Torsen diff. vs. Track-Loc

[traxiii]

As for the Galaxie, you can install a Eaton /Detroit TruTrac in that 9", & it will operate very well.
They produce a 50%/50% torque bias, per axle, when engaged.

TracLocs are barely 60%/40% at best.
As the clutch plates wear, that bias diminishes.

Clutch style units like Ford TracLoc's are harsh without Friction Modifier additive in most vehicles, so we assume you had it in your F150 that wore out in 20k mi.

If not, it will wear the clutches out quicker than if you use the additive. Most cannot stand the characteristics of using one w/o it. So again we assume you did so.

I've run Truetrac's in my F150s for years and they work awesome, they operate very similar to the Torsen in my Mach1, and the only maintenance is changing the gear oil.
I've had Auburn, TracLoc and Detroit Lockers in Mustangs and F150s over the years, but the Truetrac is my favorite. The Detroit Locker was nice, but every once in a while driving BOOM a huge noise when the two sides would line up and fall into the locking center. The first time it happened scared the heck out of me, I thought I broke something. That and the chirping tires going around slow corners, made it kind of a pain.
The Truetrac acts like an open diff, until you need more traction, then it just works. You can test it with one wheel on pavement and one in the dirt, it really works.

If you have the diff apart changing clutch discs, etc. just get a Torson for $1000 or a Truetrac for $750 and swap it out, then only change lube from now on.

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[Johnny Rockit]

I put the Ford Racing LS Track-Loc w/ carbon fiber clutches and heavy S-spring in an 8.8" diff. in my open diff. F-150 and it was SICK...for about 20k mi., aside from the first rainy morning spin-out, then it wore out and became useless. When wifey got her 2019 EB, we insisted on a Performance Pack w/ the Torsen style diff. and it has been incredible for going on 40k mi. now. I need one of these in my 63.5 Galaxie!

She is now looking at a '23 GT Premium Nite Pony w/ 3:55's and the LS diff. My concerns are longevity and rainy weather behavior compared to the Torsen. Can anyone weigh-in on these issues? Thank you!!!!!

P.S. Looks like Ford is offering 2.9% @ 60 mo. and 4.9% @ 72 mo., etc. on 2023 Mustangs, plus $3k cash-back. Not many left! She does NOT like the Gen 7 headlights, which I can look past, but I think she's right about all the ugly wall of plastic in the rear and mismatched front end plastics. She has quite the distaste for Cameros...lol.

She can put it in wet/snow mode and baby it in shitty weather.

 

[K4fxd]

I've had Auburn, TracLoc and Detroit Lockers

I love the detroit but it will sometimes stack up and make a loud bang LOL

 

[ice445]

Trak Lok WILL wear out eventually, sooner depending how hard you beat on it. Torsen is just...better, lol. But if it makes you feel better, a replacement trak lok unit is like $150. I just serviced mine after 8k of running wide and sticky tires out back (and a lot of curvy roads), and there was a surprising amount of clutch dust on the magnets.

With that said, the trak lok has very nice street characteristics, and I've never once had an issue with its behavior. The steels just wear out and you get less and less limited slip action over time.

 

[WD Pro]

and there was a surprising amount of clutch dust on the magnets

Does that look like black sludge ?

WD

 

[Jackal]

Is there an approximate mileage where people tend to notice its time for a Track Loc rebuild? I know they are cheap, but the killer is labor. We'll definitely miss the Torsen unit, but she's picking up the '23 in about 2 hours, assuming she doesn't HATE the Recaro seats. At least it also has the 3.55 gears!

 

[KingKona]

I have a 19 base gt and I believe the torsen diff was standard on the car. My 15pp came with the torsen due to having the performance pack, but I thought they were standard at some point

Unless you have a Performance Pack, you have the standard LSD.

 

[KingKona]

Is there an approximate mileage where people tend to notice its time for a Track Loc rebuild? I know they are cheap, but the killer is labor. We'll definitely miss the Torsen unit, but she's picking up the '23 in about 2 hours, assuming she doesn't HATE the Recaro seats. At least it also has the 3.55 gears!

