D2 ETC + True Trac = Good enough?

roverflip · Sep 17, 2007

I know that the "best" possible setup would be front and rear ARB + CDL (plus HD axles), but I've been told that the ETC coupled with TT front and rear is a pretty decent setup. You can also save about $1000 doing it, which, consequently, is enough for regearing and HD GBR axles.

The only posts I could find on here about it said that ETC and TT compliment each other. Nothing really about performance v. fully locked front and rear, maintenance, whatever.

Thoughts?

traveltoad · Sep 17, 2007

Do you have CDL?

rmuller · Sep 17, 2007

So from your profile, you have an '00 Disco2 which means you have CDL which is the most important... If you go trutracs + CDL + ETC(When it works), it will be a ton more capable then without trutracs.. no real need to go HD axles unless you are spinning big tires, but I think there is a point (33?) where trutrac's don't work at anymore..

The options are;

Dual TruTracs
Detroit rear + GBR/Maxidrive HD Rear Axles + Trutrac front
ARB Rear + GBR/Maxidrive HD Rear Axles + Trutrac front
ARB Rear + GBR/Maxidrive HD Rear Axles + ARB Front + Ashcroft front axles

And you said gearing as well? I have 4.11's in mine right now w/ 32s and it definitely is real nice..

roverflip · Sep 17, 2007

Yeah. Sorry, should have said that. I have a '00 D2, so I'd have to install the lever or the solenoid thing, but I DO have the ability use the CDL.

Ryan: I didn't know that TTs weren't good for 33s+. That's probably something good to know since I also want to re-lift to the 3" RTE and will probably run 33s.

So, you like the 4.11s, eh? Do you do a lot of highway driving? Does it kill your MPG?

rmuller · Sep 17, 2007

If you've been wheelin' without CDL, do that first, you'll notice a HUGE difference.. even if you do a cheap handle where you have to get out of the truck to engage it.. Do that, wheel like that for a year, get to know what the truck is like with CDL then figure out what you want to do as for diffs..

traveltoad · Sep 17, 2007

Start with the CDL.

rovercanus · Sep 17, 2007

I'm running front and rear TT's on a 2000 with cdl. While it's a 100% improvement and getting rid of the stock carriers is a major strength issue they ain't lockers.
In a real tight situation on rocks, against roots etc, they will not fully engage, remember, they are limited slip diffs. I'm also running 33" tires which is about the most they will operate with.
If you realize the limits they're great and etc really does work well with them.
You can break front cv's with them, I've done it.
I can say that for now I'm pleased with how they work. They do everything I expect them to do. Like I said though, you just have to understand thier limits.

mike97d1 · Sep 17, 2007

Do a search for "Diff lock under 40$". I made a cable and linkage setup to operate my CDL from inside the truck. I've recently swap the original cable for a heavyer PTO cable. So far It's always worked great. A good option if you want a cheap and clean in cab CDL.

noee · Sep 17, 2007

...butt's alway worked great.

Little too much info there, brah.

mike97d1 · Sep 17, 2007

Sorry, i'll edit.

KevinNY · Sep 17, 2007

Why not just put a detroit and HD axles in the back and make your own CDL lever? Best bang for your buck. With a long wheelbase and full time 4wd you won't even notice the detroit on the road.

rmuller · Sep 17, 2007

roverflip said:
Yeah. Sorry, should have said that. I have a '00 D2, so I'd have to install the lever or the solenoid thing, but I DO have the ability use the CDL.

Ryan: I didn't know that TTs weren't good for 33s+. That's probably something good to know since I also want to re-lift to the 3" RTE and will probably run 33s.

So, you like the 4.11s, eh? Do you do a lot of highway driving? Does it kill your MPG?

I don't know for a fact about the TTs, I've seen people say it on here a few times though.. I have no sources to back up that information tho.

