Anyone have a Locker rear???

[BillyGman]

Does anyone located in the Tri-state area have a truck or car with a Locker rear end set-up in it who would be willing to give me a ride??? Or perhaps a brother or close friend who does? I'm not talking about one of those "air" Lockers like MartyO has in his Marauder, but a Detriot Locker, PowerTrax or the like. I'm considering a choice of going with a Locker for my next project car, but I've never been in a Locker equipped vehicle, and I need to hear just how loud or annoying a Locker rear is around turns before I make my decision.

Until I get a ride in a vehicle that's equipped with one, I'm undecided as to what to go with. There's about five different choices I can make......Trac-LOK Limited slip, Power-LOK Limited slip, Detroit Locker, PowerTrax "No-Slip" Locker, or "True-Trac" Limited slip. There are pros & cons with each of these.

[martyo]

Billy: I know you weren't looking to hear from me, but I think my set up would b of interest to you. It is very streetable and race worthy too.

[FordNut]

Billy: I know you weren't looking to hear from me, but I think my set up would b of interest to you. It is very streetable and race worthy too.
Yep, it's what I'm going to use in the future. The Auburn ECTED electric locker is a limited slip when turned off, a spool when turned on. Most electric lockers are open when off and spool when on.

I have experienced a Detroit Locker in my truck and advise highly against using it on a daily driver street car. It clunks and causes the entire rear end of the truck to shift when it unloads going around curves. Feels like a breaking axle or something. But it's very durable.

[BillyGman]

........ But it's very durable. that's why I'm considering it.....;)

Marty, I always welcome your input my friend. However, I wouldn't want another switch to contend with on a car that will see street driving on pump gas 2 days out of every week. That's what my plan is. BTW, in regards to the Auburn air lockers, I heard that they were open rears when not locked, and not limited slip.

[martyo]

Billy: The switch duties are insignificant. Try it, you'll LOVE it. You don't know it yet, but the Auburn ECTED is exactly what you are looking for. Trust me.

[FordNut]

that's why I'm considering it.....;)

Marty, I always welcome your input my friend. However, I wouldn't want another switch to contend with on a car that will see street driving on pump gas 2 days out of every week. That's what my plan is. BTW, in regards to the Auburn air lockers, I heard that they were open rears when not locked, and not limited slip.
Not sure about AIR lockers. Didn't know Auburn made one, I thought ARB was the only air locker out there. Anyway, the Eaton electric is open/spool while the Auburn electric is limited slip/spool.

[BillyGman]

Billy: The switch duties are insignificant. Think of driving your car to work 2 days out of the week (remember, pump gas only ) and on the way home getting challenged very often(during the nightly commute back home from work which is late at night and there's barely any traffic at all on the street at that time during the weeknights), and every time you get challenged, you have to remember to hit that locker switch. That just doesn't sound like my cup of tea for a car that WILL be used on the street every week from April to November.

I'm open to discussion on this, because I haven't spent the money yet, and it's BEFORE the spending that I'm always open to discussion, but you have to keep in mind what I'll be using this car for. This will not be one of those cars that are entered in "Street" this or "Street" that classes on the track, but are NOT really STREET driven cars, but it WILL be a genuine STREET driven car, and one that is actually used for the commute to work and back for part of the week, and on 93 octane gas ONLY. So on your car it might be fine to use a swith activated Locker rear, but on the car that I'm going to build, I'm not so sure.

I don't want this car to be work just to drive it. No cats, No computers, no octane boosters, cool cans, nor race gas. And no nitrous bottles to fill nor switches to activate. And no water injection, nor five point seat belts either. Just a humble Naturally aspirated 9.6:1 compression ratio big block. Jump in, turn the key, and go. That's my appraoch with this project. To make as much power and TORQUE with a natually aspirated LOW TECH engine as possible, and w/out the use of a monsterous camshaft duration that would require a 3,000+ RPM stall converter. This set-up will be making great torque right off idle, and continue the power right up to 6,000 RPM. LOW tech, LOW compression ratio, and LOW octane fuel.

[martyo]

Billy: If I can hit the switch with everything that is going on at the track, you most certainly clan click the switch on the street. It's like a blink, it just happens.

[BK_GrandMarquis]

I have a Torsen T2-R LSD. Not sure if that fits your criteria. I only hear a short whine during low speed accelerations. This might be due to low fluid. I just noticed a slight leak on the bottom of the diff. cover. If I get on the gas, there will be a slight shutter as the wheels try to grip. I usually only get that when the surface is uneven or there is a dusting or dirt at that intersection.

[BillyGman]

I have a Torsen T2-R LSD. Not sure if that fits your criteria. I think that's the one with the cones. right? if I'm going to go with a Limited slip, then I'll choose the Trac-LOK or the Power-LOK since they both are available with the rear end that I've decided on. it's whether or not to go wioth a Locker rear that's the question for me.

There are guys that tell me that the Lockers "make too much noise" while there are others who say..."I have a Locker, and I hardly even notice it. it's no big deal" so the only way for me to decide is to get a ride in a Locker equipped car or truck for myself.

[BillyGman]

Billy: If I can hit the switch with everything that is going on at the track, you most certainly clan click the switch on the street. It's like a blink, it just happens.okay Martin, how about this?.....

FIRST, do you have a full manual valvebody in your transmission? Because that's what I plan on having.

