Powertrax NoSlip Front Locker for 95+

[GJarrett]

Jefe, I don't know when you read my post, but I just re-edited it to answer your "3 wheel drive" question, so if you missed that, reread my post.

One other thing. You've got 35" tires now; I've got just under 34's. The only thing that worries me is how strong that NoSlip will be. From what I've learned our diffies are Dana35 strong at the most and maybe even slightly weaker. I've run with a lot of Jeeps and I know 35s+Dana35+locker=kablooey! We're a ton heavier. I know Rick grenaded his Dana35 once back when he was running 33s. It's something we're gonna have to think about and maybe make sure we don't go gonzo leadfoot when we're locked and loaded. If we're gonna be BigDawgs we've gotta be prepared to deal with BigDawg issues now. Gofast has an EZ-Locker in his Dana35, 35" tires, and that 5.0 conversion. I'm sure he'll blow his first

Soupbone, if you've got access to 99 Ranger parts fiches, don't pull up the front axle drawing. Pull up the front disk brake and related parts drawing. Above the exploded view of the disk, it clearly shows a hub with a double u shaped line identifed as part 2C204 bolting into it. That's a vacuum line and part of the Ranger front axle vacuum disconnect system.

PS: just got an email from Torrie. He expects the hub in Thursday and will ship it to me as soon as he receives it. This is gonna get interesting.

 

[Rick]

I wonder how the clutch in your T-cases is going to handle the load of a locker...

 

[GJarrett]

Spoilsport Hadn't even thought of that one yet...

Rick, you know we gotta try. Though, I am beginning to think that BW4405 isn't very heavy duty and you may have a point.

 

[Jefe]

Originally posted by Rick
I wonder how the clutch in your T-cases is going to handle the load of a locker...

Well darn. . .I'll just have to grenade my T-case and "force" myself to get an Atlas II

Gerald,
So you're only planing on putting an "auto" hub on one side, even if it works?

I know its expensive, but seeing as I'm running 35's it'd be nice to have a "spare" or two anyway

 

[go off road]

The front PowerTrax is in

After a picked up the right spider gear center pin I was able finish up the install everthing worked out great , we had a little snow today so I went out in my parking lot and tried it out I did some figure eights it works great I drove it home and it does not feel much differt but you know it is up there I live in the city so I will need to wait to try it on some trails but I did try it in the deep snow its very cool

That parts list of soupbone is wrong I and sending GJarrett some that I have.

Something elce that is kind of cool my transfer case does not have a coil, I have no wires going into it, I just have the shift motor. It has 2wd, 4x4 high, 4x4 low, I hope it is stronger then the auto t-cases.

Wade

 

[Jason_25]

I'm sort of confused about the whole front locker thing. Won't a locker you cannot turn off be a disadvantage on some trails?

 

[go off road]

Yes if you had an older Explorer with manual hubs or an air locker you would still have low range but a locked front end will get you more places that a only locked rear end will get you, and if you are spinning your tires, that's not a good thing. How many times have you seen a stock Explorer with its tires off the ground? I do not think the new Explorers and Rangers are made for rock crawling but this will make it a great trail runner. But yes a locked front end will be a disadvantage some times.

Wade

 

[Jason_25]

That's what I was thinking of. Thanks for the explanation. Yes you are right though, even with swaybars disconnected (i don't run them at all anymore), I will lift a front tire constantly, so it would be pretty cool to run this with a limited slip unit in the rear also. But with my powertrax in the rear I have bad driveline windup already. As much as I wanna do this and am willing to save up the cash, I think I will have to wait for something that I can change from open to locked.

 

[go off road]

Jayson you have the next best thing with a 95 you have your axel vacume switch that be modified to be a very nice setup.

 

[Jason_25]

Yeah I know, I already have plans to mod it as stated before. I'm gonna make up a toggle switch for the relay that turns it on and off and run a manual t-case. Voila! Manual hubs! (sorta)

 

[yob_yeknom]

When does the axle even become disconnected in a '95-96? Even when in 2wd my front driveshaft turns. Or does it just disconnect when I get over 35mph or somthing?

 

[Jason_25]

Actually John, what I've found is that the only time the front axle disconnect is NOT locked is when you're in auto 4x4. In auto 4x4 the FAD is what does the "pulsing".

 

[yob_yeknom]

Doesn't the electric clutch in the transfer case do the pulsing?
Having the front axle pulse would tear it up I would think.

 

[GJarrett]

HEY!

DOH! Stupid! Why didn't I think of this before, especially after Rick posted that an Atlas or manual tcase will give us 2wd and unlock the front.

