Technical What to expect? Positive Traction/Limited slip

I must apologize, I have a Detroit locker for the Fairlane not the Eaton and truly don't like how it drives. The leverage of the 3.80 gears and the light weight Fairlane just made it no fun. At the time I was using them with a stock converter and about 300 hp 289. I quit using the dropout about 2007 and just left the 3.25 open in it.
The Fairlane now has 450 hp, 3.73 gears and a Ford clutch type differential with the carbon fiber clutch disks. If I have a longevity problem with it I will slip in a spool for the drag strip.

 

The first car I had with a limited slip rear was a 70 Continental MKIII. I made a 90 degree turn from a stop sign in the rain and stepped on it kind of hard about half way through the turn. That's when I found out how to spin the car around. After I realized how it handled on slippery surfaces, I never had a problem. We had a snow storm that dropped about 14 inches on the ground. I drove the Continental everywhere as it had very good traction.

 

Why wasn't limitied-slip standard? There was practically nothing more ridiculous being stuck on snow or ice with one drive wheel sitting useless on dry pavement while the other spins.

 

For clarity, Eaton makes both the Detroit Locker and the Trutrac. They purchased the company that made both.

I know Squirrel likes his, but I have removed more Detroit Lockers than I have installed, and for the behaviors you previously described.

 

Cost.

 

Not sure why anyone would prefer an open drive to a limited slip in snow. Two wheels turning is always better than one. You may still get stuck sometime but you have a better chance of moving when both wheels turn. As for normal driving, most of us have managed to spin a car around unintentionally during our driving lifetime. You just have to be more careful when the roads, especially steel bridges and overpasses are involved whether you have limited slip or not. Personally I think F-ONE is gonna love it. I bought 2 of them cause I think thats the best way to go. Clutches tend to wear out and have to be replaced ......especially if you do any water burnouts. The True tracs should last way longer. I had a Trac Lock one time in a street car.........couldn't stand the clunking.

 

That's a fair question, but there are good answers. The unwashed public looks for the low base price when car shopping so manufacturers have to play the low price game. Limited-slip is an UPGRADE and most of the time if you want it you will have to order it ala carte to have it built your way at the factory.
There are exceptions. The sporty models with the high-performance, premium engines will likely arrive at the dealers with the upgraded, premium differentials because those types of buyers demand limited slip on the 'build sheet' list. But there is another class of buyers who want the "sporty car" mystique but with the base, low-performance engine. Those will probably be equipped with the base, open diff.

 

But the car only slips or slides when it loses traction, and with limited slip you have twice the amount of rubber gripping the road surface. One wheel may loose traction, but if the other maintains traction the vehicle maintains forward momentum, and under control.

 

Sure, maybe 70 years ago. All kinds of "extra cost" items today are "standard" now without a second thought, some with questionable utility or always bundled in such a way so there's no optioning out of it. Limited slip, how much money are we talkin'? Getting stuck in snow or mud isn't necessarily cheap either.

 

I can see a possibilty of the differential working better with a louse converter and a more high strung engine, this would give it less abrupt input simular to hearing the bark of the shifts of the automatic with a louse converter unless it's full throttle. But that's not how we drive making a corner pulling away from a stop sign.

 

Then guess I've been conditioned for over 40 years. Back in the day before modern OD, all in my group had two carriers for the rear end, 100 mile radius and out of state trip ones, mine were 4:11 & 3.00. I have always run big blocks with fairly conservative cams and the sweet spot for them has always been 2450-2600rpm's on the freeway. Got to the point of switching carriers in about 45 minutes solo. So to each their own, but I tend not to purposely buzz a built big block for hours on end and live to drive another day. Funny back then it was no big deal to put on 1500-2000 miles in a 4 day weekend, now people don't do that much in a summer.

 

In my experience, the Detroit Locker works better in vehicles with automatic transmissions.

I suspect that this is because the drivetrain, and thus the differential is never fully unloaded.

When I ran one in a manual transmission vehicle, I had to stay sharp on every hard throttle shift, as it wanted to change lanes. Same with a hard downshift.

 

I'm with gimpy and some of the other gents.

Had a 66 gto,389, 4 speed and 3.23 posi, at the same time also a 68 firebird. 400, auto and 3.23 open, just daily driving noticed no difference whatsoever, rain or shine. Now with heavy rain or snow ? I could cross up and drift that firebird a whole lot easier.

The goat had no options other than posi and 4 speed. The firebird had everything. Pwr steering/brakes, a/c, pwr windows etc so I'd put weight close to each other so I doubt that was ever an issue but I could move that bird sideways alot easier.

 

The only times I've ever encountered behavior like this was when I either had a low rear tire, or the U bolt nuts came loose. But I agree, a manual transmission probably makes it more exciting.

I love the looks on the faces of folks when I pull into a gas station, the locker is merrily clicking away, and people look at me all "wtf?".

A few folks get it, most don't, that's fine.

 

I had a Detroit locker in a two ton truck! It did more than click! It popped as loud as a .22 rifle! But that was a truck….sure got good traction, though!







Bones

 

It’s pretty much been replaced by traction control on new cars.

The old Detroit Lockers in 4x4 pickups would get you pretty much anywhere.... al least after the first time they steered an inexperienced driver directly into the ditch after his first driving experience on an icy, snow covered road.

 

My locker pops a bit if you close the throttle and coast. Almost lost it one day, turning onto the highway and goosing it on the 1>2 shift ahead of traffic. I was very curious, so made a loop to come back around to check out the road. It was in a slight graded curve. Romp and stomp on flat dry surface is pretty safe. I imagine driving a road course would be a trip. Hard downshifts will make her slide

Joe

 

The ''street'' chunk in the '57 is a Detroit locker. Sticky cheaters and a 4 speed. No unexpected stuff, one time caught in the rain like that. It was a slow, careful ride home.

 

With a Torsen which is what the trutrac is, I bet you won’t even know the difference.

 

I want to thank you all for commenting. I have enjoyed each and every post. Again, thank you all.

I'm looking forward to driving this car. I am going to take it easy and learn it.