[mchell]

Always wondered what one of those things looked like up close....that is one interesting getup!

[importsmasher]

I ran one in my 73 Ventura for several years. The clicking never bothered me, but eventually, launches and shifting a stick car at the track tore it up to where it wouldn't lock anymore. I was back to just spinning one wheel.....I put a mini spool in it, and drove it like that for a few more years (I never drove in the rain). Even that didn't bother me. However, the axle shafts in the 10 bolt didn't like 1.9 60 foot times, and they kept giving up. Eventually, I got tired of breaking axle shafts, and went with a Moser 12 bolt.....

Importsmasher

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by importsmasher

I ran one in my 73 Ventura for several years. The clicking never bothered me, but eventually, launches and shifting a stick car at the track tore it up to where it wouldn't lock anymore. I was back to just spinning one wheel.....I put a mini spool in it, and drove it like that for a few more years (I never drove in the rain). Even that didn't bother me. However, the axle shafts in the 10 bolt didn't like 1.9 60 foot times, and they kept giving up. Eventually, I got tired of breaking axle shafts, and went with a Moser 12 bolt.....

Importsmasher

Uh, oh... My best 60 ft last outing with the open rear was a 2.166. Not far away...

I hope I get my $435+ worth of drag strip fun! Once I solidly enter the 14's, I will have to see what is next on my list of constraint management. Do I continue to squeeze on the 350P, or get into 400+ inches?

[importsmasher]

Originally Posted by Squidward

Uh, oh... My best 60 ft last outing with the open rear was a 2.166. Not far away...

I hope I get my $435+ worth of drag strip fun! Once I solidly enter the 14's, I will have to see what is next on my list of constraint management. Do I continue to squeeze on the 350P, or get into 400+ inches?

I suspect you'll be OK running an automatic. It won't shock the drivetrain like dumping a clutch and speed shifting....I have seen 8.5 10 bolts live well into the 11s behind an automatic.

Importsmasher

[Goatracer1]

You guys should try driving a car with a locker if you think that gadget is going to bother you. I have used a Detroit Soft Locker for 20 years in my 1967 GTO. You realize what you have and drive accordingly. Keep off the gas in corners if you think it will lock up. Like anything else you learn to live with it. I hope you have good luck with it.

[68azbird]

Originally Posted by Goatracer1

You guys should try driving a car with a locker if you think that gadget is going to bother you. I have used a Detroit Soft Locker for 20 years in my 1967 GTO. You realize what you have and drive accordingly. Keep off the gas in corners if you think it will lock up. Like anything else you learn to live with it. I hope you have good luck with it.

X2
Lockers are the same principle.

Also built a few 8.5" in low 9 second cars that use a Trans brake.

[chevymad]

I've had mine a few years now. I don't hear it on the highway at all, just city streets and parking lots. At first it took some getting used to. On a rutted freeway I found the rear wanted to steer me around when it locked/unlocked. Pushed one way on the gas and the other when you let off of it. But evidently I got used to it, cause now I don't even notice.

[Chadmokc]

I installed my yukon unit and it sounded like it was grinding metal. I talked to Yukon and they said to add 2 bottles of the Ford Racing Friction Modifier with a regular 80/90 gear oil and it worked great!! No noise period. Available at ford dealership.

Rain or not, be careful. Something like that happened to me the other day on just a spirited 1st-2nd gear shift on a looping exit ramp. Bam, next thing I know I was sliding sideways and up over the curb and through the grass at about 35-40mph. No damage surprisingly, but sure took a bit of my pride.

[gtofreek]

Originally Posted by Chadmokc

I installed my yukon unit and it sounded like it was grinding metal. I talked to Yukon and they said to add 2 bottles of the Ford Racing Friction Modifier with a regular 80/90 gear oil and it worked great!! No noise period. Available at ford dealership.

Rain or not, be careful. Something like that happened to me the other day on just a spirited 1st-2nd gear shift on a looping exit ramp. Bam, next thing I know I was sliding sideways and up over the curb and through the grass at about 35-40mph. No damage surprisingly, but sure took a bit of my pride.

Glad there was no damage! It's real embarrassing when you do these things, hunh. I once made the mistake of getting on the gas on a left turn before I was completely straight. I had just went through a little bit of water. The car started fishtailing, then all of the sudden, spun completely around and slid across opposite lanes of traffic, and into a big water puddle. Luckily, noone was coming in either direction, and no harm done. Just embarrassed because I had friends in the car. I learned from that, not to get on it when NOT going straight!

[i82much]

There have been a couple different versions of these lunchbox lockers. I have heard good things about the more expensive ones, which it sounds like you got.

Fwiw, I slapped a used four pinion carrier, ring gear, and matching pinion out of a different car and it worked ok for me. But i was really young and even dumber than I am now.

[Squidward]

Got it in last week, but had a delay in waiting for parts to arrive in the mail. I installed some long Moroso studs today so that the tech dude at the track doesn't give me any more speculative "what if..." crap. I now have UBER stud length and 3x thread engagement. I waited to button it all up until I had time to finish the wheel stud replacement. I just got back from a test drive.

I sprayed down the street in front of my house for a little burnout fun, and I am officially a Two Tire Terror. I didn't want to get too stupid, because there are a lot of young kids on the street - don't want to be "that guy".

