Powertrax No-slip

You cannot put a ratchet type locker in the front of a CAD equipped truck without disabling the CAD unit.

I don't run a no slip, but I do run Lockrights in my Samurai, and they hold up pretty well compared to a Detroit ez.

As to strength, they are gonna be EASILY as strong as your stock carrier. The weak link is usually the crosspin, but you will likely break an axle before you break the locker.

They do not "stop locking" if they break. They pop and clunk really bad. If the locker is not working, and looks in perfect shape, it was not installed correctly. edit: UNLESS both axleshafts have broken-and in a Toyota, that might be both BIRFIELDS have broken. BTW welcome Missouriman!

I have my doubts as to the smoothness of ANY ratchet type locker. I haven't run a No slip, but a ratchet locker by design requires "slop" to allow the ratchet mechanism to engage and disengage. I'd expect slop and torque steer, as well as the occasional clunk. Probably a lot smoother than a standard LR, but it's still a ratchet locker.

There was a discontinued ("gearless"?) "locker" that used pure clutchpacks and a "trunken v" that pressed the clutchpacks to power the axles. It is THE ONLY diff design that will fail to transmit power when excessive wear takes place. For instance a posi, when the clutchpacks wear completely out still transmits power to the axles, it just becomes an open diff. When the "gearless" clutchpacks wore out, the packs couldn't transmit power to the axles at all. They sucked, and were discontinued.

The no slip won't be stronger than a cheapo Lockright, it will just be smoother. In the rear they are ridiculously easy to install on the full floating axle. Pull axleshafts, diff cover, bearing caps. Pry out carrier, blast off ring gear, pull crosspin and spider/side gears. Install locker and put it back together. Don't even have to jack the truck up. Only hard part is muscling the carrier in and out.

TURBOLVR said:

Also- unless an off road only rig, the hubs/spindles must be changed to allow the axle to be disconnected from the hubs or it will cause sever steering issues and really excessive wear on the street.

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Actually, the lunchbox lockers are barely detectable in the front with the hubs locked in with the transfer case in 2wd. I mean the ONLY time you know it's there in 2wd is if you slam on the brakes and one tire skids, and the other doesn't. Then the spinning side will ratchet the locker making a buzzing sound. Shouldn't hurt the locker, though. Just sounds funny.

Full case Detroits have big fat springs that soak up the ratchet "slop" but require stout load to ratchet. This means you KNOW you have a locker up front with a full case Detroit, but the lunchbox lockers are invisible until the transfer case is locked in. I've installed a few on front applications, and NEVER unlock the hubs on my Sami. I've talked a few folks out of full case's in the front due to this.

As to lincoln lockers, in the rear, they handle great. But the wear you do on your tires will cost more than a locker. And they scrub pretty bad in parking lots. In the front of these trucks, I'd hesitate to do a locker anyhow lincoln or not, due to the 32 spline axleshafts. I *think* the d70u rears are 32 spline, too, but you can upgrade to 35 spline when you install your locker. Just get a 35 spline locker, and some junkyard 35 spline axle shafts. The spindle probably will need to be bored out a little, though. The d80's come with 35 spline, so I wouldn't worry too much about breaking axles.

A lincoln locker in the front is completely impractical if you EVER plan on going on the pavement. You'd HAVE to have a manual hub conversion, and the cost of it would make it ridiculous to not put a selectable or ratchet type locker in. Once you are that far it would be silly to not upgrade to 35 spline inner and outer shafts, and at that point you are talking BIG $$. Might as well get rid of the POS Dodge d60 alltogether and go to a kingpin 35 spline Ford d60.

BTW the "freespin" manual hub conversions come in both 32 spline and 35 spline types. If I remember correctly, you can get one from Dynatrac that uses 35 spline inner AND outers. Most d60's use 30 spline outers.

The CAD disconnects one axleshaft which makes the spider gears walk. The purpose of this is to prevent the axles from driving the ring and pinion gears. The r&p is where all the drag is with the front axle engaged since it's a "hypoid" type gearset. Straight cut spider/sidegears drag VERY little, so it gains you fuel efficiency to disconnect one side. ADD on Toyota's are the same story.

Here's where the problems come in; if you put a Detroit full case in front, it WILL spin the r&p due to the stout preload springs which will make the left tire pull. If you put a lockright or any other "lunchbox" type locker, the side that is connected (driver's) will spin continuously. A little buzz from stuffing the brakes is no big deal, but grinding it CONSTANTLY every time you drive is no good. With a posi, the clutchpacks will burn up for the same reason.

The reason a selectable is OK with a CAD or ADD equipped truck is that when unlocked, the spider gears simply walk like it did with the stock carrier. A locker is really hard on axleshafts no matter the type, so with puny 32 spline fronts and a heavy front end, I'd be hesitant to put a locker up front anyhow without costly axleshaft upgrades.

Anyhow, I took ADVANTAGE of the CAD unit by making it selectable manually. This allows me to lock it in or out from the driver's seat as if I locked my hubs, and I can shift into 4x smooth as silk at 60mph when it's already engaged, and also shift into low range without engaging the front axle. Lemons to lemonade, and the Dodge axle is certainly a lemon as far as Dana 60's go. At least it's not 30 (!!) spline inner like some were.