Second, based on your experience with that electric Locker that you have in your Marauder, what do you think about the claims of various Locker manufactures of Lockers giving you better traction off the line? Have you ever got into the gas pedal w/out the Locker switch engaged, and then did it again the same way with it engaged? If so, did you actually notice any traction gain with the Locker switched on? I know that increased traction is NOT the only claimed advantage, and that durability is also one of the claims concerning Locker rears, but I'm just wondering if there really is a traction gain with them. BTW, I was getting the air lockers mixed up with the electric Lockers earlier in this thread. Thanks for the correction FordNut.;)

[martyo]

okay Martin, how about this?.....

FIRST, do you have a full manual valvebody in your transmission? Because that's what I plan on having.

Second, based on your experience with that electric Locker that you have in your Marauder, what do you think about the claims of various Locker manufactures of Lockers giving you better traction off the line? Have you ever got into the gas pedal w/out the Locker switch engaged, and then did it again the same way with it engaged? If so, did you actually notice any traction gain with the Locker switched on? I know that increased traction is NOT the only claimed advantage, and that durability is also one of the claims concerning Locker rears, but I'm just wondering if there really is a traction gain with them. BTW, I was getting the air lockers mixed up with the electric Lockers earlier in this thread. Thanks for the correction FordNut.;)


Yes, I have a full manual valve body -- I thought you knew that? Are you going with a transbrake too?

Yes, i have launched hard with the ECTED unlocked and think the ECTED launch was better and worthwhile. The ECTED enabled hard accelerations are more balanced which is what I want and what I think you are looking for.

You know I am trying to help you here, not give you a hard time, don't you?

[BillyGman]

.

You know I am trying to help you here, not give you a hard time, don't you?Ofcourse I do. I'm just playing devil's advocate in an effort to get the straight scoop, and get it from all veiwpoints. This is what I like to do before I go and commit to one decision or the other. Particularly when such decisions will cost me thousands of dollars. So you need not take my skepticism in a personal way.

And to answer your questions, yes, I do plan on going with a transbrake, but how much I'll really be using it is questionable at best. I just don't know if I'm going to be able to get the car to hook-up good enough to make good use of a transbrake. But it will be there in place incase I do.

I wasn't sure if you had a manual valvebody or not, because I haven't been able to keep up with you concerning all the changes you've made to your project mid-stream. The last I knew, you were going with about 24+ PSI of boost, and were shredding blower belts, until someone in a thread on here just a week or two earlier, corrected me on that by informing me that it was now down to 15 PSI.

Concerning one extra button to push, or switch to engage, I just don't like the idea of it. The one complaint that I have with my Marauder, is that I hate having to hit the O/D switch, and wait about a full second for the O/D to turn off before I can hit WOT, in order to avoid destroying the wimpy O/D band because of the extra power I have going through the drivetrain. This car will not be like that if I can help it. I don't like having to wait for something, or have to reach over to engage something before I can hammer on the gas. That's fine for the dragstrip since you usually only get in 3 or 4 runs whenever you go because of the crowds that are often there. but I don't like that for street driving which ofcourse is a lot more than 11 or 12 seconds at a time. I'd rather have a manual shift car, and have to downshift first. Even that would be quicker than hitting an O/D button or the like. If you were ever with me on the way home from work late at night, you might understand that. I get challenged often. And if I decide to respond, it has to be immediately.

[martyo]

^^^Don't forget what will be involved to use a transbrake and a manual valve body -- you got it, more buttons to push when you want to use the transbrake or reverse! :eek:

Billy, I will be watching your every move here. I am quite interested in your project.

In addition to the Marauder, I have one of my own cooking up with an expected launch date of early spring!

[BillyGman]

^^^Don't forget what will be involved to use a transbrake and a manual valve body -- you got it, more buttons to push when you want to use the transbrake or reverse! :eek: Yes, I know that Marty, and that's precisely why I'm not looking to add any more buttons or switches. I just don't want the street driving experience to be too complicated to enjoy.

Billy, I will be watching your every move here. I am quite interested in your project. LOL......I detect a little competitiveness coming out here......AAAAHHHH that reminds me of the old days at the dragstrip with our cars running up against the Impala SS boys. ;)

In addition to the Marauder, I have one of my own cooking up with an expected launch date of early spring!That's good my friend. Early spring is what I plan on also with this project. maybe we both can take our new project cars to Atco for some test & tune runs. And who knows? There's also something in the works for a dragstrip to be opening up here in Connecticut. I'm not going to count on that, because the neighbors are giving the guy troubles about opening up, but it would be fantastic not having to battle that NY city traffic just to race my car three or four times down the 1320. My original plan was to get an 07 Shelby GT500, but I scrapped that idea for this new project. it will be cheaper than a Shelby would've been, and more fun IMO. BTW, what type of shifter are you using????

[Breadfan]

If you have a full manual valvebody then you will be shifting manually - hands on the shifter, right? Maybe the electric switch for the diff could be mounted as a button on the shifter, your hand will already be there and busy, would put the button right where you'll need it.

Or maybe make it a WOT switch, but I guess that could make for some odd happenings if you ever went WOT in a corner...

Just a few ideas...

[BillyGman]

If you have a full manual valvebody then you will be shifting manually - hands on the shifter, right? Maybe the electric switch for the diff could be mounted as a button on the shifter, your hand will already be there and busy, would put the button right where you'll need it.

Or maybe make it a WOT switch, but I guess that could make for some odd happenings if you ever went WOT in a corner...

Just a few ideas...That's a good point. I didn't think of that. Thanks for sharing.;)