Has anyone had experience with an Eaton Detroit True-Track in a Ford 8.8 rear end? I'm going to have to replace the clutch pack, carrier gears, spider gears and bearings out of the 8.8 I've got. They are all shot. So, I'm wondering about replacing the whole unit with a Detroit true-track. I just haven't heard a whole lot about them. Any thoughts on performance differences? Recommendations? It's going in a 55 Ford F100 with a fun little Y block. Thanks
Excellent up to about 400 H.P., more than that you would step up to a Detroit Locker, or the Auburn unit. You'll be happy. Even with slicks, a "fun little y-block" should not be able to hurt the Eaton unit at all. If you dont have 31 spline axles, nows the time.
I've rebuilt the stock Limited-Slip 8.8's and went from a 3.08 gear to a 3.55... Those are fun to do..
Yeah. I've got everything apart. It shouldn't be to hard to buy parts and put it back together. The cost difference and the possibility for an upgrade is what spawned the thought about the true track. Deuces: I haven't pulled the pinion gears, and am wondering how involved that is without the pinion depth do-hickey. So I've shied away from the front of the axle... Any thoughts there? replace bearings maybe?
grovedog, there is also the Richmond Powertrax to consider, no shimming, crush sleeve none of that, easy as changing spider gears- done in a hour. Dont buy the cheap LOCKER one, they are noisy as hell and grabby, good for a jeep not a hot rod.
What is the Richmond Powertrax unit you're talking about? I'm trying to find it on their website right now.
The True-Trac is a gear driven limited slip. More positive than a clutch driven unit. Pretty damn stout. I ran one in a Dana 44 with tall tires and not one bit of issues. My favorite L/S. Good luck. BloodyKnuckles
The powertrax is pretty good also. It is more of a locker that is smooth, not herky-jerky like other lunchbox lockers. I believe they are pretty pricey though and are only as strong as your carrier. For a few bucks more I would replace the whole carrier with a full unit wether you go full locker or L/S. BloodyKnuckles
I used a 0-6.00" depth micrometer when I checked the pinion depth on mine.. I also checked the height thickness of both pinion gears... The 3.08 and the 3.55 pinions were the same so I used the same shim thickness pack behind the pinion gear... It's best to buy from Ford when your ready for a new set of gears because of Ford's quality conrol standards... Their's is one of the best!
BTW...I have ran an Auburn, Powertrax, Loc-rite, Detroit lockers, mini and full spools. I have some interest in traction aiding devices. BloodyKnuckles
DUECES: I haven't forked over the dosh for nice 6" micrometer. But I'm glad you've got it done. BLOODYKNUCKLES: Out of the limited slips you've run, which would you say is best for my application? Remember, it's a daily driver, 55 F100, y block that'll put average 330 lb/ft torque 250 hp.
....... One other thing.... I'm still running the same 28 spline axles that the car came with.. Yikes! The motor's pushing around 460 hp with the stock T-5.. Ain't broke nothin'......... yet!
By far, The True-Trac. I found the limits of the Auburn. From what I know most clutch type L/Ss are rebuildable. I don't believe the True-Trac is rebuildable but I know of no one who has needed too. Clutch types can be built to be almost locker like by adding or adjusting the clutches. This is popular with the straight line guys. Honestly, you would probably be fine with any L/S with 250hp and 330lbs of tq in an 8.8. The 8.8 is actually pretty flippin' strong. Larger ring gear than a Dana 44. The only real drawback is that's it a c-clip retained axle. The after market loves the 8.8. BloodyKnuckles
It's all about knowing what you have and being kind to it. You know what you have. Keep it alive. BloodyKnuckes
Exactly my thoughts! If you hammer the %$^&# out of your rod then you're going to need an account at the local parts shop! Thanks duders!
Do you like the performance of your truck, from take off to highway? I'm asking because now would be the ideal time to change ring and pinion. Higher numerically for take off or lower numerically for highway. BloodyKnuckles
Time for the condensed version of my customary diff spiel: You've got basically two kinds of limited-slip diff - speed-limiting and torque-limiting. A conventional friction-type limited slip e.g. Trac-Lok or a ratchet locker e.g. Detroit Locker or hydraulically-operated clutch-type diffs e.g. GKN Viscolok (aka BMW M Differential Lock) and a large array of others are speed-limiting devices, they attempt to control side-to-side wheel speed differential. The helical-gear torque-biasing diffs e.g. Quaife, Truetrac, Torsen, Gold Trac, and a few others are torque-limiting diffs, they attempt to transfer power away from the wheel that's got less grip and they don't care whether one is spinning faster than the other. Side effects: In track use (that is, the kind with turns) a speed-limiting diff is 'tighter' than a torque-biasing diff, a speed-limiting diff will tend toward understeer while a gear diff will be neutral-to-oversteer, may require changes in car setup (but generally more fun once you're there.) Gear diffs used hard in track use may generate lots of heat, need at least a tempilabel, maybe cooler and pump. Most gear diffs have a 'coffin corner' to their behavior - put one wheel on a near-zero-mu surface (e.g. pile of wet leaves) or lift it off the ground in a corner and the diff goes 'open'. Sounds worse than it really is. Gear diffs targeted at race use e.g. Torsen T-2R, Gold Track have a friction pack to prevent this. Most friction diffs suck in FWD applications, a few e.g. Haldex have been made specifically for that use. Gear diffs can work great (throttle-steering an FWD car, really!) but they can also introduce interesting quirks depending on steering geometry (nail the gas in first gear in a U-turn and the steering wheel gets ripped out of your hands as it jams over to full lock.) Personally I like gear torque-biasing diffs, there may be certain cars/applications where the predictable-understeer factor of a friction limited-slip is preferable. Detroit Locker IMO best saved for those specific circle-track and vintage road-race classes where they're required (or better things prohibited) by rules, and maybe street-strip cars where their relative durability is an asset, they can be unpredictable (spool when you're on the gas, open when you're off.) Note I'm not a 4x4 guy and they have a whole different set of priorities and preferences, what works for a rockcrawler isn't necessarily what you want in a street car and vice-versa.
No problemo. I got alot of flack for running an 8.25 Chrysler that had an Auburn, 4.56 gears, 27 spline axles and 35" tires. Everyone said it would not last. It felt good to prove them wrong and it never failed. BloodyKnuckles
I drive two daily, 4x4, front and rear. 100% satisfied. My Model A, with a Ford 9" will get one too, soon. I have daily-driven a Detroit Locker, in the rear of a lightweight vehicle. I cannot recommend one, or anything that works just like one, for the street. It puts way too much extra effort into driving the vehicle.
WOW! Duder! Thanks for the info! That's what I'm trying to get at! A lot of the rock junkies praise the Detroit True-Tack. But so do a lot of the kids on other forums dedicated to speed. What would you recommend for my application then? You related the L/S and Lockers to track racing and rock crawling. Niether of which I will really do. I'm going for daily driver/STRONG street use. Stay with the stock clutch pack? Or run the helical gears?
I think I'll upgrade. I've got the stock one if I hate it and can switch it out fairly easily. I just don't think that I'd mind having the True-Track hook up a little better. We'll see.
Gears, all the way. No special additives. Nothing to wear out (in your lifetime, so long as there is lube in there).
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