Locking dif. Do you use it? Looking @ a couple 2008's

[galeforce]

Looking to buy a used08 250 and one has the locking dif. Do you use it? My 7.3 never had it and did just fine. Pull a trailer all the time an sometimes drive on the beach, but never had it. When would you need it?
Most of the 08's I have been looking at don't have it but one does.

[davydee]

We don't, but I wouldn't hold the locking differential as a negative if you like the truck. My experience with locking diffs is that I spin two tires instead of one.

[NEVERSWEAT7]

I have locking diff on my 77 F-250. Front Dana cage with Detroits pressure sensitive activation...bulletproof too. With paddles on the monster the beach with lockers was awesome! But, I was highly hedged there. Loved it playing in the snow too so it was to my advantage to have lockers. The Rubicon also has them for rock crawling.
The common thread here is I used them more than the average driver would based on my environment. I risk a little more so I hedge myself a lot more.

Is it just a luxury or does the environment where you drive and live warrant it? If your in beach sand , as mentioned.. two wheels will spin, but in some cases it could provide just enough of that quick fix to get you on terra firma.

If the truck comes with it and you like it.. get it. It is a tool in the box you will have for that warranted event.

[lowerd96]

Is it a front locker? Rear locker? Selectable or full time? I think if it's a full time rear locker you will get sick of it on the street. But that one time you are in the sand and it pushes you through you will love it. Driving on icy roads is another adventure with a full time locker, so think about that too...

[SmokeyWren]

The optional diff is not a 'locker". It's a limited slip (LS), or what GM caalls a positraction. It works automatic. If one rear tire begins to slip, the torque is transferred to the other. The only time you notice it is if it doesn't work - usually because the driver doesn't know how to make it work.

When you have one rear wheel on slicky stuff such as snow or ice or even wet grass, the tire in the slick stuff will spin while the other doesn't do anything if you don't have LS. But with a properly-functioning LS, the torque gets transferred to the tire with traction and you move out. But you may have to gently apply the brakes and the go pedal at the same time to make the LS catch and do it's job. So maybe it's semi-automatic?

And no, Ford doesn't offer an LS option for the front axle. But the 2008 F-250 4x4 has a Dana 60 front axle with 9.75" ring gear and 35 splines, so LS units for that axle are available. For example:
DS 71598 - Dana 60 4.10 & DWN 35Spline TracLoc (F/F or Semi-float) COMPLETE POSI , incl ABS .

[sbrennan007]

Great explanation here. I couldn't have stated it better myself.

Originally Posted by SmokeyWren

The optional diff is not a 'locker". It's a limited slip (LS), or what GM caalls a positraction. It works automatic. If one rear tire begins to slip, the torque is transferred to the other. The only time you notice it is if it doesn't work - usually because the driver doesn't know how to make it work.

When you have one rear wheel on slicky stuff such as snow or ice or even wet grass, the tire in the slick stuff will spin while the other doesn't do anything if you don't have LS. But with a properly-functioning LS, the torque gets transferred to the tire with traction and you move out. But you may have to gently apply the brakes and the go pedal at the same time to make the LS catch and do it's job. So maybe it's semi-automatic?

And no, Ford doesn't offer an LS option for the front axle. But the 2008 F-250 4x4 has a Dana 60 front axle with 9.75" ring gear and 35 splines, so LS units for that axle are available. For example:
DS 71598 - Dana 60 4.10 & DWN 35Spline TracLoc (F/F or Semi-float) COMPLETE POSI , incl ABS .

[Parts Jimmy]

The 2011 F250-350 SRW will have a optional electric locker (a real locker similar to a ARB) for the rear diff. That is a option I wish that was available when I bought my truck.