putting gears in and a new posi, need opinions please...

[SinCityDiesel]

please post your opinions/experiences with posi units for the ford 10.5" rear end.
i am not exactly sure the difference between the auburn, eaton, and detroit brand posi units other than the type of units that they are..

but i would appreciate some input from you guys on the strengths/weaknesses of the different types, and the reasons why you would go with one over the other please.

my goals for the vehicle are heavy street/strip action, aggressive off roading (but no rock crawling, and no towing )

these are the 3 main units i have been trying to decide between, if there is something else out there that i have missed, please feel free to give your 2cents on those also:

AUBURN LTD SLIP : preloaded cone style clutch system. hardened spider
gears. this appears to be the most expensive type of the ones i've
been looking at. If i were to go with a clutch type posi, this is the
one i've been leaning toward, but i'd like to know real world difference
between this type of clutch and the eaton posi.

EATON POSI : carbon fiber clutches, forged gears, rebuildable. preload
springs with clutches. this appears to be about 100 bucks cheaper
than the auburn unit, is this type less reliable ? or just cheaper to
manufacture ?

DETROIT TRUE TRAC : clutchless posi unit. price was not the determining
factor when i found myself wanting to go with this type of posi over
the overs, even though it is actually quite a bit cheaper than the
clutch style posi units. I may be dead wrong, but i just figured that
a gear drive posi unit would seem to last longer than a clutch type
before needed to be rebuilt/replaced ??

fill me in guys, so that i can make an informed decision, and i am wanting to do this immediately. my truck should be back from the tranny shop this afternoon and i want to get the 4.10/4.11's on as soon as possible.

and before you add them to the list, no i don't want to run a "locker"
i know all about the air locker, the ratcheting locker, and the electronic locker, i just want a heavy duty posi unit. this is a daily driver, but yes i am willing to sacrifice a LITTLE bit of smoothness in trade for a more solid, reliable traction method.

and although everything i read points me toward the sterling 10.5" rear end for my truck, when i look up the available gearsets they all come up as 10.25" gearsets, does this mean i have a 10.25 or 10.5 rear end ??

do you guys have any particular brand you would go with over another as far as the actual ring/pinion sets and rebuild kits (bearings/seals/shims etc), or should i just go with the best deal ? i mean i'm pretty sure i can't go wrong with any of the major names like yukon gear, jts gear, usa gear ???

i've also seen different listings for my rear end depending on where i'm looking, some say it's a 31spline, some say it's a 35spline. some say 10.5" , some 10.25" .. the only thing i DO know for sure is the front end is a dana 60 reverse rotation...

 

[Snake]

IMO, the Tru Trac is the way to go. I'm running one with 4.30's and couldn't be more happy. Awesome street manners and locks when you need it -- every time. No more one wheel peel. And NO CLUTCHES. Everything I've read and been told says that this will last longer than a limited slip/posi with clutches.

A 10.5 and 10.25 are basically the same rear -- a lot of the internals are the same. I'm not as well versed on this as some others, and hopefully they'll chime in soon.

For gears, I'd recommend OEM Ford Racing gears. Plenty strong and no gear whine. Some of the others are made as well and can get a bit noisy.

--Snake

 

[Jess@FarmboyFab]

Precision or Yukon 4.10s or OEM 4.30s and TrueTrac... Shoot me a PM, and ill take care of you and make sure you get the right install kits and gears for that 10.5"

 

[Snake]

^^^^^ He's one of the ones I'd hope would chime in. lol

--Snake

 

[Red Stroke]

10.25 = 10.25" ring gear
10.5 = 10.5" ring gear.

Clutched diffs last about 6 months then arent tight any more and back to the one wheel peal.

I have had good luck with the tru-tracs, although if you break 1 axle you no go, the detroit lockers get sloppy and buck, pop, and, snap.

Reider Racing is who I go through they have good product.

If you are pulling weld the tubes to the diff housing the 10.5s have been known to spin the tubes.

Welded and Stress Relieved 80 is what I am running now with no problems.

 

[FirstOnRaceDay]

I have the TrueTrac and I am very happy with it also. It works great at the track and on the street.:rockwoot:

 

[SinCityDiesel]

yes i've decided to go with the true trac !!
it appears i have the 10.5" rear end , but it runs a 10.25" ring gear. apparantly this was pretty normal with these fords.
i will PM jess see what he can do for me

red : i know what you mean about breaking an axle and no go, but i don't sled pull, so for me it's just not worth the sacrifice to run a real locker just for that added piece of mind. if i ever do break an axle it will most likely be on the track, and there will be someone there to tow me home

maybe i'll put a true trac in the front also that way if i do ever break an axle i can get home in Front Wheel Drive

is the true trac a good choice for the front axle ? someone told me that because of the nature of the locking hubs on the front axle, when combined w/the true trac's style of lock/release, that it sometimes plays havoc with the front hubs //... anyone else heard of this ?? ???

also the gear shop told me to go with 4.30's, and that i wouldn't even feel the difference w/4.10's... anyone of you guys have 35's ,and either 4.10's or 4.30's and care to share your experiences and tell me your thoughts on them.