trac-lock, detroit, eaton....

Taranis

New Member
Nov 12, 2004
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Austin, Texas
Newbie Question,
Is there a thread or a website that describes the differences and maybe the pro/cons of these different types of diffs? Like how strong, how noisy, problems with turns, etc.... I've booen looking for a little while, but haven't found any sort of guide that uses the like terminology.
 
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Locker = Primarily for drag racing. Ratchets to allow turns, pretty noisy. The Power trax no slip is similar in function.

Trak-lok/posi-trac = Good all around differential. Generally hooks up well. Problem is that is uses clutch packs which eventually wear out and require a rebuild.

Spool = drag racing ONLY. Locks the wheels so that they both spin the same speed at all times.

true-trac = good for road racing and circle track. Okay for drag racing. Uses a system of gears instead of clutch packs.
 
I have a Locker (No-Spin unit) and it's relatively quiet. It doesn't ratchet around corners. When cornering it's important to let it coast because if you step on the gas, it will lock up. After a few rides you'll get used to it and then it'll become second nature. Sometimes, it'll bang in and out of lock mode when backing up slowly or parking and turning at the same time. I usually stop and then restart. This will straighten it out.

I don't regret buying this at all and it's rock solid performance on the track is unmatched. I bought it mainly because I didn't want to keep rebuilding rear ends with clutches.
 
Taranis said:
I looked on the Detroit Locker Website and it looked like the truetrac is the way to go for me. Are there any bad experiences that people have had with this diff? Thanks ahead of time for your responses.

There was a problem with the 8.8 version a few years ago. Apparently had to do with improper bolts being use on the differential and the heads would snap off under stress. This has since been fixed however and I hear nothing but good about them.