Any way to add rear-differential-lock-only switch on 1500?

[tswannnlk]

Try searching your VIN number here:

FCA RAM

fcagroup.my.site.com

(use all capital letters)
This will give you a PFD of the vehicle build sheet(how it left the factory)

There really is no easy way to tell if you have a limited slip by driving or testing it,as they don't use a preload limited slip anymore.If you can't find out by running your VIN or by finding the original window sticker, you should be able to take your VIN to your local dealers parts department,they should be able to look up whether your truck has the limited slip rear diff. If all else fails you can pull the rear diff cover and actually look and see if it has the limited slip unit in the carrier

Awesome, thanks so much.

 

[62Blazer]

Partially. What I am mainly looking to be able to do is only lock the rear differential while in the rear wheel drive mode on the transfer case. I.E in order to have some fun on the backroads and make it easier to swing the rear out. I do not believe I have a LSD installed on my truck which is why I was hoping there was a way to figure out a way to only lock the rear differential. Might be easier just to get an LSD.

You are confusing terms here. The selection between 2wd and 4wd (high, low, lock, etc...) only changes the power output between the front and rear wheels. It has nothing to do with locking the rear differential, meaning the left and right rear tires are locked together for a "true posi" or maximum traction. If the truck does have a true locking rear differential it is typically controlled by a separate switch.
2wd obviously means only power is going to the rear tires. 4 lock means the front and rear tires are locked together but still in high range (same gearing as 2wd), but does not change anything in the actual axles. 4 low engages the low gearing, but again does not change anything in the axles or engages any axle lockers.
If you don't already have a factory installed switch to engage a rear locker.......than the truck didn't come with one.

 

[tswannnlk]

The Gen4 trucks (including Classics) did not have an electric locking rear differential option like the Gen5 trucks. You do have the BW44-45 transfer case which is the better one for off-roading.
Do you know if the truck has the factory limited slip differential, would be listed as anti-spin differential on the vehicle options.
If your set on having a locking rear differential, there is always the ARB air locker but the more useful/useable choice would be a Tru-Trac helical-gear style limited-slip differential.

If my truck ends up not already having a limited slip differential, would it be best to install a stock Ram LSD or one of the ARB lockers or Tru-Trac LSD? What are the differences between each besides two of them being an LSD and one is a locker?

 

[Wild one]

I don't remember presenting any theories. I described how the equipment functions. Some guy buried in the snow with an axe to grind is hardly empirical. I have no idea why you're salty about this but it's really weird.

Well he proves it doesn't work as well as you portray it to work.
What axe does he have to grind,he's making a video on how it functions.You appear to be the one who has the axe to grind,as you don't agree with his real world test.You seem to be a whole lot "salty" that his video's don't agree with your opinion. Me i'm just out here posting links to video's,nothing more nothing less.
As i stated go tell him he's wrong,telling me he's wrong isn't going to accomplish anything,except make me laugh at you

 

[Wild one]

If my truck ends up not already having a limited slip differential, would it be best to install a stock Ram LSD or one of the ARB lockers or Tru-Trac LSD? What are the differences between each besides two of them being an LSD and one is a locker?

Alot of that depends on what you actually want to do with the truck.The factory limited slip will handle the majority of situations you'll get into,but if you're planning on hardcore 4X4'ing with it then you could look into the Tru Trac,but even it will let you down in certain situations,like if one tire is physically off the ground,in those situations,your only real option is a switchable locker unit.There's always the old school Lincoln Locker,where you weld the spiders,not reconmended though,lol

 

[tswannnlk]

Alot of that depends on what you actually want to do with the truck.The factory limited slip will handle the majority of situations you'll get into,but if you're planning on hardcore 4X4'ing with it then you could look into the Tru Trac,but even it will let you down in certain situations,like if one tire is physically off the ground,in those situations,your only real option is a switchable locker unit.There's always the old school Lincoln Locker,where you weld the spiders,not reconmended though,lol

Gotcha, I'll have to check them out. Are they all relatively easy to install once the truck is up on the jack stands?

 

[kurek]

Well he proves it doesn't work as well as you portray it to work.
What axe does he have to grind,he's making a video on how it functions.You appear to be the one who has the axe to grind,as you don't agree with his real world test.You seem to be a whole lot "salty" that his video's don't agree with your opinion. Me i'm just out here posting links to video's,nothing more nothing less.
As i stated go tell him he's wrong,telling me he's wrong isn't going to accomplish anything,except make me laugh at you

you keep imagining that everyone other than video dude has never driven their own truck in the real world and that I'm out here getting "BLD IS THE GREATEST" tattooed on my forehead.. look again it's not there. Anyway I'll let you have the last word since this is apparently a really big deal for you, this is really weird.