4.11s are real nice around town and on the highway for me.. I'm not an speeder really (is it possible in these trucks?) but I can go 70 or 80.. and I think I did get it to 90 with the 4.11s ... gas mileage actually seemed to have increased as I need to use less gas to get more pickup.. My setup is:

- Rear detroit, Ashcroft 4.11s, Maxidrive/GBR Hd Rear axles
- Front trutrac, GBR 4.11s

Real nice, only wheeled it a couple times since I've put those in, but it's extremely capable now.. gets me into even more sketchy areas..

p m · Sep 17, 2007

KevinNY said:
Why not just put a detroit and HD axles in the back and make your own CDL lever? Best bang for your buck. With a long wheelbase and full time 4wd you won't even notice the detroit on the road.

Bang is a key word here.
D2's wheelbase is no longer than D1's or SWB.

traveltoad · Sep 17, 2007

p m said:
Bang is a key word here.
D2's wheelbase is no longer than D1's or SWB.

It's not that bad...

roverflip · Sep 17, 2007

So I definitely need to do the CDL. I'll probably go ahead and change the diffs also because I do want to regear when I do the RTE 3" (for the 33s sake). It'll be better for me so I don't have to pay labor twice.

The rear Detroit hasn't given you any problems? That surprises me, but I've only known Jeepers to install Detroits in their trail only rigs. I'm sure that's due to the part time 4WD. How does having full time 4WD make a difference? (pardon my ignorance)

Ryan: Where did you get the Ashcrofts? Are they better/worse/different than the GBRs?

Thanks for everyone's insight so far!

KevinNY · Sep 17, 2007

I ran a detroit in the rear of my series coiler witn an open front for a while, was not that bad with only a 87" wheelbase, the disco is 100".

rmuller · Sep 17, 2007

roverflip said:
Ryan: Where did you get the Ashcrofts? Are they better/worse/different than the GBRs?

Ashcrofts came with a complete third member I bought... I contacted Ashcroft about buying them direct, and with postage, it was a lot more expensive then the GBR.. GBRs are supposedly better though since they are reverse cut, and for $50 more you can get the cryo-treated.. which I opted not to do..

traveltoad · Sep 17, 2007

If your transfer case has the nipple... play with the CDL now. See how it changes your existing set up.

I have a TT front Detroit rear. No problems. It will clunk if you are on/off the throtttle a lot in corners. Drive it like the truck that it is and you will be fine.

If this is a daily driver that sees the trail once in a while... you will be fine with CDL + frt/rr TT. Hell... you will be fine with CDL + ETC. One could argue that running just CDL will make you a much better driver too.

justinhaaga · Sep 17, 2007

tt/dt + cdl is a great combo for 33" <. I agree with most people here though, start with CDL and go from there. probably all you need for now.

I bought ashcroft gears and they were actually cheaper delivered than GBR. However, the only gripe I have is there was no setup kit. They use a castle nut like off the series, he sent no new nuts so I had to scrounge 2 from a buddy who luckily had some. So I had to get my own shims and I had to ask for new bearings, he almost shipped them without them. (you can get the bearings locally for a tad bit cheaper). All in all the gears are high quality and I never had any problems with them. Broke axles before R&P.

roverflip · Sep 17, 2007

Cool. I'll definitely do the CDL, and hold off on the relift/regear/diff upgrade until next spring/summer. That gives me this whole fall season to see what kind of trouble I can get into without the new diffs.

Mike: That's a pretty good design (http://discoweb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=18380&highlight=diff+lock). It looks like it'd be tricky to disengage though as the wire looks like it has the possibility of bending when you push it back in.

Yeah, I don't want to spend $700+ for the factory linkage. I've found Greg Davis' CDL and that looks pretty decent also. I *thought* I had heard of an electronic one on disco2.com a long time ago. Anyone else heard of this? I've found the AMV one, but it's in Australia. I'd say the shipping fees would be more than the acutal part.

D2 ETC + True Trac = Good enough?

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