"lunchbox locker" anyone ever used one

[Greaterthenjake]

I am still in the process of gathering parts for my ranger, and since the 8.8 is a direct bolt on and 90% or more are open diff I was curious about the cheap lockers off-roaders seem to like. I need to replace the wimpy 7.5" axle. In the past I had little help with the clutch type lsd in a 8.8. The torsen jobs in the fx4's get snapped up fast as well. Not alot of info on track use I could find. Any input is appreciated thanks.

[chilly460]

I had one in a Dana 60 in a 76 F250, held up fine running a 390 and 38s.  I leaned on the truck pretty hard, broke an axle in the d60 and the locker was fine

[cleandan]

I tried the Lock Right locker, from Powertrax, in my 1990 F250. This is my daily driver with a stock 7.3L IDI diesel and 3.73:1 gears. I figured with my marshmallow diesel, and ho-hum driving style, the Lock Right would be a perfect fit for my traction needs.

First, Powertrax was really good about helping me get this right. I eventually spoke with their in house engineer a bunch of times and I did all kinds of measurements, fittments, and so on in an attempt to get things just right. Everything measured correct.

In the end I tried two different Lock Right lockers, as well as measuring and combining parts from all of them, to get the best fitting, most correctly measured set up.........And it still would not work properly.
I got really good at taking the thing in and out, so I got that going for me.

Finally the engineer admitted that some differentials just don't work well with the Lock Right and my Sterling 10.25" was one of them.

The problem was it acted like a spool, with ZERO differential action, and this made the truck drive...well, not properly.

I think the Lock Right can be a good alternative for getting better traction, and they seem to hold up pretty well based on what other people have experienced, but they are a lesser locker than other alternatives.

I eventually installed a Yukon Grizzly Locker (a more durable Detroit Locker) and have been very pleased with the set up for the last 70,000 miles.

[Greaterthenjake]

Chilly460 what brand did u run that you liked? Cleandan thank you for the feedback and input. I was looking into the powertrax due to it having good reviews from many users. Your scenario has made me rethink it. I would hope the 8.8 being so common it may be better sorted. My goal is to do the c-clip eliminators and for now run lunchbox, future upgrades will include a true locker or even a 9" swap. But for now being as light as my truck is and being able to fit a 10.5" tire max i was thinking a locker vs lsd is where it's at.

[chilly460]

Mine was a Lock Rite

[HarleyJack17]

My experience has been much like Chilly's minus breaking anything. I have one(Lock Right) in the Dana 60 rear of my '75 F250 4x4.  I have beat the hell out of it and no issues. My advice if you are going to use it in a drag type situation would be to get it locked prior to take off.  The internals are not massive but once "locked" it is plenty. I could see how a hard take off, with next to no slip, and the unit not fully engaged could do some damage.  Also, it will make it get a little "loose" in slick conditions under throttle but that is a by product of any fully locked diff.

The 10.25 may have to be a factory "open" case. Not sure if that was your issue or not, but I know in a 10.5 Sterling the lockers are not are not designed for a LS carrier. I looked into one for my Super Duty since the factory LS is junk.  I remember there being some confusion on that.

My install is simple once you got the spider gears out.

[gt350hr]

   Jake,
      How much HP? I am about to swap out the 7.5 in my 2002 Ranger to a Ranger 8.8 , 4.10 traction lock and disc brake conversion from 2004 Mustang. The 28 spline 8.8 is good to about 350"wheel" HP. More HP would require the 31 spline axle or a 9" with 31 spline axles for a 10" slick at the track.
      Randy

[Falcon67]

If it's for drag, don't jack around, pay the money and get a real DL.  Especially with the "lock rite" things you best be sure you approach the starting line absolutely straight and try best to make sure that your cheap "locker" is locked, otherwise at the best you're 60' will be inconsistent and at worst you'll drive it back straight every pass because it'll turn on the leave.  A DL can do that but you'll get positive feed back on when it locks thanks to the usually harsh lockup.  Most of those 4x4 designs - to me - look like a sales pitch for a half-ass spool.  If you want to live with a spool, get a real one.  Just don't drive in the rain, or if you have to remember that 30 MPH or less makes a long trip home LOL.  Yes, I have driven my 4.56 spool home in the rain.  Not fun.

[Greaterthenjake]

Falcon the plan is really a street strip kinda thing. I am aware of the partial egaugement issue with the lunchbox I guess the question is, is it better than the split u get with a clutch lsd. I am wary of a spool since the truck is light and I will most likely run skinnies up front, also axles will be stressed hard.

