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Author
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Topic: Ford Traction-Lok Trac Loc service/rebuild
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-08-2001 10:49 PM
 
I recently took my 9 inch rearend from a Granada apart to check everything out, install higher gears and to rebuild the LSD clutch pack. I can't find any information on the web about the traction-lok or how to rebuild it.
Does anyone know of any sites with this information?
Also, has anyone had experience pressing the bearings off the axle shafts, any tips on how to do it without ruining the disc brake braket unique to the Granada/Versailles rears?
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-09-2001 06:06 PM
Also, is it posible to add an extra clutch disc or two to tighten the Limited Slip up?Thanks for any help!
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steve'66
Gearhead Posts: 9835
From: Sonoma,CA,USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 09-09-2001 07:19 PM
SDKid,The axle bearings should be left to a parts house like NAPA auto parts. They only charge about $20 to change them. It's easy with the right press.  On your lsd, I'd just rebuild it with a new clutch pack from NPD or Mustangs Plus. They can be shimed tighter, but new parts ought to take care of it. You want about 150ft/#s or torgue between axles before it slips. Good luck, SteveW
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DidgeyTrucker
Gearhead Posts: 1813
From: Greenbrier, TN USA
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 09-09-2001 07:24 PM
I've worked on a few rear ends....Check book stores for a "Petersons Big Book of Auto Repair" for info on rear end repair. "Chilton's" manuals are also excellent sources of information.
Any competent machine shop can remove and replace any rear axle bearing. I've used my local NAPA store with good results.
I have some diagrams (somewhere around here) showing exploded views of the different Ford gear carriers. I can track them down if you need them. With good directions, rebuilding a Ford rear end is easy.Tracy ------------------
Tracy M&M #245
1956 F-100 Panel w/429
(3.50 9")
1966 F-100 SWB w/351C
(3.25 9" - 3.70 posi for Saturday nights)
Music City F-100's,
1965 GT-350 S/C
(2.78 1st & 3.70 TracLok 9")
Music City Mustang Club
Don't focus on the destination....make the JOURNEY the adventure
Visit my Web site: DidgeyTrucker's Website
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-10-2001 01:10 PM
I have a Chiltons, Haynes, Motor ect. but you know how it goes.....this operation is best left to a qualified mechanic..... I have rebuilt GM posi's with no problem, I just need to know what to do with the springs ect. The Motor books talk about special tools and 1,000,000's of pounds of pressure? The trac-loc I have is like the units shown in the hayes and NPD diagrams. It is a four pinion LSD.The Versailles rear is a bit differant then the common 9" there is no room between the caliper mount and the bearing to get a press plate in-between. You can't press off the bearing, bearing retainer and the caliper mount at the same time. The cailper mount is cast iron and might break, and if it does I'm SOL with no options. I was thinking about spliting the bearing off and just haveing the bearing retainer pressed off. Has anybody done this before?
What did you do?
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-10-2001 04:25 PM
Found an article in HotRod July 1989 page 47. they rebuild a trac-loc four pinion diff and show how to set up the gears. One neat thing is they removed the preload springs completely and shimmed the pre load instead, it stated that the springs cause premature wear and to not use them? Anyone done that before? Kinda curious now.
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TomP
Gearhead Posts: 6376
From: Delta BC Canada
Registered: Dec 99
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posted 09-11-2001 09:32 PM
the bearings will need to be cut off with a torch, cut the outer race in two and the caliper mount will come off, the inner race can be chiseled, cut or pressed then.
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DidgeyTrucker
Gearhead Posts: 1813
From: Greenbrier, TN USA
Registered: Oct 99
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posted 09-11-2001 11:35 PM
That's right, the bearings will need to be split. That's a common procedure.
I followed an article in Hot Rod (I think) called $1.95 posi. It amounted to using an extra side gear shim to tighten the gear mesh of a standard four pinion open rear end and make the spider gears difficult to turn. It worked great on the drag strip but to turn tight street corners I had to "power brake" the car to make the inside rear tire spin! Otherwise it made scary popping noises when the tires rotated at different speeds.Tracy
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-12-2001 12:17 PM
TomP, thanks for the info! Much appreciated!Didgey, So not streetable egh? I want to use the limited slip for that reason. If I wanted to pop around corners I'd get a locker. LOL Maybe I will try to get ahold of Tom's and see what they have to say?
