I don't plan on converting to 4wd, but hunting season is coming up and I after watching some amazing 2wd locker videos, I really think I want to go that route. I don't have a clue where to start. I know there were limited slips available for our trucks and I can search the salvage yard. They run $89 for a complete rear end here locally. I just don't know if limited slip is the way I want to go and if it's going to be beneficial on climbing up some rutted muddy roads. I'm thinking more along the lines of an auto locker and was wondering if there is an economic route to go. Anything that I might find in the salvage yard, what to look for, Etc. I know GM and I think Toyota has an autolocker option on some of there pickups and wondered if anything was out there for Ford. Also, I've seen some gear swap videos and they frankly scare the crap out of me as far as installing and shimming correctly. I don't want to go wild and I kind of like my 273's for the highway. I just want the true 2wd for the deer woods.

Thanks in advance.

 

I'm very interested in this

 

The more I read, the more I think a LS diff will work for what I want, but everything I read says that every manufacturer's LSD is different. I guess I'll throw the question out there....how well does the Ford LSD work for general traction? Not mud bogging, but light mud and slop?

 

I would get a quote at a local differential shop to convert your existing carrier to LS. In my area you can get this done for $300 to $400 with new bearings.

If you go this route you dont have to re-shim ect... You just re-install the carrier using the existing shims, it's really not that hard. (A used LS carrier would need new clutches and require a lot more setup)

For hunting ect... a LS will lock the tires up great, you'll be amazed at how much traction you get.

 

Sometimes I get into some really rutted and muddy roads in the backwoods near my cottage, and my LS seems to have to problem pushing me through when I'm chopping down the trails making them wider.

I even bottomed out on the front once and got worried I would be stuck, but just rocked back and forth with both wheels spinning and got out. This with 235's and stock ride height. It makes all the difference in a 2wd.

 

I was just looking at the axle chart. I may try to find a H7, H8 or H9 and pull the complete axle. Any idea if the H8 or H9 out of the '91 has the speed sensor and what other parts I'd need to swap if I find one of these? The H7 may be my best bet. The H7 was for '95 with 331 gears.

 

I think h9 if most popular

 

If it's a direct swap, then yeah, the 355 would be good. I'd lose some mpg's, but it would be worth it for pulling and hunting.

 

I have the ford track lock, bought a truck for scrap, yanked the carrier and ring and pinion, rebuilt it with new clutches from Randy's ring and pinion, and added one open differential shim under each clutch pack for more preload. That was three years ago it s still nice and tight, and always there, only negative I can think of is it makes it easy to get sideways on slippery or loose surfaces, ask the dirt track guys, that's no fun

 

I can probably get help with the carrier and ring and pinion swap, I have to say, I'm totally ignorant when it comes to disassembling a diff. What kind of truck did you get the track lock from? This will give me another option to scout for at the salvage yard. I double checked prices a little while ago and a complete rear end is $78. I could yank a rear end out at the yard, no idea about pulling the gears. The last diff I bought at the yard I just pulled the cover plate and had my buddy spin the wheels slowly so that I could look for broken gear teeth or other obvious issues. That's about as far as I can go with inspecting a salvage diff. Any other advise is appreciated.