Electrac, Ox, ARB, other?

So I finally scored a D44 at a junkyard this weekend and it's time to pick a locker.

Currently I've got an ARB in my D35 and although I have haven't had any real problems with it I would like to avoid that air lines.

Is Ox done, bankrupt, history, etc?

Anyone running the Electrac? I'd rather have an open diff than the limited slip though. Off camber on snowy roads sucks with anything but an open. Well, I guess off camber snowy roads suck no matter what but open diffs are deffinitely the least scary.

Is there any selectable lokcer out there for the D44 that I'm missing?

Experience, suggestion, etc?

TIA

4WheelFarts (i mean Parts) now carries OX stuff, at least that's the last I heard.

I have an OX in my rear d44 and i was never able to get ahold of OX regarding the question I had. Very poor customer support. ARBs support is way better.

I happen to disagree with you on limited slips in snow. I've been driving New England winters for more than 40 years, most of those with rear wheel drive vehicles equipped with limited slips. There's nothing scary about them, and I would never buy a vehicle that didn't have one (unless used, and then it would be the first thing I add).

I doubt I can change your opinion, but for the benefit of others who may see this thread I just wanted to point out that there are two distinct camps of opinion on this issue.

Eagle, I've had a very bad experience in the snow with a limited slip, although it was in a 2wd vehicle. Stopped on an off camber section of icy road, the vehicle would slip sideways as soon as I touched the gas. This was in my family vehicle with the kids inside and, while it wasn't bad enough to be dangerous, it was spooky and frustrating.

Now in my XJ I run a Detroit, but I don't drive on snow/ice covered roads unless I'm going wheeling in the mountains, so I'm willing to live with the handling quirks. I can also put it in four wheel drive to avoid the other experience.

My experience in the snow with an LSD is exactly what Goatman describes. Also, my driveway falls into the off camber category, next to a fairly large hill

I am going to have electrac locker installed in next two weeks. So, sorry I can't say if it is good one right now..

My 2 cents.......

I grew up with snow (120+ inches per year) and spent 5 years up in the Keweenau Peninsula (250+!) Until recently, I've always driven open diffs.

I put an Auburn in the rear, and a TrueTrac in the front of my XJ. Unless I am absolutely, positively forced to, I will *NEVER* run an open diff again.

The major difference between an open and a Traction Aiding Device is that you get more warning with an open diff. With TADs, you have to listen to your vehicle, and understand that when both sides lose traction it goes very quickly. A good friend of mine rolled his Chevy S10 p/u with a limited diff 8 years going around an icy corner. In hindsight what we think happened was that he ended up with the rear wheels on a wet icy patch, and the front end had traction. The rear end promptly came around. Consensus now is that was operator error (over driving for conditions.)

In short, you have to approach limited slips or lockers differently than you do open diffs.

No offense or slight intended, Richard, but I doubt that your situation would have changed markedly with an open. An open would either behave exactly the same (both sides equal lack of traction) or you would have simply not moved.

Agreed. Side slip on off-camber is a reality, but given the option of going up a hill in a slightly crab-like fashion or leaving the vehicle at the bottom of the hill and walking home (been there, done that, got the tee shirt) I'll take the LSD every time. In all my years of driving, there have been exactly two times when I couldn't get home in a snow storm, and both of those involved open diffs.

I do understand, however, that not everyone agrees on this, and it's unlikely anyone on either side will ever convince anyone on the other side. (sort of like Republicrats and Democans.)

"but given the option of going up a hill in a slightly crab-like fashion or leaving the vehicle at the bottom of the hill and walking home (been there, done that, got the tee shirt)"

hehe, in the case of my driveway there's the option of sliding down the hill and ending up upside down in the road at the bottom after the final ledge

OX, ARB, and Detroit. The OX cable might be a pain. The ARB require air. The Electrac has a motor that mounts to the diff cover to acutate it (comes with a skid). The Eaton Elocker I do not believe is available yet for a 44 but has a electromagnetic clutch inside the diff to activate it.

And the Eaton E-Locker defaults to open diff when not locked, as opposed to the ElecTrac, which is a limited slip when not locked.

I talked to Eaton, no Elocker for the D44 before the end of the year.

BTW, the POR guys are saying the Electrac is fragile, both the acttuator and the diff itself. Of course the POR guys think anything less than a spooled Moog is junk.

More opinions on selectable lockers?

remember you always have the locker as a back up. So if you're trying to decide between the open diff and a trac loc, go with the track lock. You're not going to get stuck in the snow with an ARB but be able to get out with an electrac.

Well Jason Bunch from Tri County Gear has been running a Electrac in his competition rock buggy Dana 44 for 1.5 to 2 years now. He said he was happy with it.