mickeykelley
Well Oiled
Did the wagons ever come with a posi track rear? The reason I’m asking, is I though someone told me they didn’t. I have a guy wanting to give me a 44 that he said came out of a Willy’s wagon and it is a 44 with posi.
Rear axle ?s - Positraction or not
- Thread starter mickeykelley
- Start date
Yes they did. Powr-Lok.
mickeykelley
Well Oiled
So more details. What years did Willy’s offer them? Factory option, dealer install? I understand the benefits of it but what are the negatives in relation to Willys, if any?
No idea of years although I believe Powr-Lok was never offered in a Timken housing.
Factory option but a dealer could install if they had a mechanic good with differential gears.
No negatives that I can think of. Cost the original owner more money.
Factory option but a dealer could install if they had a mechanic good with differential gears.
No negatives that I can think of. Cost the original owner more money.
cwdtmmrs
Well Oiled
- Jul 19, 2012
- 5,926
- First Name
- Tim
- Willys Model
- Wagon
- Willys Year:
- 1952
Yes, factory option, front and rear. Like Stake said, it was the Powr-Lok limited slip clutch pack type. It is covered in the FSM and the FPM.
You DO have those, right Mickey?
muleskinner
Bigger Hammer
I have the power lok in my Wagon D 25 front dif. It works great except in a real slippery situation it tends to drift and pull in the opposite direction. It also chatters in a tight turn on hard surface. As for the rear it is ideal. Herm the overdrive guy has some for sale at $ 900 so l would take that 44 differentia in a heart beat.
diggerG
Well Oiled
$900.00 ??? Wow I got a bunch of them….
The wagon posi tracs had a special tag or 2 on them along with the ratio tag. 1 would say "use limited slip diff lube only" and the other was an alphabet letter tag, but I can't pin down which letter it was. I'll remember after some coffee.
diggerG
mickeykelley
Well Oiled
Yes but both packed up with so much other things as we have the house in the market.
cwdtmmrs
Well Oiled
- Jul 19, 2012
- 5,926
- First Name
- Tim
- Willys Model
- Wagon
- Willys Year:
- 1952
It is "T"
IIRC, There are ones for the higher gear ratios, and one for the lower gear ratios, but memory is a little fuzzy on that.
cwdtmmrs
Well Oiled
- Jul 19, 2012
- 5,926
- First Name
- Tim
- Willys Model
- Wagon
- Willys Year:
- 1952
That is my experience as well. Not fun on a side hill. You really have to pay attention. A little harder to steer as well. The chattering can be eliminated with a couple of bottles of additives and driving in figure 8's.
Andy FitzGibbon
Precision Fit
I think the carrier break on the 25 is 3.92, for both open and Powr-Lok carriers.
Technically no Jeeps, Willys or otherwise came with "Positraction" which is a registered trademark of the General Motors Corporation. As others have mentioned the Spicer/DANA Powr-Lok was the available limited slip differential for both front and rear in their axles either from the factory, or more commonly dealer installed (never seen one in any of the 4 Timken axles I've come across). They were standard equipment in IH Scouts which helped give them street (dirt) cred back in the day.
mickeykelley
Well Oiled
So in snow and rain on pavement, do they help or create flaky situations? I’m confused. Wilbur will be driven on mostly paved roads with some gravel/dirt and in winter conditions. In the winter, I’ll probably just keep the hubs locked so I can grab 4 wheel without having to get out and turn the knobs.
cwdtmmrs
Well Oiled
- Jul 19, 2012
- 5,926
- First Name
- Tim
- Willys Model
- Wagon
- Willys Year:
- 1952
I think you are fine with what you have. Even if you got the Powr-Lok free, chances are it doesn't have the same gears as the front. You would have to find a shop to swap and set it up.
As you probably know, an open diff sends power to the wheel with the least traction. A limited slip isn't light years better in your conditions. A LSD still needs some/lot of traction to work. Lift 1 wheel off of the ground or have a really slippery situation in mud or snow and you will be in the "static driving mode". You can kinda fool a LSD or an open diff by keeping light pressure on the brake pedal, or pulling the parking brake out a little. The diff then thinks the wheels have enough traction to send power. Once years (eons) ago I was stuck with a rear wheel off of the ground and the front wheels slipping. Still had open diffs and stock brakes back then, so I crawled underneath and buttoned down the brake on the rear wheel that was off of the ground and the opposite front wheel as well. Was able to drive to better ground.
rocket
Well Oiled
Thats why Keith @Cking894 added the twin hydraulic rear (cutting brake) levers to his wagon.
My 1962 Willys Wagon
I guess if we travel again I'll either need to upgrade, or convince them all to go retro! When faced with the temptation to embrace new technology, just ask yourself WWDD. What Would Don Do?
mickeykelley
Well Oiled
The gears are the same as it came off the same wagon that I got the replacement front axel (my tube was bend slightly in the wreck) from. I’m going to have whichever one I decide to go with totally gone thru. So it’s a question as to which one I spend money on. I'll be pulling and replacing whichever I go with so no extra work. Just a decision as to which to live with day to day. I only want to go thru this circle once.
cwdtmmrs
Well Oiled
- Jul 19, 2012
- 5,926
- First Name
- Tim
- Willys Model
- Wagon
- Willys Year:
- 1952
Ok. i would lean toward the Powr-Lok then. Are you SURE the ratio's are the same?
mickeykelley
Well Oiled
As best as I can until I verify. Trust what the guy says, but like Reagan, "trust, but verify".
Jeepsterjim
Sharpest Tool
PL's should of came out in 1958. "Thorsen/Spicer" . One needs the Series 4 unit if wanting to run 4.88/5.38 gears. No LS or locker is very good on ice or steep side hills. I have PL's front & rear in my 2A. A lunch box unit, that is easy to install, is the Spartan. They seem to hold up fairly well.
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