Trail_Banger

So...I've been thinking about the Detroit TrueTrack limited slip for the front of my 1989 IFS truck. Does anyone out there have experience with this unit? Are there other limited slips available for 1989 open IFS?

Anyway, just looking for opinions and whatever direct experience folks might have.

mr_schuster

I have a lock-rite up front and much of my off-roading is not very extreme as you can tell by the limitations of my 32" all terrains. I kinda wish I would have gotten the LSD instead. The lock-rite pulls the steering wheel all the time and is not to friendly in the turns.

IMO you should build your truck meet your off-roading needs. What type of wheeling do you do ect.ect.

ewong

I run dual tru tracs (front/rear)

Not the best "wheeling" unit for wheels in air driving.
It meets my needs (snow travel to ski areas etc) along with studded Hakkas..

Aywilkerson

looks like in yout avitar your not afraid to wheel that thing. but a lockrite in and go get some manual locking hubs. that way when you need it true 4 wheels are turning and when you dont,.... just grab that lever and send her back to 2wd and unlock the hubs.

Djlarroc

I've heard that trick doesn't work with a lunchbox locker?

Turbo4runner has a detroit TT in his 87 IFS and he does some wheeling. I just bought one for my 89, but haven't installed it yet. I've heard the con's are once you lift a wheel, you might as well be open, but even still if you can get a good deal on it, I say go for it. I'd rather have that in the front than a lunchbox locker.

Trail_Banger

Djlarroc---

Where did you buy your Tru Trac? The best price I've found is right around 400 bucks. I'd jump if I could find one between 200-300. What did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

mr_schuster

You can drive around fine with the hubs locked in 2wd on the trail. You won't notice anything while driving except a little noise from the front diff. A locker will be cheaper than a LSD and definately give you more traction in every situation. Find someone in your area who might have a locker up front and ask them to drive it. Its not as bad as I made it out to be. Just a little tight in the turns and grabby on the trail in 4WD. It ultimately wants to drive the tires straight in turns, almost a plowing sensation. It feels like you have to really keep your hands on the wheel, because it sometimes wants to jerk the wheel out of your hands if your on and off the throttle. It will definatley take you farther though.

Djlarroc

Search the classifieds section here, they come up now and then. I bought mine from another member. I ended up paying about $200 with shipping.

Where are you located? If you drive in snow at all, a lunchbox up front will scare the crap outta you (I've heard), where as a TT is nice and predictable.

Trail_Banger

We get snow but it's gone in a few days. I wheel in the VA/WV area mainly. I should check out the classifieds...good tip.

Did you install it yourself?

mr_schuster

We don't get much snow here in eastern NC, but I have been in the snow with mine a few times, the true-trac in the rear spins me out pretty good, but I have yet to destroy the truck. Sometime the only way I can keep it from going sideways it to lock in the front.

tc

I have a trutrac in the front of the SAS'd truck.

I HATE IT.

Even those words don't seem strong enough.

It doesn't work when you really need it to (a wheel in the air), and works when you don't really need it to (turning on slick roads).

I HATE IT

The brake biasing thing works, but is super tricky and often VERY frustrating.

My IFS rig has ARB's. You will have to pry them out of my cold dead hands...

Luvmeye22re

I agree for the front. I've had welded 3rds and a detroit in the front and they can be a handful. If I do anything in the front I will go either a TT or an ARB, and honestly I'd never throw the money at an ARB for IFS but that's because I will eventually throw in a SFA or buy another 79-85 rig. That ARB is a little out of my IFS price range haha.

I also see a lot of limited slip diffs. in racer type cars (ricer lol) and muscle cars. I think they are designed for a different type of traction advantage. I'm thinking a limited slip front and a detroit rear would get my 4Runner plenty of places before the suspension becomes a real limiting factor. A detroit rear would even do plenty imo.

tc

Putting a locker in your IFS will make you reconsider if you need a SAS ...

unless you put a TruTrac in. Did I mention I HATE the TruTrac for 'wheeling?

TORTIS

iTrader: (1)

i am very happy

texcat101

Is anyone else running the Power Brute Clutch type posi up front and how do you like it? It seems to me a legitimate alternative.

Matt16

Would a front LSD help keep you going straight when going through patchy wet snow on a FSR? I doubt I'd get one, but curious. It is not the bumps on the road that cause the pulling from one side to the other, but rather the traction given to one tire to the other. I've already got a huge steering stabilizer taking car of the bumps.

Lysmachia

I HATE my Tru Trac too. (SAS) The brake trick never works very well, and considering how built my rig is that is it's weakest point.

The only downfall with a front locker is that if you need to make a turn while climbing a ledge (4wheeling) you risk blowing a CV. But with that said I think a front locker (whether air, or electric) is the way to go. Shoot maybe I should pull my tru-trac out and sell it to you and get an e-locker...

AxleIke

Front lockers save CV's

True tracs work great until you lift a wheel. On an IFS truck, it happens a lot.

Djllaroc, that trick works great with lunchbox lockers, does not work with welded diffs.

If anyone wants an 8" trutrac, I've got one. Happy to sell it to you, low miles.

JamesD

I do not know why many people on here dislike a limited slip. After market limited slips are way better than factory limited slips. In my lifted 2wd I had a precision gear limited slip and it worked GREAT for off road even the rocky parts. So yes to the original poster, a limited slip will give you the best result for your truck and the goal you are trying to achieve. It is the best traction device for the street in the front axle with the style and the amount of off-roading that you do.

James

AxleIke

We don't like them because they don't offer the traction we need.

Don't get me wrong, for mild to moderate offroading, they are great. I ran one in the rear for a while, and on the easier trails, it was good. As I said, once you lift a tire, it doesn't work. So I bought lockers.