Rear locker on 89 Ford 150?

[Luinil Explorations]

We have a low mileage 1989 2wd E150 camper van that runs great, gets decent gas mileage, and is all we need it to be except that I am not sure how capable it is off the pavement. Would like to extending our camping adventures on to forest service roads and possibly sandy tracks in the desert or eastern Oregon and Washington. A new/used 4wd van is out of the question so am thinking about putting a rear locker in the one we have. Am courious what the group consciousness has to recommend either for or against the idea and ways to accomplish it.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Bbasso]

Have you asked Google?
https://www.google.com/search?q=Rea...-8#safe=off&q=Rear+locker+for+1989+Ford+e150?

 

[ujoint]

What axle is in it?

 

[Mwilliamshs]

What axle is in it?

Original equipment is the Ford 8.8". Lots of differential options available.

 

[KYC]

Rear lockers would be enough.

Carry some traction pads just in case.

ARB makes them. $1000

http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Air-Locker-Ford-88-Inch-28-Spline-All-Ratios-RD82-P3557C7.aspx
or
http://store.arbusa.com/ARB-Air-Locker-Ford-88-Inch-31-Spline-All-Ratios-RD81-P3556C7.aspx

 

[simple]

A selectable locker like ARB is the way to go on a vehicle primarily driven on pavement. Open diff most of the time and spooled when you need extra traction.

 

[Lunchbox2]

I ran a powertraxx No-Slip in the rear of this thing, it had an 8.8. It was very easy to install, and it took a TON of abuse, I was NOT nice to that rig.... I could never tell it was back there either, it worked flawlessly. The only difference from an open diff was that I had traction once I left the pavement. Don't be scared of a non-selectable locker in the rear.....

 

[KYC]

I ran a powertraxx No-Slip in the rear of this thing, it had an 8.8. It was very easy to install, and it took a TON of abuse, I was NOT nice to that rig.... I could never tell it was back there either, it worked flawlessly. The only difference from an open diff was that I had traction once I left the pavement. Don't be scared of a non-selectable locker in the rear.....

How was your traction in the rain or snow?

 

[Lunchbox2]

How was your traction in the rain or snow?

The traction was awesome! When you hit the gas, it doesn't just sit there and spin your right rear tire, it GOES.....I grew up driving four wheelers/dirt bikes, and rear wheel drive v8 cars (with posi's) on gravel, so I'm no stranger to "flat-tracking". I'm not scared if the tail end swings out on me, I just counter-steer and use the correct amount of throttle, and DON'T PANIC....

You have to pay attention to what you're doing though. You can't punch it in the middle of a curve when it's slick, because the tail WILL swing out on you. As long as you drive smart, you'll get used to how it acts, and be perfectly fine. You'll find yourself looking for curves to hang the *** end out.... lol

I have a Yukon Grizzly going in the rear axle of my monster van on M/T's, and I'm going to drive it EVERY day. I wouldn't have it any other way, I HATE driving an open diff......

 

[Stumpalump]

I ran a powertraxx No-Slip in the rear of this thing, it had an 8.8. It was very easy to install, and it took a TON of abuse, I was NOT nice to that rig.... I could never tell it was back there either, it worked flawlessly. The only difference from an open diff was that I had traction once I left the pavement. Don't be scared of a non-selectable locker in the rear.....

I run the same locker in my 8.8 that is in my jeep. It's the best non selectable locker available. It's so good that I would not even consider a selectable.

 

[Luinil Explorations]

Thanks everyone for the information and recommendations. Am planning on doing some additional research into replacing the entire E150 rear axel and springs with one from the same vintage E350. I think it will give me more options for lockers and the full floater should hold up better off the pavement. Just need to see if it is a direct swap or what modifications need to be made.

 

[RememberTheFallen]

Thanks everyone for the information and recommendations. Am planning on doing some additional research into replacing the entire E150 rear axel and springs with one from the same vintage E350. I think it will give me more options for lockers and the full floater should hold up better off the pavement. Just need to see if it is a direct swap or what modifications need to be made.

Just be careful what axle you choose. As Chris from U-Joint informed me, the only locker available for the D60 semi floater is an ARB which means $$. I am looking for a full float 60 with 4.10s already installed that I can put an insert able locker in. It will be much cheaper in the end.

 

[Mwilliamshs]

Thanks everyone for the information and recommendations. Am planning on doing some additional research into replacing the entire E150 rear axel and springs with one from the same vintage E350. I think it will give me more options for lockers and the full floater should hold up better off the pavement. Just need to see if it is a direct swap or what modifications need to be made.

I've looked into it myself. The rear springs are 2.5" wide on 150 and 3.0" on 250 and 350. The rear spring shackle hanger is the same, front spring hanger different, shackles differ. Then you've got a different driveshaft, ujoints, transmission yoke, u-bolts (not recommended that they be reused), rubber brake lines (different lengths and fittings), master cylinder (different size wheel cylinders on 250 and 350), shocks, and e-brake cables. This is all IIRC at the moment but the info is in my (out-of-date) build thread in the Sportsmobile subforum.

The driveshaft length is wrong but you could reuse the transmission yoke and the shaft itself (after modifications) with a conversion u-joint if you wish. Given that all these parts (vans share frames, transmissions, etc) were originally installed by Ford as a package, my plan is to just pull the correct shaft, yoke, etc if/when I grab an axle from the junkyard.