I've just opened up the 4405 tcase that I grenaded on the Herc Tour. Those of you with 97+ look at your tcase. The wiring harness has a whole spaghettiworks of wires going into the shift motor and the armature housing that shifts between low and high range, but there is only a black (ground?) and three colored wires going into the tcase over by the rear output shaft to the rear driveshaft. Those are the wires controlling our magnetic clutch thingie or whatever it is called. It is that clutch that engages front drive. I am assuming that the wires supply power to an internal coil that causes a magnetic field and engages the clutch (?)

Why not figure out what the power wire(s) is/are and simply put an inline toggle switch to MANUALLY engage the front wheel drive?

Then we really would have a 2wd and could install the Powertrax without engaging power to the front unless we wanted to. It would give us a 2wd low range also. In theory it is simple and cheap.

I'm sticking with trying the vacuum hub idea since I'd still like a "3 wheel drive" but this would be an alternate possibility for those others of you that would like to brainstorm it over.

 

[Jason_25]

Originally posted by yob_yeknom
Doesn't the electric clutch in the transfer case do the pulsing?
Having the front axle pulse would tear it up I would think.

Well on the 97-2001 The TC does the pulsing, you're right about that.

But my understanding is that Ford wasn't sure whether the TC could hold up to the constant pulsing in 95-96 so they added the front axle disconnect. I beleive that's the reason it's there in the fist place.

 

[soupbone]

Re: HEY!

Originally posted by GJarrett
[B Those are the wires controlling our magnetic clutch thingie or whatever it is called. It is that clutch that engages front drive. I am assuming that the wires supply power to an internal coil that causes a magnetic field and engages the clutch (?)

Why not figure out what the power wire(s) is/are and simply put an inline toggle switch to MANUALLY engage the front wheel drive?

Then we really would have a 2wd and could install the Powertrax without engaging power to the front unless we wanted to. It would give us a 2wd low range also. In theory it is simple and cheap. [/B]

Mav has the schematic on how to disable the auto 4wd in this post. This looks like it should do it. Its just the light will flash on the dash.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=25588

 

[Jefe]

Re: Re: HEY!

Originally posted by soupbone
Mav has the schematic on how to disable the auto 4wd in this post. This looks like it should do it. Its just the light will flash on the dash.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=25588

That doesn't actually disable the auto 4x4. It only prevents it from putting more than the "normal" torque to the front wheels. I've done it, and i know there is still power going to the front wheels.

I think that Gerald is probably right about disabling 4WD by putting a switch inline with the wires going to the t-case clutch.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Am I missing something here?
Even if you could disable the front drive, with a locker in the front, you still have both axles connected and it still won't turn like it would if you had open diffs, or am I wrong about this. One wheel still needs to turn faster than the other in a turn , and not having power going to the diffs is not going to help you with this. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
The only way I see this working is if you had some way of disconnecting one wheel/axle from the other, that is the only way of not binding your front wheels and turning like you have an open diff. The only way to accomplish that is either with the Ranger vacuum disconnect hubs or the Explorer axle vacuum disconnect from a 95-96 diffy.

You know I'm not even sure about the later, maybe it disconnects the driving axle to the drive line, in which case both axles are still locked together because of the locker and you're still not gonna be able to get the wheels to turn seperately.
Thoughts?

 

[JDraper]

Ray, from what I understand about the Powertrax (I've been reading up on them, as I'm gonna put one in the back soon) is that when you are turning a corner, and not under power, it releases quite readily. When turning, it only stays locked when you stay on the throttle as you enter the corner, so, if you keep the power from being applied to the front driveshaft by putting a cutout switch on the xfer case power line, it will disengage readily as you turn (I think Gerald mentioned this above).

Gerald, you seem to have the market cornered on knowledge on the Powertrax, so slap me upside the head if I'm wrong .

 

[soupbone]

Hey Ray,

I think it would work out for you since you have the atlas and real 2WD.

Check out this review of a no-slip front install on a jeep.

http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/powertrax_tj/front/page3.asp


"With a Powertrax No-Slip Traction System in the front, you might hear a single click, but otherwise it is invisible and feels just like an open differential until you try to use high range 4WD. Then, it is very noticable and almost unpleasant. If you need to use high range 4WD for many months out of the year, then you may want to consider a switchable alternative, such as the ARB Air Locker."

Bottom Line:
"The Powertrax No-Slip Traction System is 99% invisible in the front of the Jeep. In this position it really seems to shine, even more so than the rear position. I'd estimate that it is only 70% invisible in the rear position, due to the rear differential being under load in 2WD, however, it is still very tolerable."