F150 traction problem

[fishdog4449]

Hey guys 1992 F150 rwd with the 4.9L 300 straight six.
Can anyone recommend a good aftermarket positraction or limited slip rear end? I drive mostly on-road, but I find myself wanting just a little better traction. Got stuck in 2" of mud in friends yard yesterday..
tnanks guys!

 

[blueoval1]

Re: F150 traction problem

Unless you drive most of the time in the dirt , I wouldn't suggest a posi-trac.
You can probably pick up a factory trac-loc pretty cheap. I can't remember if the 92's are the 9" or 8.8" rearend. I'm pretty sure they were 8.8 then. 95 up Explorers and 96 up Rangers had the 8.8" in them as long as they had a 4.0L for the engine. I'll get my rearend code from my 96 Ranger for you so you know what to look for.
Just my opinion

 

[fishdog4449]

Re: F150 traction problem

Thanks blueoval1,
I don't drive in the dirt very much, but when I do I don't want to be afraid of getting stuck crossing a grass field. How does a trac lock work?
I'm guessing it locks both wheels when the traction is needed..does it do this automatically or does it have a manual engage or something like that?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: F150 traction problem

It might be cheaper to get a rear axel assembly from a junkyard that has an auto locker in it and swap the entire unit...... this is all assuming you have a 2wd and you risk changing the gear ratio.

An additional trick is to ride the brake and see if the power goes to the other wheel (which it should).

or Keep off the grass!

 

[fishdog4449]

Re: F150 traction problem

Bobvt yes its 2wd.
how would i tell if a rear axle assembly has an auto locker?
thanks

 

[blueoval1]

Re: F150 traction problem

Yes it does work automatically. Once one wheel spins the unit "locks up" and then both wheels are driven. As long as you change the gear lube every 50,000 miles or so they are pretty reliable. Guess what ? I lied! The ranger 8.8 axle won't work. It is a 28 spline unit and you need a 31 spline unit. The only Ranger 3rd member that will work is 99-up FX4 , or use a Explorer 3rd member. They are all 31 spline.

 

[fishdog4449]

Re: F150 traction problem

Like such?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Ford...emQQimsxZ20081112?IMSfp=TL0811121210004r13503

This listing looks a tad sketchy, I would buy new or remanufactured, but is this what I'm looking for?

 

[blueoval1]

Re: F150 traction problem

Here is what you want. Very reliable unit.

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Drivetra...-Slip.aspx?t_c=12&t_s=237&t_pt=5589&t_pl=9662

 

[fishdog4449]

Re: F150 traction problem

thanks blueoval ill check it out

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: F150 traction problem

I would still check the junkyards and ask for one.

 

[xtraham]

Re: F150 traction problem

I would still check the junkyards and ask for one.

yup, there will be a tag on the rear that has the ratio and "limited-slip"

 

[Splat]

Re: F150 traction problem

Pull the spiders and weld them. Yes it makes it a live axle, but it's stupid reliable.

Bill

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: F150 traction problem

Pull the spiders and weld them. Yes it makes it a live axle, but it's stupid reliable.

Bill

And it makes it a B!@#$ to drive on the street.



Go to the wrecking yards and buy a complete rear. You'll come out tons cheaper than just buying the diff and having somebody set it up for you.

 

[ThumbPkr]

Re: F150 traction problem

I would get some weight in the bed over or behind the wheels,it will make a huge difference in traction for you and one of the nice things about going this route is that you can experiment to find what amount and placement works best for you.Concrete blocks work pretty well for this as they do not hold any great degree of moisture to accelerate rusting such as a tub of sand might.
Another area to look at is your front brakes.Disk brakes often hang until you get some revolutions on the wheel to aid the caliper to back off as the only mechanism to assist in that is the square section O ring which distorts when you apply the brakes and in the process of assuming its original configuration pulls the piston back away from the rotor.
I have found that the very small residual pressure on the brake pad can add to the turning effort required for the front wheels and can make the difference in a marginal situation as to whether you go or don't go.
It is a combination of small things that add up to inhibit motion.
If you are pulling a trailer then tongue weight is another thing to consider.
Once you apply the brakes you can jack up the wheel and you can tell right away if the caliper is hanging by rotating the wheel manually.
The one thing that will help the most is weight in the bed,you will be surprised where you can go with the proper weight distribution.Ron G

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: F150 traction problem

Pull the spiders and weld them. Yes it makes it a live axle, but it's stupid reliable.

Bill

I knew a kid about 10 years that did this ago on a late 70's monte. When he turned a corner the axle would wind up and then unwind so that the car would go eek,eek,eek,eek all the way around the corner. Ha ha it was fun to watch.

Don't do it. It makes the car very hard to drive and is dangerous in some situations.

 

[HappierWet]

Re: F150 traction problem

I don't like limited slips per se. They are only as good as the springs putting friction on the sides of the carrier. When you have more traction difference between the tires then friction on the discs it's useless. Like for instance on an incline where one wheel has little or no traction and the other wheel has lots of traction. I also don't like full time automatic lockers because of their tendency to activate in tight turns. The backend jumps around real bad especially with a trailer pushing you along. The comprokise I found is called EZ Locker. It's a ratching drive unit that drives both axles, but will let the outside axle in a turn move faster. I suspect eventually the teeth on the ratchet will wear out, but my bronco 2 has 175,000 miles on this device so far and no problems. Lots of easy 4 wheeling and light towing. I think they'll have one for your truck also.

 

[avenger79]

Re: F150 traction problem

in all honesty if you drive mostly on the street, and your truck is almopst 20 years old (unless it's being refreshed) I wouldn't waste the money.
Just put weight in the bed as mentioned if you need it. seriously just go out with a couple buddies(someone to tow if you get stuck) and get used to driving the truck in slippery stuff. ie; mud, snow etc. that truck with an open rear end can go through a lot before it needs a LS rear. just have to get used to doing it.

Do not weld your gears for street apps. Not good.