Traction-Lok Front Axle Experiences?

[jamesroney]

Is that true? I don't have a lot of experience with TracLocs, but I was thinking they are a fairly conventional clutch-type limited slip which has friction between the two sides all the time. I know when I had an almost completely worn out TracLoc in the rear of my pickup it was difficult to turn one wheel by hand if the other wheel wasn't also jacked up and the truck in neutral.

If that's the case then you might notice it being difficult to turn the steering wren sitting still with the hubs locked. Likely wouldn't be as noticeable when moving

The Detroit is a completely different animal. It will always unlock when one tire wants to overrun, so that won't cause any bind-up when trying to turn the steering while stopped with the hubs locked.

Nothing Special...you are correct. The Dana Spicer Trac Lok is THE prototypical clutch type limited slip with constant friction (or lack therof...) at all times. The Spicer Power Lok is the cluthch type limited slip with the ramps that enable increased bias by applying torque. The trak lok has a tiny bit of ramp effect from the axle pinion pushing against the pressure angle of the spider gear...so maybe that is what SVO Bronco is seeing. All of the limited slips that I've seen in Early Broncos are Power Lok. For sure the Dana 30's are power lok. But Ford might have switched to Trac Lok at some point. I won't install a trac lok in a Dana 44. They are junk, and the power lok is better...

you always know when you have an original Dana 44 power lock front limited slip. The bolts to hold the case halves together are Left Hand thread.

 

[jamesroney]

Any steering or other drivability issues driving around on dry ground with hubs locked in and not in 4x4?

It all depends on what you call an "issue."

You will definitely know that you have something going on up front when the hubs are locked and the transfer case is in 2WD. It's not dangerous, but the Bronco will want to drive more or less in a straight line and fight you a little when you steer. It's annoying, but rarely worth pulling over to unlock.

 

[svobronco]

Nothing Special...you are correct. The Dana Spicer Trac Lok is THE prototypical clutch type limited slip with constant friction (or lack therof...) at all times. The Spicer Power Lok is the cluthch type limited slip with the ramps that enable increased bias by applying torque. The trak lok has a tiny bit of ramp effect from the axle pinion pushing against the pressure angle of the spider gear...so maybe that is what SVO Bronco is seeing. All of the limited slips that I've seen in Early Broncos are Power Lok. For sure the Dana 30's are power lok. But Ford might have switched to Trac Lok at some point. I won't install a trac lok in a Dana 44. They are junk, and the power lok is better...

you always know when you have an original Dana 44 power lock front limited slip. The bolts to hold the case halves together are Left Hand thread.

I was specifically talking about a TracLoc, I've never been fortune enuf to have anything with a PowerLok in it. The '78 I had had TracLocs front and rear, the rear was whipped, but the front worked fairly well.

 

[EB70]

I have a trac loc in the front of an EB Dana 44. I use it in the snow and on road in 4x4 due to road conditions. I knew better because I am old! I have ran alot of other lockers but decided to try this one since I owned it. Gives me traction when I don't want it, but when I really need it locking isn't an option. Not cool.

I have ran an Eaton TruTrac before on road and it was great in the front on the hwy. Love it for snow. However, selectable is best IMHO.

 

[B.ranch]

I have a trac loc in the front of an EB Dana 44. I use it in the snow and on road in 4x4 due to road conditions. I knew better because I am old! I have ran alot of other lockers but decided to try this one since I owned it. Gives me traction when I don't want it, but when I really need it locking isn't an option. Not cool.

I have ran an Eaton TruTrac before on road and it was great in the front on the hwy. Love it for snow. However, selectable is best IMHO.

 

[Spaggyroe]

My experience is that a fresh TracLok works ok. Larger tires, and/or worn clutches makes them not so ok...

I installed a Detroit TruTrac in the rear of my 69. As others have mentioned, it's constructed in a completely different manner and it flat out works!
For a limited slip style differential, it's now the only one I will run.

I've had lockers in the past and while they can't be beat off-road, I didn't love them on road and absolutely hated them in the snow. Any lockers I run in the future will be selectable.

 

[LUBr LuvR]

only 314 with d44 limited slip in 1972

Watch out...Those Marti statistics are hard to interpret.

Your "vehicle" is a U14 Ford Pickup Truck. Those stats won't include U15 wagon data. So yes...314 pickups with D44 limited slip.

Quite a few more left the factory in the 1972 U15/wagons.....

 

[bam]

I meant to put u14 in the post, thanks for the reminder

 

[broncosam]

I had the Ford trac-loc differential in the front axle of several F series trucks over the years and I never experienced any problems with them.

 

[jamesroney]

I had the Ford trac-loc differential in the front axle of several F series trucks over the years and I never experienced any problems with them.

Just so we don't confuse the newbies...

There is no such thing as a Ford Trac-loc. Ford's registered trademark for their traction adding devices is called the "Equa-Lok" and the "Traction Lok" The GM trademark is "Posi-Traction" and "Gov-Lok" The Chrysler trademark is "Sure Grip."

The Tier 1 suppliers to the OEM's also have trademark names for their traction adding devices. Dana Spicer owns "Trac Lok" and "power lok." Eaton bought Dyneer Tractech so they own the name "true trac" (as well as "no-spin" and "Detroit Locker" and "elocker") Vernon Gleasman, invented the Gleason Torsen, sold to Zexel Torsen, and owned by JTEKT. JTEKT is a merger between Koyo-Seiko and Toyoda Machine. Tochigi Fuji Sangyo is owned by GKN Driveline and built the 2003-2006 Dana 44 limited slip Rubicon Locker.

So the two pinion clutch type limited slip differential, designed and manufactured by Dana Spicer in the Dana 44 and provided to the automakers is a "trac-lok."

When that Trac lok differential is installed in the front of your 1978 Ford Bronco...it becomes a "Traction Lok." When the exact same component is installed in the back of a Corvette it becomes a "Posi-traction." When it is installed in a Jaguar, or a Jeep ...it becomes a "Trac Loc" again.

The Dana Spicer 4 pinion, ramp type friction clutch limited slip differential is called a power-lok. When factory installed in a 1969-71 Dodge B and E body 35 spline Dana 60, it is called a Sure Grip. When you install it in the front of your 1978-2004 F350 Dana 60, it becomes a Power Lok.

Clear as mud.

 

[DirtDonk]

Wow, thanks for drilling down into those details James. All these years and I did not know that some of them were in fact the same units under different names. I knew GM used 44's in the rear of some cars, but I never even noted that there was a "posi-traction" in a Dana axle even though I probably saw it in print.
Good to know that stuff even if it won't ever help me sleep at night.
But it might!

Paul

 

[Rustytruck]

I believe Traclocks work better with the standard tires sizes the bronco came with rather than the oversize tires common today. the jeeps are comon with then and they change them out and go to lockers in those applications. My bronco had track lock in the rear and if you really needed assist you had to jam the parking brake all the way down and power to over come the drag. after that episode in my life I went Detroit locker in the rear and Tru-trac in the front. the front was never scary but the rear was scary as hell in a narrow shelf road covered in Ice with any camber in it. if you really need traction in the front then get an arb up front or an e-locker or a Tru trac in that order if you have to deal with Ice and snow. I think the Trac lock it an expensive 1/2 compromise by the time you find one, rebuild one and find a steel side cover for it. stock size tires Ok but large tires don't waste your money.