Can I rebuild a trac-loc diff without the special preload tool?

[Rickey_Bobby]

Are there any shade-tree methods to rebuilding the trac-loc differentials without that special preload tool? I have the rebuild kit, but the Local dealer wants an arm and a leg to put it in, and wont sell me the tool either.

 

[DTMach1]

i've seen in the service manual where it says to use that special tool...but really I think you can either make it your self, or just not use it all.

When I pulled mine out there wasn't really any load on the friction discs...they just came apart.

 

[Smokeurhonda]

**** it....set er up tight.

 

[Rickey_Bobby]

Too tight and I'll shred the friction plates in a month (again)

 

[Shiroelex]

Just do what I did, and get a mini spool

http://www.redpulsar.us/~coldfusion/tlok.html

Use the directions they give there. If you're not touching the ring and pinion, or any bearings, then don't worry about messing with lash. I suggest doing the alternate "+1 clutch mod". I did that in my friend's Cougar, and it made a ton of difference. It even felt like a locker for a day.

 

[Rickey_Bobby]

Hmm... Turbo + 315 BF goodrich DR's + mini spool on my daily driver.....
I don't know what would die first, my axles, or me.

 

[BlownStangGT]

I never used any special tool when it was done in my old fox bodies

 

[Rickey_Bobby]

How bad does that spool eat up tires?

I might just weld my damn diff after checking out that link.

 

[stangman]

i never used any special tool when i redid my rear end

 

[Shiroelex]

How bad does that spool eat up tires?

I might just weld my damn diff after checking out that link.

It's not bad. It's funny in parking garages though. Everyone looks at you like you're doing 90, when you're just backing up.

 

[mity2]

can u get new one off of FRPP for like 150bucks?

U'll need to re do the shims if you get new one tho

 

[Mike97gt]

Ford sells two kits for rebuilding the trac-lok. one of them is shimmed the other is not pre shimmed.

If the trac lok is not shimmed right it will either not work good ( too loose) or bind up on turns ( too tight)

If you do not have the tool to shim them just buy the pre shimmed 8.8 trac lok kit it is somewhere around 100 bucks and as long as you don't mix up the shims it's fool proof.

 

[mojopony]

With regard to the shimming, I didn't use any special tools. When you roll the spider gears in you can tell if you need more shim. Too much shim and the spiders won't roll in. When I did the +1 mod my setup was very tight. I got a lot of clunking on low speed, tight turns.

 

[mineralgraygt]

you dont need to tool i dont use it when im at work i just reinstall the same size shim it had in it when i took it apart. or you can put an extra 10thousands on each side to make it tighter

 

[fast97gt]

i rebuilt mine without the tool and used the thicker shims

 

[67efivert]

ive built many of them and do just what mojo said when the spiders go in smoothly its tight enough to work but not too tight to act like a spool ( the ford friction modifyer really does help with chatter)