Thanks for the help.
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bluestreek
Gearhead Posts: 1724
From: Athens,GA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-14-2001 05:10 PM
Kid,
Just out of curiosity, why would you want to tighten the rearend clutches tighter than new, if you plan on driving on the street?? The tighter you get the clutches, the more chatter and chirping you will get as you make turns.. If you want it to act like a true posi, then that's what it will feel like..
Incidentally, I have ran the same 1/4 mi. times using what I thought was a slipping trac-loc, and a true posi.. I have found out that the tires usually slip before the rearend does..I'm sure there are other oppinions.. 
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-14-2001 08:45 PM
Blue, from the literature I have read the break-away torque of the Granada/Versailles Trac-lok is only about 50-75 ft/lbs I would like it to be 100-120 ft/lbs. I was more interested in makeing the clutches last longer. Does anybody know what the break-away torque is useing the ford raceing replacement clutches?Blue, I know it takes very little resistance to keep the torque bias even when you are on a consistant surface and going strait.
I plan to do some autocross so my needs differ a little then with drag racing.
As it is, I can't find any info or opinions as to how well the Trac-Lok works for this application or any info on modifying it. All I do know is the off road community treats the Trac-Lok as if it were junk?
They claim that they "blow out" the clutches within 20,000 miles. To me this sounds terrible! GM posi's can easily last 100,000 plus with abuse.
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bluestreek
Gearhead Posts: 1724
From: Athens,GA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-15-2001 12:03 AM
The problem associated with any clutch-type system is they get hot once they start to slip. This causes them to get glazed over and swell up from the heat.. If you use them for any type of abusive off-roading or allow them to spin a few times for more than a few seconds, they are gonna wear quickly and eventually burn up..  A new clutch pack will give you roughly 90 ft/lbs without any limited slip additive and 70-80 ft/lbs with additive.. Thinner, non-synthetic lube (75W-90), also helps the friction-limit.. You might be interested in installing the new PowerTrax No-Slip differential while you have it apart.. I have one in my pick-up and I love it.. They are better oriented for off-road and performance and are much smoother than the Lock-rite or Detroit locker.. They are about $400 but you can get a $40 rebate on some websites. The standard Powertrax Lock-rite that is used on most late model Ford trucks is only $200, but has a clicking sound during hard turns... All lockers also greatly improve the strength of your carrier over the trac-loc. That's all folks..
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SundanceKid
Gearhead Posts: 1302
From: UT
Registered: Feb 2001
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posted 09-15-2001 07:46 PM
So, just how smooth are these Power Trax's? Do they work? Daily driver friendly? Are they available for the 9" I looked at their site and saw no applications for the 9"?I figure if I do it right the first time I save money in the long run, If I'm blowing clutches every 20,000 that won't do. On the other side of the coin popping and clicking around corners won't do either! Maybe I should go with a Torsen diff and call it done? But not for 1,000.00 ouch!
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bluestreek
Gearhead Posts: 1724
From: Athens,GA
Registered: Jul 2001
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posted 09-16-2001 10:38 AM
I'm not familiar with the Lock-rite.. But they are OEM in most of the late model posi units that come from the dealers.. The No-Slip is like the Lock-rite except it has syncronizer rings to keep it locked out in turns .. You hardly know that it's a posi until it locks in when your moving in a straight line.. It's a very simple design and uses no springs or clutches... You will need an open differential housing to install it in..
http://www.central4wd.com/store/default.asp?ParentID=92You might want to look at the new Strange Torq-line posi towards the bottom of the following web-page... It's a cone-clutch type posi that offers 140 lbs of braking torque!!!
http://www.gearsareus.com/posiford.htm [This message has been edited by bluestreek (edited 09-16-2001).]
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