 

[RamDiver]

Try searching your VIN number here:

FCA RAM

fcagroup.my.site.com

(use all capital letters)
This will give you a PFD of the vehicle build sheet(how it left the factory)

Awesome, thanks so much.

When I run the equipment listing for my '21 Warlock, the LSD is listed as Anti-spin differential rear axle. The third item from the top of page 5.




If you're using a PC and lazy like me, use control F (word search) for anti.

.

 

[Docwagon1776]

Folks have covered it, but to simplify:

4 lock in a Ram means you have a transfer case that mechanically locks the front and rear axles together. It's now in 4wd full time and this is generally better for low traction and lower speed situations.

4 auto (which you don't have) means the transfer case is using clutches to lock and unlock as the vehicle thinks it needs to. This is useful for something like driving on the interstate in mostly good traction but with some slick spots where full time 4wd could bind.

Ford has transfer cases with both 4 lock and 4 auto, the Raptor and Tremor half tons have them at least. Chevy relies on clutches, even in the ZR2, which in very extreme use can cause overheating of the transfer case. This is one situation where Ford wins, IMO.

OEM lockers on the RAM are speed limited and will unlock over a certain MPH. Aftermarkets, you have more control.

 

[crash68]

Alot of that depends on what you actually want to do with the truck.The factory limited slip will handle the majority of situations you'll get into,but if you're planning on hardcore 4X4'ing with it then you could look into the Tru Trac,but even it will let you down in certain situations,like if one tire is physically off the ground,in

@tswannnlk ^^^ this
If you don't have the factory LSD, then I would probably spring for the Tru-Trac.
As for installation, it's not a simple bolt on item. The differential gears need to be check for proper backlash, if that's not set correctly the rear end will be noisy, grenade itself or both.

 

[tswannnlk]

@tswannnlk ^^^ this
If you don't have the factory LSD, then I would probably spring for the Tru-Trac.
As for installation, it's not a simple bolt on item. The differential gears need to be check for proper backlash, if that's not set correctly the rear end will be noisy, grenade itself or both.

Thanks, I appreciate it. Ill do some more research on the topic and If I end up going for an LSD it seems better to just have a shop install it.

 

[62Blazer]

If my truck ends up not already having a limited slip differential, would it be best to install a stock Ram LSD or one of the ARB lockers or Tru-Trac LSD? What are the differences between each besides two of them being an LSD and one is a locker?

As already stated, it depends on what you intend to do with the truck. If you are just looking for better traction in the snow, periodic light mud on back roads, wet grass, etc... I would stay with some sort of limited slip differential. These work all of the time and have limited drawbacks during everyday driving. I have personally used several limited slips and locking differentials on vehicles in the past, and will say the TrueTrac was my favorite limited slip. The TrueTrac would definitely be my recommendation over the factory unit, or any other aftermarket LSD's for that matter.
Unless you are doing some pretty hardcore off-roading I would not do the ARB locker. It is either a completely open diff (one wheel peel) or fully locked like a spool when engaged. It's great for rockcrawling and deep mud when you know you are hitting it, but just wouldn't be very practical for everyday driving. You don't want to be pulling out a parking lot during heavy traffic in the rain and have to remember to lock it in so you don't sit there an spin, and then have to turn it off 10' down the road.
For how easy they are to install, I would rate them on the high difficulty range and time consuming range of mechanical work. I have rebuilt, regeared, and installed various lockers or LSD's in differentials. If you are just installing a LSD and not replacing the ring and pinion gears it's not as bad. But you still have to disassemble the majority of the rear axle so you can remove the factory diff and ring gear assembly. Press new bearings onto the new LSD, unbolt the ring gear and move it over to the new LSD. The hardest part is that the carrier (LSD assembly with the ring gear) requires a very specific preload and spacing so the ring and pinion gears mesh correctly. You MAY get lucky and bolt it back in the same as factory (can't remember if the 1500 axle uses shims or adjustable collars) and it will be fine. But you really should check the backlash, side to side preload, and run the pattern. Point being, it's not something the average joe is going to do in his driveway in a coupld of hours.

 

[Wild one]

Thanks, I appreciate it. Ill do some more research on the topic and If I end up going for an LSD it seems better to just have a shop install it.

Another cheaper option that you can do yourself, is buy a complete diff with the same gears as you have and with the factory limited slip,then just swap the complete diff assembly.
It's not hard to swap the whole diff on a driveway with nothing more then a floorjack and a common set of hand tools.
Alot of times,buying a low milege used diff is alot cheaper then paying a shop to install a limited slip unit in your existing diff. And takes care of worry'ing about whether the shop doing the rebuild/install on your diff,knows what they're doing and gets it properly set-up with no howls/whines or clunks etc.
That's assuming you don't have limited slip,as we still haven't established whether your truck has LS or not

 

[tswannnlk]

It looks like my truck does not come equipped with an LSD. I searched up the VIN and it has not mention of an anti-slip rear differential and only says it has a "conventional differential rear axle." Thanks for your guys' help. Ill do some research and decide if I want to end up adding one aftermarket.

