Lockers or Limited Slip?

03-21-2001, 10:51 PM

Does anyone have a locker in their mustang, if so, how well does it work on the street. Is there any handling difference when accelerating from a start (amount car goes sideways, etc.) Should i just stick with a limited slip? I'm asking because my next mod is an 8.8" with 3.73 gears and i'd like to decide now whether i want to keep the stock trac-lok, get an aftermarket limited slip or locker. Thanks in advance.

------------------
'84 Mustang 5.0 T5, FMS aluminum radiator & 180* thermostat, 1 5/8 shortys/2.5" duals, '88 GT tail lights and wheels, Holley 4160 4 BBL, smog pump idler, more coming soon

Fox Body · 03-21-2001, 11:24 PM

I would have to say definately stick with limited slip positraction for your street Stang. I would only suggest a locker for a purely drag car. A locker such as the Detroit locker (I believe) is I guess you could say "no slip positraction" in that power is transferred to both wheels continuously.

This would be bad when going any other direction except straight. Also, on the street where there are different surfaces, this could hurt/kill your rear end. For example, if one wheel is on the pavement/clean pavement and the other is on dirt/sandy pavement and you really got done on your engine, it'd rip up the rear end gears cause the one on the pavement's got much more stress on it. "Limited slip" can adjust for this difference as well as going around corners.

I'm no rear end expert but I think that's right. You guys correct me if I'm wrong.

-------------------------------
'79 Mustang Coup
4" Cowl
Weld wheels (15x6;15x8)
Stock 5.8L
C4 w/ shift kit
1.5" MAC full length headers
Holley 750 CFM
Edelbrock intake
2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters
8.8" Rear end w/ 3.55 gears (Now that's more like it!!)

Front: 225/60/15 Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II
14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup soon)

"Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

withamc · 03-22-2001, 12:11 AM

I have a Detroit in my Jeep, and I definitely wouldn't want it in my mostly street driven 'Stang. Sudden accelleration/decelleration will tend to pitch you different directions. I spent the $75 and rebuilt my Trak-Lok using the alternating clutch pack method and it's really tight anyway.

------------------
86 GT, GT40P heads, Crane 2031, 1.7 RR's, Cobra intake, 65mm TB, 73mm Vortech, 24# injectors, MAC GT40P headers, 2-1/2" BBK H-pipe (w/cats), Flowmasters, 3.55s, Groundpounder subs and lower control arms, 277 RWHP. www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?1537

84_GT350 · 03-22-2001, 12:41 AM

Fox Body's got it nailed. Lockers suck on the street with the exception of the air locker from ARB (is that the right name?). It uses a pressurized gas cylinder to lock the rear on demand while letting you have an open differential the rest of the time. But it's quite a bit more $$$ obviously. Driving a locker like the Detroit won't serve any purpose other than to wear down your rear end in a big hurry and give you a headache trying to drive the car.

------------------
1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s

03-21-2001, 10:51 PM	#1
84stangLX Guest Posts: n/a	Lockers or Limited Slip? Does anyone have a locker in their mustang, if so, how well does it work on the street. Is there any handling difference when accelerating from a start (amount car goes sideways, etc.) Should i just stick with a limited slip? I'm asking because my next mod is an 8.8" with 3.73 gears and i'd like to decide now whether i want to keep the stock trac-lok, get an aftermarket limited slip or locker. Thanks in advance. ------------------ '84 Mustang 5.0 T5, FMS aluminum radiator & 180* thermostat, 1 5/8 shortys/2.5" duals, '88 GT tail lights and wheels, Holley 4160 4 BBL, smog pump idler, more coming soon

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03-21-2001, 11:24 PM	#2
Fox Body Mustang Maniac Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: GA, U.S.A Posts: 2,266	I would have to say definately stick with limited slip positraction for your street Stang. I would only suggest a locker for a purely drag car. A locker such as the Detroit locker (I believe) is I guess you could say "no slip positraction" in that power is transferred to both wheels continuously. This would be bad when going any other direction except straight. Also, on the street where there are different surfaces, this could hurt/kill your rear end. For example, if one wheel is on the pavement/clean pavement and the other is on dirt/sandy pavement and you really got done on your engine, it'd rip up the rear end gears cause the one on the pavement's got much more stress on it. "Limited slip" can adjust for this difference as well as going around corners. I'm no rear end expert but I think that's right. You guys correct me if I'm wrong. ------------------------------- '79 Mustang Coup 4" Cowl Weld wheels (15x6;15x8) Stock 5.8L C4 w/ shift kit 1.5" MAC full length headers Holley 750 CFM Edelbrock intake 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters 8.8" Rear end w/ 3.55 gears (Now that's more like it!!) Front: 225/60/15 Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II 14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup soon) "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

03-22-2001, 12:11 AM	#3
withamc Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 396	I have a Detroit in my Jeep, and I definitely wouldn't want it in my mostly street driven 'Stang. Sudden accelleration/decelleration will tend to pitch you different directions. I spent the $75 and rebuilt my Trak-Lok using the alternating clutch pack method and it's really tight anyway. ------------------ 86 GT, GT40P heads, Crane 2031, 1.7 RR's, Cobra intake, 65mm TB, 73mm Vortech, 24# injectors, MAC GT40P headers, 2-1/2" BBK H-pipe (w/cats), Flowmasters, 3.55s, Groundpounder subs and lower control arms, 277 RWHP. www.mustangworks.com/cgi-bin/moi-display.cgi?1537

03-22-2001, 12:41 AM	#4
84_GT350 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Overland Park, KS, USA Posts: 1,631	Fox Body's got it nailed. Lockers suck on the street with the exception of the air locker from ARB (is that the right name?). It uses a pressurized gas cylinder to lock the rear on demand while letting you have an open differential the rest of the time. But it's quite a bit more $$$ obviously. Driving a locker like the Detroit won't serve any purpose other than to wear down your rear end in a big hurry and give you a headache trying to drive the car. ------------------ 1984 1/2 GT350 (#842 Hatchback w/ T-tops), 302HO, Comp cams Xtreme Energy cam, Carter 625cfm carb, Weiand Stealth intake, MSD distributor, MSD coil, FMS 9mm wires, 1 5/8" MAC unequal shorties, 2 1/2" MAC Prochamber H-pipe, Flowmaster 2 chambers, KYBs, 16"x8" 4 lug Cobra Rs, Falken 245/45ZR16s