Traction Lock or Equalock?

[dsg40th]

Does anyone know if Ford used the Equalock differential in any of the early Bronco 9" rears?? I have a 1968 Wagon with a 289 3 speed and my differential needs new clutches so I'm trying to figure out what might have been factory installed in 1968, an Equalock or a traction lock?
Any info or experiences with this year would be helpful to me for ordering a rebuild kit.
Thank you.

 

[DirtDonk]

It's very likely an Equalock. I don't know what year they transitioned, but the early ones would most likely have been, as far as I know, the Equalock.

Not sure you can even get parts for them. I haven't done much searching myself, but I've heard it was a hard find. And a customer called me just last Monday with the same question, and he had already done a lot of searching and came up negative on the rebuild parts. So he was looking for options with other diffs.

Good luck.

Paul

 

[bronconut73]

JBG has equalock rebuild parts.

 

[DirtDonk]

There ya go...

Paul

 

[dsg40th]

Jeff's does carry kits for both I was just hoping to find out which one without tearing it apart then waiting in the kit to come in. I guess that's the only way to be sure.

 

[broncnaz]

Lots of info out there not much actual 100% positive on the year range of equa locks some say 67 others say 69. Still others report having them in even later years. So there is only one way to be sure.
Also after 40+ years of the bronco being around you never know whats been swapped on it. Unless your a one owner.

 

[dsg40th]

It appears that the drivetrain in mine has been untouched other than some engine upgrades and floor shift conversion. It still has the 3 L 50 tag on the rear differential, still has the original suspension, Dana 30 front and manual drum brakes all around. And the differential clutches are in dire need of replacement with extremely little break away torque. I was hoping for a trac lock due to the additional clutch plate vs. the Equalock. Oh well if it's an Equalock it'll have to do with a new clutch pack for now.

 

[dsg40th]

I do have a 77 Bronco 3.50 trac lock complete gear chuck but the ring gear suffered some severe pitting on about 4 or 5 of the teeth so maybe I'll source the better traclock from that one with a new clutch kit.

 

[broncnaz]

Dont take much to setup gears in a 9in have to do it anyway with the LS rebuild. depending on how bad that pitting really is it may not affect anything.

I like to shim my trac loc's a little more than what they had orginally usually .002 more. It helps a little. Equa loc should be the same.

 

[dsg40th]

Here's my spare 77 3.50 two pinion traclock ring gear after I spent a little time trying to clean it up. Not sure if will survive under use but I may throw it in and give it a shot while I'm rebuilding the original differential wether it be an equaloc or a traclock in there now.

 

[bronconut73]

That's not too bad. I bet it will be fine.

 

[bmc69]

I've personally found Equalocks in two different '69 all-original EBs, so I know that they had not gone away before then, at least. Based on that alone, I'd say the '68 is an Equalock.

 

[dsg40th]

It's interesting that there are actually at least 3 different limited slips Ford used. The Equalok, the two pinion Traclock and the four pinion Traclock. I never really looked closely at my spare 77 chuck until now it's been sitting for 20 years or better and thought all Traclocks were 4 pinion until I looked this one over, it is a Traclock because it uses the small coil springs for clutch preload vs. the Equalock's Bellville washer for preload.

 

[dsg40th]

Has anyone tried shimming the four preload springs as well as adding a few thousands to the clutch pack thickness to tighten the unit up a bit? I know we are limited by hat strength as they do crack and seperate under heavy loading and high horse power.

 

[bronconut73]

Either Bowsher or Naz mentioned this in another thread yesterday. The answer is yes.

 

[broncodriver99]

Has anyone tried shimming the four preload springs as well as adding a few thousands to the clutch pack thickness to tighten the unit up a bit? I know we are limited by hat strength as they do crack and seperate under heavy loading and high horse power.

Not sure about shimming the springs but running a thicker clutch pack or clutch shim is quite common.

 

[bronco1969]

I have a 69 with an equalok and it's untouched as best as I can tell.

 

[broncnaz]

I just go with extra shims in the clutch pack that essentially shims the springs as well. it would be to hard to try and shim the springs alone.
As for your spare chunk Id say that pitting doesnt look to bad Id run it just may want to run it like a new gear set and do a break in on it. Basically only drive ti for 15-20 minutes and allow it to cool for the fisrt few hundered miles then change the oil and you should be fine.
Unfortunetly I dont think that broncos ever came with a 4 pinion trac loc I think almost all the 28 spline units were 2 pinion. 4 pinion was availible on Hipo cars and trucks but i believe all used 31 spline axles as well.
They do have very weak clutch hats. Ive busted 2 trac locs first one was the clutch hat then I got a billet steel hat then I busted the trac loc carrier. The billet steel hat now resides on a 4 pinion unit.

 

[Timmy390]

I rebuilt my 9 thinking it had an open and to my surprise I found a 4 pin trac loc with little to no clutch material left. It was acting like an open for becuase of that.

Now was it original to my 74.....who knows. I do know the rear had been worked over at one time or if not worked over it the pumpkin had been removed for sure.

When rebuilding my trac loc, a added an extra clutch/shim and it's tight for sure.

Those gears looked OK by me. I would set them up and run them as is and save $120 bucks.

Tim

 

[dsg40th]

The stock 68 equalock? in the Bronco currently acts like an open diff. But when I jack it up there is some resistance or breaking torque but very little. It appears to be untouched tag on the stud is 3L 50 and vin / axle code shows it came with 3.50 gears and Traction lock.
Since I have the spare 77 chuck I may pull it apart and confirm if it's 4 tab or 5 tab clutch plates and order a kit and extra shim for it and take a chance with the gear set and swap it out with the original 68 and rebuild the original 68 diff and hang onto that one as a backup if I run into issues or excessive noise with the ring and pinion on the 77 chuck I put in.