 

[Wild one]

It looks like my truck does not come equipped with an LSD. I searched up the VIN and it has not mention of an anti-slip rear differential and only says it has a "conventional differential rear axle." Thanks for your guys' help. Ill do some research and decide if I want to end up adding one aftermarket.

What gears are in your truck?

 

[RamDiver]

What gears are in your truck?

.

 

[62Blazer]

Another cheaper option that you can do yourself, is buy a complete diff with the same gears as you have and with the factory limited slip,then just swap the complete diff assembly.
It's not hard to swap the whole diff on a driveway with nothing more then a floorjack and a common set of hand tools.
Alot of times,buying a low milege used diff is alot cheaper then paying a shop to install a limited slip unit in your existing diff. And takes care of worry'ing about whether the shop doing the rebuild/install on your diff,knows what they're doing and gets it properly set-up with no howls/whines or clunks etc.
That's assuming you don't have limited slip,as we still haven't established whether your truck has LS or not

That is one option and something I have recommended in the past. Though I don't know what the going rate is for a used axle for this truck is. If you want to do a LSD I would compare prices, so go to a shop and see what they would charge to install one and compare it to buying a complete rear axle assembly. A TrueTrac is probably going to be in the $600-$700 range just for the part, and would guess a shop would charge at least $500 or so to install. Keep in mind installing just a rear LSD and keeping the same gears is way less labor intensive then doing a full front and rear gear swap, or even just setting up a rear gear set.
I will agree that swapping in a complete rear axle is easier than installing just the LSD in an existing axle. But it's still a pretty major job and is much easier with a helper. Trying to move around a multi hundred pound axle assembly by yourself is not real fun.

 

[Wild one]

That is one option and something I have recommended in the past. Though I don't know what the going rate is for a used axle for this truck is. If you want to do a LSD I would compare prices, so go to a shop and see what they would charge to install one and compare it to buying a complete rear axle assembly. A TrueTrac is probably going to be in the $600-$700 range just for the part, and would guess a shop would charge at least $500 or so to install. Keep in mind installing just a rear LSD and keeping the same gears is way less labor intensive then doing a full front and rear gear swap, or even just setting up a rear gear set.
I will agree that swapping in a complete rear axle is easier than installing just the LSD in an existing axle. But it's still a pretty major job and is much easier with a helper. Trying to move around a multi hundred pound axle assembly by yourself is not real fun.

I've had both diffs in and out several times,and always did them by myself with just a floorjack / cordless impact and common hand tools,and didn't really find it that hard to do.But if you can line up a helper,it would make it easier.
Last pair of diffs i bought i paid $900 Canuck for and that was for both front and rear diffs with 20,000 clics / roughly 12,000 miles on them. The price can vary a bit though,as the diffs i bought were 3.55's,a pair of diffs with 3.92's seem to be worth more then a set with 3.55 or 3.21 gears .
The majority of guys can swap a diff on a driveway with no problem,while they'll have to pay a shop to open up their original diff and swap in a limited slip unit.The easiest limited slip to install is the factory limited slip.
The OP still hasn't said what he plans on doing with the truck,if all he needs a limited slip for,is to back a boat down a boat ramp etc,the factory version is more then adequate

 

[tswannnlk]

I've had both diffs in and out several times,and always did them by myself with just a floorjack / cordless impact and common hand tools,and didn't really find it that hard to do.But if you can line up a helper,it would make it easier.
Last pair of diffs i bought i paid $900 Canuck for and that was for both front and rear diffs with 20,000 clics / roughly 12,000 miles on them. The price can vary a bit though,as the diffs i bought were 3.55's,a pair of diffs with 3.92's seem to be worth more then a set with 3.55 or 3.21 gears .
The majority of guys can swap a diff on a driveway with no problem,while they'll have to pay a shop to open up their original diff and swap in a limited slip unit.The easiest limited slip to install is the factory limited slip.
The OP still hasn't said what he plans on doing with the truck,if all he needs a limited slip for,is to back a boat down a boat ramp etc,the factory version is more then adequate

Thanks for this. My current gears are 3.21. I still have to decide if I would like to go all in and get a new set of gears whenever I get around to installing an LSD

 

[Jeepwalker]

Most of the auto systems Ive used have their place. But they suffer from one KEY element: They take enough time too 'kick-in' that the driver often loses valuable momentum when they need it most.

In deep snow or a ditch, momentum & getting into 4x4 (quickly, like instantly) can be the difference between rolling on out, or sitting & calling for a tow. Similar on sand or some trail obstacles.

But for the average guy or gal taking his/her 4x4 to drop the kids off at school.... it works.

.