positraction

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I'm looking for a full size truck that can get up and down snowy hills and make it back logging roads, but I really don't want a four wheel drive. I don't know if "positrac" is the correct term anymore, but that's what I want. A true 2-wheel driver that either works by traction control or locking the rear axle. Does anybody know what trucks offer such and what the correct terminology is? My price range is in the 1994-1997 model years. The only term I keep seeing on 2-wheel drive trucks is limited slip differential, but I don't think that is what I remember as positrac. I appreciate anybody's responses. Thanks
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http://www.torquecontrol.eaton.com/
Also you can buy a truck (2wd) without a locker or limited slip and add it.
They are fairly cheap ($200)
Check this out
http://powertrax.com/
I'm like you, can't imagine buying a truck without it. BUT, we don't want GM taking our choices away like Toyota, now do we?
Tom
A clutch type limited slip is the same as positraction. A clutch locker on the GM's is maybe better. A real detroit locker or ARB locker is best for ultimate performance.
Lots of weight in the bed along with chains is best, be it 2 or 4 whl drive.
Best vehicle I ever had in snow was a 1980 2wd Ford pick-up with 6 cyl. and std. shift. Had the ground clearance and with about 400 lbs. in the back never had a problem in those upstate NY Winters.
Friends who had positrack, though, the wheels would spin left, then right, then left, etc. The only people who ever had to negotiate the SIDE of the driveway had positracks. They were much more difficult to get up the hill. The shifting drivewheels eventually pointed the car sideways.
As some of you know, I drive a Toyota, so the options are limited (big surprise).
The TRD LSD seems awful expensive as does the (soon to come) ARB locker. The No-slip is quite a bit cheaper and (low and behold) Powertrax has an application for my truck!
I don't do any serious off-roading, just dirt(sometimes muddy) roads to get firewood or hunt the elusive (to me anyway) whitetail deer. Also light snow maybe two to three times a year(Balto/Wash metro area), which, sometimes it's just better to stay home in this area when it snows. You other Marylanders know what I mean.
Any real world experience with the new breed of automatic lockers??? I have read the previous posts. Just wondering mainly about the street manners.
Thanx,
jab
"Driving on the snow is another story. A locker will cause the vehicle to slide sideways"
But YES the chevy does offer a TRUE LOCKER and thats what eaton classifies it as. The website has a very long description and even a small video
Trust me im not lying. This thing is a LOCKER
Ryan
Put on by GM. They had a demonstration of the Eaton
Locker. Rather interesting I must say. By the very
nature of its operation, some may say it is a true
locker and some may not.
From what I saw and heard. The unit acts as a normal
open diff until there is a 20 mph (or something like
that) difference between the two axles. The
differential in speed rotates a gear within the
differential that locks the axle.
They had several demos on display that were
very interesting.
One such demo was a truck that had one wheel on
the pavement and the other on rollers. One guy
would put the truck in gear and you could see the
wheel on the caster spinning. He sped up slightly
and the other wheel locked in and the truck went
forward.
Another display was a differential on a stand
I could see the operation of the locking gear
but could not figure out how it disengages, I was
pressed for time. I think centripital force
would disengage the locking mechanism when there
was even load on both axles.
I don't mean to ramble. Interesting stuff though.