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I don't if it's true, but I've heard that the switch from LS to E-locker was related to the traction control systems. Supposedly they don't work as well together or something like that. I know the newer JKs are similar in that the electronics don't play well with full time lockers, so selectables have become very popular.
I can tell you from experience with my two ELD's that they don't play well with traction control either. In very low traction situations (slicked over mud, wet grass) it's constantly applying brake to the spinning tire, which of course makes the other one spin, and they get into this back and forth oscillation where the axles get to torsionally playing off each other. It gets into this " ka-chunk ka CHUNK KA CHUNK" rhythm that sounds like it's going to grenade the rear end if you don't back out of the throttle. If you pull the 60a TC/ABS fuse, it behaves just fine. I much prefer the True-trac I put in the '05, but with the TC system I'm pretty sure it'd behave just like it does with ELD, or maybe worse as you suggested. Unfortunately you can't completely shut the system off (except by pulling the fuse) in the F150. even when you turn the system "off", one wheel spin control is still active. In the Raptor you can kill it completely.
In my opinion (worth every penny you paid) the e-lock was more of a marketing ploy. Toyota has offered it for over 15 yrs. Oh well, first world problems I suppose.
"the" common helical means the type of helical that you would be most likely to find. Not that it is most common of all of the possible diffs.
Eaton's page is one of the best starting points, I think. They don't even try to tell you which is best. Just how they all work. I think that their Suretrac is the same design as the Ford Traction-Lok,using the gear tooth ramp to drive the clutches together. (Edit - actually their Suretrac uses the ramped shaft, added a picture below. Ford's uses the ramp of the gear teeth.) I don't know if their helical has the "lifted wheel" problem or not either.
Read the first Eaton page and you'll see how many different types of differential there are. Each has a weakness.
I had a viscous LSD (VLSD) in my Nissan Pathfinder and it worked great. There was just a slight slip of one wheel before the other would grab. Noticeable in snow or mud at low speed but not a big deal. It was still working like it should at 260,000 miles.
The Traction-Lok bevel gear ramping is described at about 2:30 in this video. The whole thing is described from about 1:10. There are some parts that slide and wear that you wouldn't normally think about.
i like my factory e-locker on my 2wd. yeah, its no 4wd, but a hell of a lot better than a 1-wheel-peel. as long as one back tire has traction, i'm moving forward. also handy for boat ramps and the local drag strip. i wont get another f150 without it, 2 or 4wd. and i got a trail rig for the really nasty stuff.
And if you get a 4x4 with open diffs, in mud you'll generally have two spinning as well. One in the front and one in the rear.
Originally Posted by Havyek
Yeah you'd think so, but try having a front wheel pull and a rear wheel push. Works way better than 2 wheels trying to push.
It's why you can get away with light rock crawling with 2 open diffs, but not a 2wd locker.
But also because you will be getting power to all 4 tire with 4x4 (even with open diffs).. as long as the 2 front have similar resistance (i.e. traction) and the 2 rears have similar resistance, you'll be spinning all 4 tires..
12-23-2018, 02:30 PM
