My lowly 2WD, combined with some poor judgement , has gotten me *nearly* stuck in the snow a couple times this winter. I got out both times, with screaming one-leggers. Not the greatest experience.

If I could have put power to the other wheel, which was on sanded asphalt, I could have had a much better time.

Since it snows alot out here, every year, guaranteed, I've been thinking about getting some sort of locker. LSD's don't seem to be a guarantee of hooking up if one wheel has grip, and one doesn't. The Richmond Powertrax roller-track demo seems to show this pretty well.

http://www.powertrax.com/02powertrax.html

There's a horror story in the Ram forums of a guy with a Hemi chewing one of these up, but Richmond Gear is a pretty solid name, and I'm pushing considerably less than 345 HP

The other option is a selectable locker; but those start getting pricey.

Anyone have opinions or experience with the Powertrax, or otherwise getting an open 2WD to hook up and still be driveable?

 

with the power trax system, its gonna run about 700.00 for the kit plus installation. i would get a good set of studded snow tires for winter and a couple of 70 lb tube sand bags for over each wheel well, if you get stuck, you can break open a bag of sand and put some under the tires to help get out. the other thing is carry some wood. you can lodge that under the tire to help get out

 

Yeah I see the Powertrax unit is $500. Reviews say the installation directions are extremely detailed and require no special tools, so I think I could do it myself.

Studs are not a bad idea, and I have 4x 70# sandbags in the bed right now. I drove about 50 miles this morning in near-whiteout on un-plowed roads, and the truck actually did pretty well. I credit the new tires for that. However, getting started, especially on hills, can really suck sometimes.

My experience with locked 2WD vehicles has proven they can go almost anywhere, and from what I read, they can outperform open or LSD 4x4's in *some* situations. It sounds like the best traction upgrade I could go for short of trading in for a 4x4.

Still all hypothetical at this point; there will be no lockers in my truck this winter unless I win some money

 

Cramerica, the powertrax is not offered for our axle. I already called them and asked. The only company to make an LSD for our axle is Eaton. My cost is around $550 + shipping from them to me + shipping from me to you.

Being that you have an ST (like me) you should have the corporate 8.25" diff. with a circular looking bolt pattern, not the square looking bolt pattern.

A factory anti-slip diff is around $1800.00, my price about $1400.00.

The guys at Eaton say that they are horrible compared to their lsd.

I agree with SuperDak, get a pair of wheels and studded snow tires. You may want about 150-200 lbs of ballast over the rear axle. Being that I live in Colorado and have a house in the middle of the Rocky Mountain National Forrest at 8700 ft, we experience a fair amount of snow every winter...and summer. You also might want to consider a couple of 30' tow ropes and a manual hand winch. I have both, but thats mainly because I off-road quite a bit when I am not at the drag strip.

 

I've known three people with the PowerTrax, two chevy owners and one dodge (4.7 not Hemi) owner. All three had issues similar to the one alluded to in the thread on here. None currently still have it in their axles. No loss that it's not offered for your axle.

The issue with a true locker is you'll have driveability issues. Not familiar with what's out there for your axle, but the Auburn Gear LSD and Eaton/Detroit TruTrac perform solidly in the snow. Check into those...

 

I have a 9.25" 12 bolt axle. 100% positive. Might have something to do with the manual transmission option.

Sounds like the PowerTrax is a $500+ gamble. I've also read about the driveability issues that traditional auto-lockers have, and LSD's wear out. I'd prefer to send the truck to the crusher before I go back into the diff except for fresh fluid.

Looks like a selectable locker for me, or a 2500 Powerwagon

Again, none of this is actually happening...I was just curious what people have experienced with the various differential types.

**EDIT** Looks like the Detroit TruTrac is a wear proof unit. I guess here is my question; I have one wheel with virtually no traction - deep snow - and one wheel on the plowed, sanded road. Does the LSD get me out?

 

Cram...I have an 06 QC 4x4 ST with a 6-speed manual....Not sure how many bolts I have in my cover. I will have to check in the morning. But, my verhicle report shows a 8.25" rear end. I'm confused.

Maybe it is the 4x2?

 

I have a powertrax no slip in my truck. I have a verry strong 5.9 and I deffently put that locker through its tracks. I have not had any problems with it. If installed correctly it will do all you want. It is great in snow and offroad. I have had mine for over 5yrs or so. When they first came out! Now you said you have 345hp. Im assuming thats at the engine. Then this locker can handle that. For the chry 9.25 there is no slectable locker availble. Just LSD and Powertrax and detroit lockers.
Yes the traction of a locker can get some of the places a 4wd with open axles can get to.

 

You know, I've been reading how clutch pack LSD's "wear out". I've had an Auburn LSD in a truck for 68,000 miles and it worked the day I sold the truck as well as the day I had it put in. So at what point do they wear out?

But yes, if you are worried about the life of the Auburn, the Detroit Trutrac will never wear out and does not require a friction modifier.

I leave my truck in 2WD and have one rear tire on slippery red clay mud and the other on dry pavement, the tire on pavement hooks up 100% of the time. A good, quality LSD will get you out of spots an open 4wd won't in certain situations...

 

Donkey - Maybe the manual/4x2 combo gets the 9.25...or maybe I just got lucky and that day they found a pallet of unused 9.25's . Anyway, I'm glad I have it.

Crazy4x4 - I'm not pushing 345 HP (I wish), but a guy in the Ram forums destroyed a Powertrax in his Hemi 1500. The ARB locker I saw was for the front diffs on the HD trucks. Oops. So I can cross selectable lockers off the list. Anyway, it's good to see there is at least one success story with the Powertrax. My 3.7 is a pretty light assignment for that diff compared to a 5.9.

Hammer - I think the clutch wear on LSD's depend on how often you have to use them; if you're romping around in mud every day they probably won't last as long.

I guess my doubt about LSD's comes from that Powertrax video (of course they want to convince you to buy their product), but they remove all traction from one side of a 2500 Ram with LSD's and it can barely move. Is that because factory LSD's are just inferior to an Auburn or Detroit?

If a good LSD really can get the job done in 1-wheel-zero-traction situations, I guess I'd have to see more positive feedback on the Powertrax.