Rebuild Trac-lok vs Torsen upgrade

[TA28]

Looks like torsen 2. But you really can't tell the difference of the t2 or t2r by looks . I find it easier to swap hole rear if I change gear ratios.
I had 3.73 rear 4.10 rear in car now and new 1 is 4.30 .
I called torsen up asked if they rebuild them or sold parts to rebuild them BIG NO! only part available is bolt that hold covers clap bar in! That's it. My feeling is 1k and not fixable wtf.
All my drag cars and road race boss 302 were Detroit lockers.

 

[TA28]

New rear has t2r used in it set up already but 1 axle spins 1 way the other reverse spin?
2 other rears spin both axles same way even if some one hold other axle! They lock up. Not this unit. Also 1 imsa team only ran lockers in there fr500c and boss 302R cars.

 

[Mad Hatter]

The Torsen is really not ment for Drag racing as its in corners where is comes in to play. At least in my case, I have been racing my boss for 10 years and the OEM torsen is working fine with zero dramas.

 

[blacksheep-1]

100% on pinion depth. You aren't removing the pinion when you change the diff so the pinion depth won't change and that is what sets most of the pattern.

The backlash is set by the shims between the case and the diff carrier bearings. I don't think I have ever had a 8.8 need different shims from just a diff change. Assuming it is on the OEM ring and pinion, it will probably be thick one piece shims, but regardless make sure that the cap and shim from the left stays on the left and the cap and shim from the right stays on the right. And the shims will be tight to put back in, you might have to use a hammer to get it all back together...this is the preload on the carrier bearings.

However, you will want new diff/carrier/side bearings. You will never get the old ones off without damage and new are cheap.

Diff work is not super hard, just take your time and don't overcomplicate it. I'd put it at a 5-6 on a difficukty scale of 1-10

DaveW

There are several diff how tos posted by me you can search them. 7.5 build is almost identical

 

[blacksheep-1]

Thread 'Gear installation' https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/gear-installation.18062/

 

[ShifterX]

Thread 'Gear installation' https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/gear-installation.18062/

Lot of good stuff there. Thanks.
I watched enough videos to know I didn’t want to get into overhauling the diff. I was not aware that just swapping the carrier with no gear changes is a possibility. It sounds about the same level of commitment as a TL rebuild. Only outside help I will need is pressing new bearings onto the carrier.

That said, I am still leaning to freshening up the TL. It sounds like there is some value in a good working TL relative to an open diff and even a much nicer Torsen. It’s cost effective, and there are plenty of other places to spend the money that would have gone to the new diff. Thanks,

 

[blacksheep-1]

You don't need a press to install those bearings, flip the old bearings over. Place them on top of the new bearings so you don't damage the new ones, and tap them on with a hammer.

 

[mavisky]

Had the Trac-Loc on my SN95 and my S197, the T2R in the GT350 opened my eyes to on throttle response and I'd never go back to a clutch style diff again.

 

[ShifterX]

I need some help diagnosing a possibly related issue to the diff.

The problem is when I abruptly steer the car back and forth (weave or slalom) there is an audible knock or clunk from under the car. If the right forces are generated, I can do it with each back and forth. I can’t tell if it’s coming from the front or the back. I can feel it in the floor, not the wheel.

It became noticeable after I added new springs and dampers because that’s when I started cornering a bit harder. I have replaced almost every suspension part on the car mostly just due to maintenance but some has been chasing this issue. The sway bars have been removed as well.

I am starting to think it has something to do with the rear axle. As an experiment, when weaving back and forth, I applied some brake pressure and felt a pulsation in the pedal about the same rhythm as the noise. Also the noise became harder to hear while applying the brake.

Moving my attention to the rear axle, I measured axle thrust play with a dial indicator. I came up with .080 left and .090 right.

So could a worn diff be causing this noise? Appreciate any help as this has been a frustrating issue to pin down.

thanks