And yes, it is a little clunky. Not horrible, but you definitely know it is there when it locks/unlocks. It is supposed to quiet down after a break in period. Also, the owner's manual discusses a large range of oil weights depending on climate. I thought about going heavy (140) to keep it smooth and quiet, but I read that it also might make for slow engage/disengage. So I went with 80/90 while it breaks in. It is a weekend cruiser and once a month racer, so it won't bother me much. It just means more Pantera/Poison/Ratt/Ozzy/Skid Row/KSE/insert other band name here at a higher volume.

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by i82much

There have been a couple different versions of these lunchbox lockers. I have heard good things about the more expensive ones, which it sounds like you got.

Fwiw, I slapped a used four pinion carrier, ring gear, and matching pinion out of a different car and it worked ok for me. But i was really young and even dumber than I am now.

Powertrax has a Lock Right, which is essentially the same without the synchro. I am guessing that the Lock Right is brutal. The No Slip version has a synchro to smooth out the engage/disengage.

[Ducks Goat]

I used one for many years in my '65 with a lot of street and strip usage and had no issues at all. This car was driven in rain, sleet and snow. I've broken a ring gear and twisted splines on a Moser axle while using it but no issues with the locker itself. After breaking 2 ring gears and twisting the axle in the 8.2 I upgraded to a complete Moser 12 bolt with a locker.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Squidward

Got it in last week, but had a delay in waiting for parts to arrive in the mail. I installed some long Moroso studs today so that the tech dude at the track doesn't give me any more speculative "what if..." crap. I now have UBER stud length and 3x thread engagement.

I was just talking to Mike about that a few days ago. I'm dumbfounded that tech is complaining about wheel studs on a 14 second car on street tires. The length of thread engagement only needs to be the diameter of the stud used but after all these years, my experience is that it's never been much concern with a stockish car running regular street tires, especially an "automatic" car that doesn't even meet the helmet rule (no offense and nothing wrong with that). I understand the safety aspect, but common'. Sometimes I think those guys need to lighten up a bit.

Anyway, glad to see you are making improvements in the quest for quicker ET's, it's all good fun. I got an email the December date was cancelled for the pontiac races, so I'm looking forward to January.

[68azbird]

Kinda funny this was taken right off the rules for Fri nite drags

1.* All wheel lug nuts must be properly installed and tight.* All wheel studs must engage the threads in the lug nut to a depth equal to the diameter of the stud.* This applies to ALL wheels, not just the drive wheels.* Broken studs or missing lug nuts cannot be permitted

[Formulajones]

All wheels, lol. And the broken/missing wheel studs go without saying, lol. They must be getting some real heaps in there to be cracking down on that stuff.

I'm guessing guys with aftermarket wheels using closed nuts have the worse time with this, since tech can't just check the thread engagement with a quick "visual"

I understand the thread engagement equal to the length of the stud deal. That's never an issue with a steel wheel, stock studs, and acorn nuts since a typical stud is 7/16. But with people running more aftermarket wheels nowadays, who knows. Cracking down on the piddly stuff like this keeps the street cars away and they wonder why attendance is down everywhere

I wonder if they'll ever get picky enough to check those grade 8 bolts that are supposed to be holding that blow proof in place Pretty soon all street cars will be required to wear a diaper if you run quicker than 16's, lmao.

[geeteeohguy]

Squid, the Lock Rite is what I have in my old Toyota. Been in there over 15 years and many miles. It is, indeed, brutal. But it sure locks up the tires. I notice it a lot less than I used to, and only wrecked the truck that one time, right after the install in a rain storm. Apparently, these units are used abroad a lot (Africa/Asia) because of the lack of paved roads and the locker's simplicity and durability. Mine has about 55,000 miles on it, I'd guess, and works as good as ever. Glad your install worked out for you.

[68azbird]

Just pulled one of these power junxx out of a 12 bolt. I know nothing about the history of the rear but there were pieces of shredded tiny springs inside the housing and the c clips were a mother to get to.
Eaton is going back in.

[ignaro]

Squid's build sounds similar to mine-- if you guys all dislike the locker for gassing it around corners, what LSD would you suggest, balancing cost, function and ease-of-install given a stock rear end.

I know I would certainly like to upgrade my open 2.73s.

Speaking of-- I love my 4 speed and commute about 30mi across LA often so highway speeds are a must for me. How much higher can I go before I lose my comfortable highway driving? I was planning on 3.05's-- I think 3.2's would rev too high at 80mph.

[74Grandville]

I drove one in an F-150 for about 2.5 yrs, I had no issues with it. I wanted to ensure my 2wd truck would not get stuck and it did what it was suppose too. Like other have said, you have to learn how to drive with it. put in the clutch on corners. expect the rear to go sideways in the rain when on the throttle around corners. I'd say the only time i was surprised was when i wasn't totally strait and I hit the gas. One wheel would lock, but not the other right away some times. when it did finally grab, the car become unpredictable for a second. half throttle around corners feels like a bucking bronco. I also noticed my 5 speed had very tight shifting with it installed. when i pulled it before i sold the truck, i did notice wear on the teeth, but not real bad.