Which do all of you think is the better setup, e-locker or the limited slip setup?
I think that the limited slip was a much better option, no button to pull on- just hit the gas and it kicked in when needed.

 

Any of the Factory clutch pack type limited slip axles I've had have been very unimpressive. Maybe a truetrac or Torsen would be worth having, but I'll stick with my e-locker.

 

Depends how you drive. If you like to drive aggressively on the street, nothing beats the LSD, it works awesome with the elsd system. The locker is good in mud, straight line launches on pavement. I’d choose the LSD personally.

 

My '12 2wd F150 had a limited slip differential.
My '16 4wd F150 has an open rear end and no e-locker.

Both driven in the same climate, same roads, same conditions. Rear end gear ratios were the same, and both had the 6-speed transmission. I've never been anywhere close to being stuck in either truck.

Although I don't have the e-locker on my '16, I do understand how it works and have driven F150's that have it.

The '12 was vastly better in snow and ice than the '16 in 2wd. In 4wd, the '16 is a little better than the '12 was, but only with 4wd. I believe the e-locker provides improved traction equal to the limited slip. However...

With limited slip, it just works whenever it needs to. It's always there. It needs no driver intervention. It doesn't matter if you're traveling in a straight line or turning sharply. It doesn't matter how fast you're traveling. It's proven technology that's been around practically forever. Given a choice, I'd take the limited slip differential over the e-locker every time.

 

Not even a close call for me. Take the e-locker almost everytime over the LSD set up. There's places on my property where "only" the e-locker is going to prevent me from getting stuck. I've had and used both types in my F150's over the years and far prefer the e-locker.

To each their own.....

 

With the traction control on F150's the E-Locker essentially acts similar to a LSD when not locked. Best of both worlds.

 

I used the E locker the last few days getting up and down my driveway in the deep snow,, and I was impressed how good it worked.

 

Have the e-locker which I like for if I really need it. But daily driving it kinda sucks because Ford's traction control is the slowest to respond and just plain worse traction control system I've ever experienced.


I've had an e-locker before in my Nissan but it was miles better because the traction control would immediately kick in and put the brake on a rear spinning wheel to give power to the tire with grip. And my BMW almost predicts the spin before it happens and kicks in right away. With the F-150, my slipping tire will just keep spinning and spinning and spinning until it finally gets grip. Horrible.

 

Limited slips and lockers serve two different intended purposes. I'm not sure I would compare the two in an "either / or" situation.

A limited slip is intended to be an "always on" device that can be used in any driving situation (dry pavement, rain, driving straight or when turning, etc).

A locker is purposely meant to be used very short term in extreme circumstances, generally off-road, and most useful in mud / sand, or when one wheel might come off the ground. Also useful on boat ramps and things like that. It's also generally only used when going straight (or straight-ish anyway).

The Traction Control in late-model trucks does a pretty good job of doing what mechanical limited slips do. Just yesterday I was out off-roading and did a test of it as part of a discussion on this very topic in another thread on here. It works great.

The answer really depends on what you use your truck for. If you're looking for something to help in "everyday" driving situations, then clearly limited slip is your only option. If you're looking for something specifically for aggressive off-roading, then I'd go with the locker. I'd be interested in hearing someone's take if they have a mechanical limited slip, to see what advantages it might have over Traction Control. To me, they're fairly redundant. But as I don't have a mechanical limited slip, I can't comment.

I do a lot of off-roading, so for me it's locker hand-down. If I could only have one it would be a locker. But with Traction Control, it's really the best of all worlds.

 

Always a good topic FX4Gary .


It's something you would want to think about before you bought the truck, because FOMOCO doesn't offer a mechanical LSD for the rear, and if you bought a truck with the e-locker you wouldn't go to the trouble of pulling it out.


We have done a lot of experimenting with traction, and if you are pulling yourself out of somewhere nasty there isn't anything better than an e-locker. All the electronic braking and power-cutting in the world won't get you out as well as a locked axle.


And since the e-locker kicks out over 25mph, if you are driving on a slick surface the rear-end won't kick out as easy.


The LSD has the advantage of always being there. The TruTrac is awesome. especially pulling trailers on grass or gravel.


I have a PJ dump trailer, 5' x 10', with a GVWR of 7000#.


I'd load it up, take off down the gravel, and I'd get one wheel peels, flashing TC lights, etc., unless I really took off slow.


With the TruTrac it takes off much quicker, will sometimes get two-wheel peel, but the whole process is easier. The drawback, is that on snow packed to ice, with both tires churning, it's easy to get the rear end started sideways, and the TC kicking in, which unnerves my wife if it is 30 mph or so.