I'm betting she hates the Recaros. No lumbar support/adjustment is a serious missing item for a DD car.

 

[bankyf]

The Super 8.8 gets very little love from Ford Performance or the aftermarket. Ford has a carbon disc rebuild kit for the standard 8.8, but no rebuild kit at all for the super 8.8. And good luck finding much of anything beyond the OEM track loc if you decide to go 3.15 gears.

 

[Bluemustang]

The difference is one is good and the other sucks. The Torsen being good.

 

[ice445]

Does that look like black sludge ?

WD

Yup, it's very fine though.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

Torsen all the way. Standard LSD is a wear item unfortunately. You can get decent mileage out of it before it goes kaput, but that largely depends on driving habits and maintenance.

Hard cornering under acceleration will do them in quick.

On my new edge GT I still had a functioning LSD up until I put gears in at 95k or so. Once the gears went in, it lasted about 35-40k of street mileage, autocross and drag racing with sticky tires. Then 1 wheel peel and worn spider gears. I rebuilt it myself one more time with carbon clutches and it’s holding up still, but the spider gears are a concern.

My 16 GT PP had the Torsen and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. It does its job no matter what you ask of it.

 

[ShadesOfBloo]

Most clutch-type limited-slip differentials have the clutches engaged, by default, and it takes a certain amount of torque to break them loose. The way they work is exactly what makes them wear items.

The exception I know of is the OS Giken SuperLock. It's a 1.5-way limited-slip in which the clutches are disengaged, and torque mashes them together.

The "1.5-way" part means that engine torque in one direction or braking torque in the other direction can both squeeze the clutches together, but braking squeezes them about half as hard. I have it in my Nissan 240SX partly because I couldn't find a Torsen for that car's rear-end. There were a bunch of other clutch types available for my car, I picked the OS Giken, and years later I think the OS was absolutely worth the $1600.

Here's a cutaway that shows the insides:

It has angled studs on the middle assembly, and when the engine turns the input shaft the studs press into the plates on either side, and press the clutch packs against the inside of the housing.
It gets a lesser effect under braking by having the studs and the matching faces at a shallower angle, so it doesn't transmit as much force out to the sides.

It is available for a Ford 8.8" IRS.

My GT-PP1 came with a Torsen, and I like that so far. ...But if I had some other car with an open diff, or I just wore out a clutch-type LSD, I'd definitely consider buying another OS Giken.

 

[K4fxd]

Still a fan of the Detroit locker.

But smooth it aint.

 

[Jackal]

Yea the Torsen will be sorely missed. The LS seems absent so far, at least during break-in restraint. I know it will show up later when needed, but overall the GT feels like a much different car. The EBPP felt light, twitchy, super nimble, and tuner-car / go-kart like, where as the GT to me feels more like a refined, midsize, luxury performance car. At low speeds in the EBPP, Sport steering was obnoxious, but in the GT I can't see using any other setting at any time. The wear nature of the LS particularly sucks because powering into and through tight rural corners is what we live for on the weekends. The GT likely won't do what the EBPP did in that regard, but the GT adds a whole other audible element to the experience which I know wifey will enjoy more than what was given up in the handling department.

I removed the engine cover and dropped in a K&N. The filter definitely helped the sound situation. Was looking at the Boomba sound tube delete kit, but I'm concerned about fitment and seal, and Boomba just emailed that the sound tube was deleted altogether after 2017, so not sure what they are talking about there. The steeda kit looks super cheapo like Chinese parts from O'Reilly, but I suppose we'll go that route. I have some 1 1/8" blue silicone caps I picked up early on for the EBPP to VTA the recirc blow-off, but didn't end up using them due to power loss, however I think the GT would need a 1" cap. I'd just have to watch the Steeda cap to make sure it doesn't harden over time and heat.

I was shocked to learn that the GT Premium doesn't include the 2-3 piece strut tower braces. (firewall, strut tower, and lower K-member?) Guess I took that PP1 package for granted. Can anyone speak to the improvement when added to a non-equipped GT?

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