Find me a front locker!!!!!! | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

Find me a front locker!!!!!!

booosted supra

Active Member
Joined
April 14, 2006
Messages
62
Reaction score
0
City, State
Haddonfield NJ
Year, Model & Trim Level
1993 Explorer Sport
anyone know who makes one for a 2000 explorer? i cant find anything :(
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.











Aussie was the only one I knew of but I see now that the ifs dana 35 isn't listed as available now.
 












With explained operation of how the locker works. How would it be dangerous to have one in the front axle of an AWD? It would perform just as a rear axle, when you turn it would disengage the outer coupler. So unless you were on the gas coming through a turn it should be disengaged.


(EDIT) if you read further into their PDF they do not recommend using there locker on the front axle of an AWD or full time 4WD without locking hubs or without being able to disengage the front axle. I'm going to take a guess that the center diff will apply a load the the front axle and cause the locker to engage.
 






With explained operation of how the locker works. How would it be dangerous to have one in the front axle of an AWD? It would perform just as a rear axle, when you turn it would disengage the outer coupler. So unless you were on the gas coming through a turn it should be disengaged.


(EDIT) if you read further into their PDF they do not recommend using there locker on the front axle of an AWD or full time 4WD without locking hubs or without being able to disengage the front axle. I'm going to take a guess that the center diff will apply a load the the front axle and cause the locker to engage.

Anytime you give it gas, it will lock, and you don't want to be on an exit ramp and have your front locker engage.
 












You could swap front diffs to a 95-96 Disco. I will have a front locker by summer in mine :)
95-96 Disco, Do tell. Are these parts interchangable?
 






95-96 Disco, Do tell. Are these parts interchangable?

The 95-96 Explorers had a vaccum dissconect front axle that locked or unlocked to go into 4wd.

It can be swapped into any 2nd gen you will just have to wire it up correctly for it to work.
 






95-96 Disco, Do tell. Are these parts interchangable?

Well of course they are :D

You would have to wire up a switch and add the parts that go along with it as well. They(axle) are not live until a vacuum is activated. All these parts can be had at a Junkyard cheap.

Front diff with same gears
Vacuum canister ball
Relays with vac connections
Wiring harness & vac lines
3 way switch to run to dash or rewire your existing dash switch.
 






I am awaiting a email from tech support at Richmond right now. I have dealt with them in the past & they are pretty good at responding to inquiry's. I will post the response here when I get it.
 






Remember I think it was JT that said you don't have clearance with the 5.0 for the vacuum actuator if your truck isn't lifted. Its due to the 5.0 oil pan
 






Gmanpaint.... I guessing the T-case I put in up Ouray needs to be changed out as well then?????
 






Gmanpaint.... I guessing the T-case I put in up Ouray needs to be changed out as well then?????

I cant remember which case was put in. Your 4wd not awd correct? If 4wd, you have nothing to worry about. If awd, then yes the case needs to be swapped, to a 4x4 type.

Edit:
I just went and read the CCR thread. Your 4x4. You wont have to swap the t-case out. Someday you might want to go to a 1354man or a atlas though :)
 






On as related note, is the TTB D35 carrier the same as the IFS one? can I use the True-Trac out of my old TTB35 in a second gen 35? There's not much out there for reading on second gen stuff :(
 






On as related note, is the TTB D35 carrier the same as the IFS one? can I use the True-Trac out of my old TTB35 in a second gen 35? There's not much out there for reading on second gen stuff :(
The short answer is no, they won't swap. It has to do with the halfshaft/axle shaft retention. The IFSD35 in the 2nd gens uses a circlip to retain the halfshaft/axle shaft in the side gears. The TTBD35 diffs lack the groove for that circlip to lock into. It would seem to me a sharp machinist with a good print, a dremel, and a lathe could modify the TTB unit and make it work, but I don't know of anyone that's tried it.
 






I sent out an email to Richmond Gear a while back, & got a reply this morning. Here it is.



Hello,
I have a 95 Ford Explorer with the vacuum front disconnect axle. I am wanting to know what your thoughts of me purchasing your locker # 2311S2 for it, I am already running your #1822 in the rear. Just to ease confusion, this is not the TTB beam axle found in Explorer 91-94. It is also not a full time live axle found in 97-01 Explorer.

I have not been able to find any definitive info on any front locker for my rig. Any help with this would be extremely helpful.
Thank you for your time,

Have a great day !
Gregg



Reply I received this morning.

Gregg, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have been out of the office. The correct p/n is 2311-LR. The S2 has been changed. This should work fine in this truck. The front axle disconnect is the key. As long as it has the FAD, you should have no problems.

John Brown
Richmond Gear
http://www.richmondgear.com/powertrax/index.html
 






The short answer is no, they won't swap. It has to do with the halfshaft/axle shaft retention. The IFSD35 in the 2nd gens uses a circlip to retain the halfshaft/axle shaft in the side gears. The TTBD35 diffs lack the groove for that circlip to lock into. It would seem to me a sharp machinist with a good print, a dremel, and a lathe could modify the TTB unit and make it work, but I don't know of anyone that's tried it.

I'll report back once I find the truck I want to put it in :) Machinists I have plenty of, I'm sure we can make a groove in the side gear, if thats the only issue. That's promising, thanks for the info.
 






If you do, definitely take lots of pictures and do a detailed write-up for us here. I know a LOT of guys that would love to be able to do that swap.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





also real quick anybody know what size limiting straps to run on my 00 xlt with 4inch suspension 3 inch body 35inch pro comp extreme m/t
 






Back
Top