Detroit true trac vs Detroit locker ..

[bn69stang]

Hello fellow members , i have been wanting to set up another center section with 3.60 s or 3.70 s and wanted to know who s running the true trac ? , i have 3.50 s with trac loc , and 3.89 s with a locker and have another spare case , and wanted some feedback ..,, Bud

[Drew Pojedinec]

I have a trutrac.
Love it.

If I was drag racing with more than 600hp I'd probably thing that a full locker would make more sense, but for my usage it's great.

[bn69stang]

Thanks for feedback Drew , im no where near the 600 hp range , prolly like 520 ish , sense im running 26 inch tall tires , i was wanting to run a little less gear then the 3.89 s , for every day use ,, save the 3.89 s for strip if i ever get there , lol .. thought about thrwing the 3.50 s in but the trac loc is not gonna hold up .. Bud

[rockhouse66]

I run a Tru Trac in my 3.50 geared 462" '69 Mustang.  I think it is great for how I use the car.  Just hot rodding around, not serious drag racing.  Function is smooth and always lights both tires when appropriate.

[scott foxwell]

I have a 31 spline (Eaton) TruTrack for my Fairlane. After all my research, it seemed like the best choice other than a spool. I read about guys putting some serious power and 60' times to these deals, and they run a lot nicer on the street than a locker.

[bn69stang]

Thanks for the info , Rockhouse66 what tire height are you running with your 3.50 s , Scott how bout your gearing and tire on your fairlane

[scott foxwell]

275x15 MT ET Streets on 8" rims, 3.89 Tru Track in alum. Strange small bearing case, C6, Street Fighter converter. Haven't got it running yet but that's the set up. Quick Performance axles, Cal Tracs, Calvert springs, rear disc...

[rockhouse66]

Thanks for the info , Rockhouse66 what tire height are you running with your 3.50 s , Scott how bout your gearing and tire on your fairlane

I have the repro F70-14 Polyglas on the car.  If I were running a taller tire, I would rather have a 3.70 gear I think (with the close ratio 4-speed).  Then again, even the 3.50 isn't what I would call a long distance cruising gear (with these Polyglas tires).

[Falcon67]

For mostly street, I'll say "either".  I have a 4.11 set with a soft locker, which is a DL with some different springs that makes it a bit smoother for street driving.  On the track, DL or spool.  Note with a DL - and possibly the TruTrack - on the strip.  Your burnout will be critical and you may well have to treat them like an open diff - meaning you may have to do two burnouts unless you get both tires with the same water and both spin well enough to grab.  If the water in the box is not even and you get one tire to spin before the other, the DL will unlock and turn you sideways in the box.  You also wan to burn out straight and approach the line straight to keep a DL locked for launch.  If you start out from the box much out of shape, you may be staging on one tire and you will get a bit of a surprise when you hammer it after the tree comes down.  Since when I go to the track I race for $, I run a spool even on the street.  The locker is better on the street but I've had too many bad 60's with it to trust it in a money round. 

[scott foxwell]

For mostly street, I'll say "either".  I have a 4.11 set with a soft locker, which is a DL with some different springs that makes it a bit smoother for street driving.  On the track, DL or spool.  Note with a DL - and possibly the TruTrack - on the strip.  Your burnout will be critical and you may well have to treat them like an open diff - meaning you may have to do two burnouts unless you get both tires with the same water and both spin well enough to grab.  If the water in the box is not even and you get one tire to spin before the other, the DL will unlock and turn you sideways in the box.  You also wan to burn out straight and approach the line straight to keep a DL locked for launch.  If you start out from the box much out of shape, you may be staging on one tire and you will get a bit of a surprise when you hammer it after the tree comes down.  Since when I go to the track I race for $, I run a spool even on the street.  The locker is better on the street but I've had too many bad 60's with it to trust it in a money round.

That is great input! Thanks!

[gt350hr]

   For smooth operation it's hard to beat a True Track however they don't like "stick shift drag strip launches".  For that matter a Detroit Locker is not the best choice in that application either. ( as Falcon 67 points out) Drag race , stick shift cars SHOULD use a spool. My automatic drag race Shelby ( foot brake pre loaded launches) uses a Detroit Locker with heavy springs to keep it locked unless I'm turning.  On the street I have come to dislike the operation of a Detroit Locker , Soft , silent , whatever. The "slack" in the internals (to me) is not pleasant. Besides the True Track , I like a full billet case Trac Lock with it's conventional clutch action , but again it is NOT the best choice for drag only applications.

    Just my experience talking.

[garyv]

I have a 78 SWB F 150 with a 460 in it and it has a soft locker and works fine. You just have to be aware of it in curves and slick surfaces.
My 66 Fairlane has a Nascar DL and it does what it's supposed to do. Yea it's noisy and harsh but it's a hot rod. 
02 Mustang GT has a TrueTrac  and for a driver and non race car I think it's perfect. I wouldn't want a DL
in it.
For a street car I would go with a the TrueTrac if you are concerned about noise and drivability issues. Not everyone likes a DL.
My 2 cents
garyv

[Drew Pojedinec]

So slightly off topic, I know they are expensive, but has anyone used a torston style Wavetrac?

[Falcon67]

You just have to be aware of it in curves and slick surfaces.

Good point, something I should have mentioned.  Emphasis - a DL is designed to lock if possible when power is applied.  So if you "goose" it in a corner, surprise - you will suddenly be going where ever the nose is pointed and going there quick.  You may want to learn how your chosen diff works in that manner, find a big open empty parking lot.  Don't learn by hammering it on a freeway on ramp and trying to eat a guardrail.   

[bn69stang]

Thanks for the great feedback guy s , i am familiar with a Detroit locker as i am currently running one with 3.89 s , and my other center section is 3.50 s with a trac loc . the next center that i put together is prolly gonna be 3.70 s , i just need to decide locker or true trac and get it set up .. I will at some point visit the drag strip , but right now i am just enjoying the the overall driving experiance of a modernized coil over suspension , and rack @ pinion quick ratio steering and sticky tires and big disc brakes .. You guy s would be surprised how well these old cars can handle with with up dates to the suspension , and an fe with an aluminum top half , and alum radiator ,, again thanks forr the info .. Bud