for off road traction

 

usually a locker in the front is only for slow rock crawling or when you get stuck. It makes steering a nightmare and sketchy unless going real slow. I would also agree with the limited slip in the rear if not rock crawling. I would always go with a selectable locker, when those auto mechanical lockers can scare the liven crap out of you when they lock in on hard pavement going around a sharp turn.

 

The problem with a front locker messing up your steering isn't the lockers fault, it's the axles U joints.

 

Wrong. The issue is when you try to turn the wheel the front wheels have to spin at a different speed to accomplish that. With it locked they will stay at the same speed and try to stay straight. I have RCV joints in my offroad rig and it is still hard to turn when the front arb is locked so I add hydroassist to mine.

 

I went with Eaton Elocker electronic locker in the front and Eaton posi limited slip in the rear. I looked at the ARB option,but I wasn't confident with the air switch. But yes,definitely want a quality limited slip in the rear.

 

GM uses the g80 auto locker factory, have been for years. They work great. Road manners aren’t bad either. I wish ram used it. They both use the same rear end on our diesels. I have already had times hunting where I had to use 4x4 to get out of something cause the rear tires wouldn’t lock up. My duramax would lock up fully after one tire would spin a couple revolutions
Worked flawlessly


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THe G 80 needs about 120 rpm difference between wheel speeds before it engages. Not exactly optimum for off road crawling. Better to not spin to begin with. That’s why most folks who upgrade go with a TruTrac or Gleason Torson. just a better version of what our trucks come with.

 

In past vehicles I've had, I put Auburn Limited Slips in them. They worked great in mud, snow, crawling up stuff or slippery boat ramps. Since most of my miles were highway, I just didn't want to do deal with a full locker set up on the pavement. Did consider the ARB set as well.

 

Ya, that's something entirely different from what I experienced in the past with manual locking hubs and an open diff. I think the true trac is a good option, and reportedly even stronger than an air or elec locker.

 

I’m about to regear my truck. My question is should I get a locker or posi rear end? I do off-road some, mostly highway. I don’t tow that much.

I take it you have a 2500 without the Torsen rear differential. With what you do I would get the Torsen JMO. Locker for the front if you feel you need the extra traction. I'd never stick a posi on a truck driven on the road.

 

Technically speaking, yes it’s not a gear to gear locker. But it does work much like one and does provide equal traction to both rear wheels once it detects wheel slip and does so quite well. Unlike these limited slips our rams have. The g80 locks and unlocks, you know kind of like a locker, hmmm. It’s classified as an auto locking differential, and it does just that.
So I guess if you have a problem with this thread, then don’t read it.


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I've had more problems with grenading G80s than with any threads here.

 

G80's are good on road. They are not ideal off road. Heck I have an air locker in my Freightliner. When it is locked, you WILL only go straight.

 

Well I know several people with duramaxes, never an issue, including my 03. You must have really bad luck or are talking about ones from the 80’s or 90’s.


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Well, I've broken open diffs, limited slips like Powr-Loks and Gov-Loks (G80), but in all fairness, I even had a Detroit Locker stop working once.

 

I wish ram had options for a locker similar to a g-80, they all blow up eventually but when working straight bliss. I think may be the only thing I liked about my gmc.

 

A 7500lb truck will never off road like a Wrangler. So I prefer limited slip.

Get yourself a nice compressor, air down to 20-25 PSI and she'll get a bit more grip on the trails, and give a less jarring ride. 🙂

 

Locker imo no question. you dont need to rock crawl either to see the benefits of a locker. get in an area/trail with ice and snow and you will how a limited slip wont do anything. if you are going through the re gear process and the carrier will be out, do yourself a favor and install a selectable locker.

 

Except a selectable locker like the ARB is open when unlocked...so if you're driving on any sort of slick surface good luck, would be really fun having to continuously lock/unlock your rear end when driving on wet pavement.

 

Pavement is rarely that slick. If it is, you lock the rear and leave it. While I prefer a TruTrac for simplicity you can’t beat a selectable locker. That’s why the major mfgs install them.

 

OP

I took out the factory limited slip when I went to re-gear. Since the carrier was going to be out anyway, I went with a Detroit Tru-Trac in the rear. The project was only completed a few weeks ago, so I can't give feedback on longevity in the current truck, but I put one in my old truck and it lasted 130k before I traded it off.

 

Boy, this is a subject that gets my attn. I've never had a 4x4 until I bought this one, I was always into slammed duallies, and I always get by really well with my manual locking hubs and open diff and shifting in and out of 4hi when I get in the sand. But, I still feel the urge to upgrade @ least the front axle... That being said there are way too many options!!! I like the idea initially of a true trac's simplicity of use, but, I'd hate to get stuck if having an air, or electric locker would be better. It's too much money to get it wrong is probably why I've never bought one.

 

But, I still feel the urge to upgrade @ least the front axle... That being said there are way too many options!!! I like the idea initially of a true trac's simplicity of use, but, I'd hate to get stuck if having an air, or electric locker would be better. It's too much money to get it wrong is probably why I've never bought one.

In my experience a Truetrac works great, as long as both tires are on the ground.
And when they aren't, a bit of left foot braking is usually all it takes.

 

I plow snow with my truck and I have to use 4wd WAY MORE than I ever did with my Duramax with the G80...yes, my Ram has a tru trac/limited slip. IMO, the G80 just did what it was supposed to do. I find that if there is a bit of ice under one rear tire, my Ram will just spin the one tire until I ride the brake. In the same situation with the g80, it just locked on it's own and away I went.

 

I plow snow with my truck and I have to use 4wd WAY MORE than I ever did with my Duramax with the G80...yes, my Ram has a tru trac/limited slip

Same tires and such?

 

I've never been able to figure out why ram doesnt offer the Power Wagon Elocker as an option on diesels...torque values maybe??

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I've never been able to figure out why ram doesnt offer the Power Wagon Elocker as an option on diesels...torque values maybe??

That, and because the average Ram owner would get in trouble with an Elocker?

 

I’m running an Elocker in the front as well. I was told years ago that it’s better to have a locker in front rather than the rear. I’m looking to upgrade my gears to 3:73,I never tow, and thought I’d do the Eaton trutrac limited slip rather than a rear Elocker
Any opinions either way? Real world experience?
Thx

 

I was told years ago that it’s better to have a locker in front rather than the rear.

I would disagree with that. The steeper the climb, the more weight is on the rear, PLUS, you don't have to deal with any of the issues that comes with a front traction aid.

For anyone not into hardcore rock crawling, I'd never go beyond a rear locker....further, for mainly street use and incidental off-road, I'd never go beyond a limited slip in the rear.

 

Does Eaton make a E locker for the aam 9.25? i just got a 3500 '19 and im looking for a locker for the AAM 12, but nobody has anything available right now

 

I talked to Eaton today and they told me they don’t anything for a metric axle. Not sure if your 19 is or isn’t. My 14 is an 11.5 I believe