Well, ive just bought a 86 pickup thats been locked and geared (to 4.11 i think), but i need it to be steet worthy and it's hard to steer a completly locked truck. I was just planning on taking off the front locker since the strait axel trucks do ok on the road, would that be ok? Is there something else i can do other than take it off? And any advice?

 

4.10's were stock duude...are you sure it just isn't in 4wd????......just askin lmao

and it shouldn't be straight axle unless it has been SAS'd..solid axle production stopped in '85 in the states..

post up some pics!!

 

Yeah I would double check the linkage, your axles shouldn't be binding up too bad with a locker unless someone welded them, check your hubs too to make sure there fully unlocked they could have gotten stuck in lock... I mean I run a front locker and dont notice it til my hubs are locked, and a rear spool and I dont even think thats to bad at all

 

i know its not a strait axel, i was just sayin guys with em can still drive on the road. It could be stuck in 4x4, idk. I know it has lockers. They are "spool" lockers, what does that mean?

 

SPOOL type lockers lock BOTH tires together ALLL THE TIME..no matter what...pull your diff..remove that spool..and put it back in...might as well do the same with the rear..cuz it's gonna eat your tires faster than you can pee..

 

when you turn corners slowly does your rear inside tire spin and chirp?

 

I dont think there is a spool for the 7.5 its most likely welded

 

if you have a spool or have a welded third you might has well start hitting craigslist for a set of third members...

 

take the cover off the front of the ifs diff housing and take a pic and post it.

 

Easy way to check for a locker or spool is to raise the tires on that axle off the ground, transmission in neutral and spin one tire and see which way the other tire spins. If it spins the same direction, that diff. is locked. If it spins opposite, it is open. Then alternate turning the one tire backward and forward and see if the other tire follows the direction changes exactly (if so a spool) or if it free wheels a bit then clanks to a stop and changes direction (an automatic locker).

 

All you need is one of the hubs unlocked, and then you can steer just fine.

 

i think i'm just goin to leave em how they are, they seem to do ok on the road i just had to get used to them not letting me turn as good. thanks for all your guys help though.

 

Are you driving in 4wd on the road?


Yes having the rear end welded will reduce turning capacity a little bit. Once you get used to it it won't be a problem..

Your tires will wear out quickly in the back, so you may want to rotated your tires more often than not.

 

If its a full spool there is no easy pulling it as it replaces the carrier. Don't think they make mini spools for us. Welded well new carrier. Either way its going to require a gear set up. If its a lunch box locker than you'll need spider gears. A detroit will require a carrier also.

Think you made the best desicion to keep it.

You can always look at swapping you rear dif and front axle to someone who has open ones.

 

i'm definatly goin to rotate more often cause i'm puttin a brand new set of 35" mud terrains (bfgoodrich) and i want them to last lol. how often should i rotate?

 

If you have manual hubs (which I'm guessing you do), the front spool locker will not bother you when the hubs are unlocked. As I'm sure you know, In 4WD (when you lock the hubs) your diff will be locked too. If that's affecting your ability to steer when you actually need 4WD like on a snowy uphill, you can lock just 1 hub and essentially you get 3WD.

Nothing you can do about the rear except get used to it or remove/replace the locker.