Gt350hr I am not sure of what the ho level will be plans are for a healthy 390 and a c6. What are you running and what year ranger? 93 stepside for me. Still twin ibeam but newer body.

I guess I may just do a clutch lsd, and grab a f150 spring if it comes down to simplicity. I know there is a torsen diff that bolts in but I am very unsure what hp it will take. Thanks for all the replies.

[gt350hr]

   Mine is a 2002 coil springer. My plans "were" to add a 5.0 until Calif. smog laws got in the way. The 8.8 traction lock won't break , but it needs the carbon fiber clutches on the pass side and exchange one steel for another clutch disc. Otherwise it will stop spinning the pass side tire in a burnout. High 11's should be OK. Any faster and "I" would pony up to a 9" from Quick Time as others have suggested. Spending more ONCE is better than doing the job TWICE.
  Randy

[Greaterthenjake]

I have to deal with Cali emissions too here in Ma. The 93 ranger is obd1 so they cannot plug in and check. When you say exchange a steel for a clutch disc do you mean both sides? I also heard the f150 had a stiffer spring. I think high 11's is a stretch for this truck with a 390 but we shall see. As I start I'll have to put up a project thread. Still planning and amassing stuff I know I'll need.

[gt350hr]

     I only do the pass side as it stops spinning before the driver's side. That means the clutches are slipping on that side, In a normal open the D/S spins because it "unloads" due to axle torque  so when the P/S doesn't spin you go there. The spring is a minor factor and of little help. On a drag only Mustang , I had to do to an Auburn eventually because I got tired of replacing clutches after a couple hundred runs.
   Randy

[cleandan]

When I first decided to try the Lock-Right I was careful about figuring out which unit to purchase. The original differential in my truck was a 10.25", 3.55:1 gear, open differential. I got the right parts for that differential. With all the troubles, and subsequent talk with the engineer, we both verified I did have the right stuff...It just would not work properly in my case.

To be fair, nothing broke, everything went together per measured specs...as well as by feel when I tried that after the measured stuff did not work. It just did not work.

PowerTrax was really good about helping me and eventually refunding everything despite my messing with the parts. I purchased through Summit by the way and they were great too.

With your drag race intentions I suggest you skip the "lunchbox" locker idea. Save a bit longer and get the stuff that will last, work properly, and have no special needs.

I run a Detroit Locker in my 7-LITRE Galaxie and it is a set it and forget it thing.
A bit noisy?...yup. Clunks into lock?...yup. Requires a little different driving style?...yup.
Locks every single time without fail?...yup. Gives any trouble?...Nope.

I have witnessed, as well as used, plenty of clutch style locking differentials and here is my thought on those.
In a stock, or slightly hot rodded engined muscle car running street tires (nothing specifically grippy) they work pretty well because the power is not there, and the tires do not grip really hard.

Once you modify to power above about 500lb/ft torque you will burn up the clutches quick.
Once you install sticky tires you will burn up clutches pretty quick.
Once you install a high stall converter you will burn up clutches pretty quick.

If you have a nice 9" Trac-Lok, 31 spline, behind a stout FE, running Drag radials, and a clutch transmission, you can burn up a clutch locker in three passes.

Unless the car is totally dedicated to drag race action I do not recommend a spool, or anything like that. They do get the traction, but they alter the driving style considerably as well.

Save your money until you can get the Detroit Locker, then put the rear end together.
For now, let the one rear tire smoke and pedal the throttle.
In the long run you will be better served going this route instead of some sort of compromise.

[gt350hr]

  I have a 31 spline Detroit locker in my '66 Shelby automatic drag car and like your experience , it is trouble free. I do not recommend them for a manual trans application on drag only. There I recommend a spool to lessen the chance of internal breakage of the locker. ( too much internal slack) Ford 9" traction locks have a nasty habit of blowing off the side cover in a drag only application. The steel cover ( or whole billet case) is a fix but you still have clutch wear to deal with. Not so in a Locker.
   Randy

[Tommy-T]

I have never personally heard of anybody breaking a Lock Right, Aussie Locker, Spartan, or Detroit EZ locker. Obviously it's not what you want in a drag car, but they are at least as strong as any stock axle.
I have installed a bunch of them in Jeeps, front and rear. I had Lock Rights front and rear in my own Jeep until I bent the Dana 35 housing badly jumping sand dunes at Glamis. Then I installed a 9" with a Detroit Locker.
The lunchbox lockers are noisy around turns and in parking lots. It can be embarrassing sometimes with the clipity-clop. But my NASCAR Detroit is no quieter.

If you're running street tires and stock axles, I see no reason to need more than a lunchbox locker.