Gazzar Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Occasionally I have to tow a heavy Ivor Williams flatbed trailer filled with stone through wet fields, could be up to 3 tonnes + weight. Naturally it gets stuck every now and then, which isn't good as I have to unload it by hand. If I was to fit some form of diff limited slip or lock device to my standard '81 LWB Petrol pickup would this help? What would be the smartest way to do this? Front or rear? It is a Salisbury rear. I'd be keen to have a fit and forget solution, as I feel that the more complex a thing the higher the chance of it breaking down. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuntman Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 You may get away with a mechanical diff locker, like a detroit or a truetrac. Personally I'd go for the rear locker due to the weight in the back and probably loaded in you truck aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 You may get away with a mechanical diff locker, like a detroit or a truetrac.Personally I'd go for the rear locker due to the weight in the back and probably loaded in you truck aswell. Thank you. I was just looking at Ashcrofts site and they now do true tracs for Salisbury axles. Might start saving the pennies! G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Occasionally I have to tow a heavy Ivor Williams flatbed trailer filled with stone through wet fields, could be up to 3 tonnes + weight.Naturally it gets stuck every now and then, which isn't good as I have to unload it by hand. If I was to fit some form of diff limited slip or lock device to my standard '81 LWB Petrol pickup would this help? What would be the smartest way to do this? Front or rear? It is a Salisbury rear. I'd be keen to have a fit and forget solution, as I feel that the more complex a thing the higher the chance of it breaking down. G. I think as always when there are two options there are two schools of thoughts on which is better Locking Front or Rear Diff. I think I would go for a Truetrac on the front first using the theory that the front will hit un-churned up ground first (at least by you) so it should hopefully find more grip & drag you out. It should also help you steer out of existing ruts. Whenever I have got stuck towing a well loaded Trailer I have found that giving the front end more grip helps the most (using stones, sacking etc). My other reason for going front first is that often the lack of steering causes me more trouble than lack of traction. I always seem to slide into areas with less grip and then can't steer away from more trouble. This is all academic for me, I have never been able to justify getting a locker (yet), so I just practice getting out of being stuck Colin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespanner Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Of course the best option would be a detroit locker in the back and a truetrac in the front. I'd start with the back though, seeing as the trailer will apply weight there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted March 5, 2009 Author Share Posted March 5, 2009 How much work is involved in fitting a detroit to a Salisbury? They look harder to work on than the rover diff on the front, which I should be able to manage on my own. Also, does the detroit have any drivability issues when on the road? I dimly remember reading that they bang or knock. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 How much work is involved in fitting a detroit to a Salisbury? They look harder to work on than the rover diff on the front, which I should be able to manage on my own.Also, does the detroit have any drivability issues when on the road? I dimly remember reading that they bang or knock. G. I did ask someone who had a Detroit fitted on the Back that very question. He said it was virtually undetectable on the road but he could sometimes hear a slight knock as he powered out of a corner but he didn't know whether it was actually the Detroit or just some play in the drivetrain making the noise as it was locking/unlocking. This was many years ago, so if it was the Detroit making the noise this may have been improved on more modern ones. Colin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SacredDog Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 How much work is involved in fitting a detroit to a Salisbury? They look harder to work on than the rover diff on the front, which I should be able to manage on my own.Also, does the detroit have any drivability issues when on the road? I dimly remember reading that they bang or knock. G. I see here: http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=39267&hl= that hoarebag has a Detroit fitted to the Back of his Defender and a Truetrac on the Front (lucky Devil). If he doesn't see this it might be worth sending him a PM for his opinions, I know the comments will relate to a Defender as opposed to a Series but that shouldn't make a lot of difference when his has Centre Diff Lock on & you have 4WD selected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPR Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 The front vs rear issue is best solved by the question of cost. Your Sals rear should be able to handle a Detroit without needing to upgrade halfshafts etc., as long as you use it sensibly. While the front Truetrac places less stress on halfshafts and R&P than a locker, it is more fragile. So, of the two options, a rear Detroit would seem the better. Having said that, a selectable locker would be even better, but I can't recall whether ARB does a Sals locking diff, or whether it's only McNamara (Oz) and rather expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Given that it's a LWB towing a heavy load I'd have thought one on the back would be the best idea. As to what flavour of locking you want, that argument could go forever being a Series I'd double-check with ashcrofts that their locker is actually suitable for a Series type salisbury diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Given that it's a LWB towing a heavy load I'd have thought one on the back would be the best idea. As to what flavour of locking you want, that argument could go forever being a Series I'd double-check with ashcrofts that their locker is actually suitable for a Series type salisbury diff. Thanks guys, I think I'll save up to place my diffs in the capable hands of Dave Ashcroft. Hopefully I'll get enough stonework to be able to justify it to my self! G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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