Up-fitter Switch to Locking Differential

Has anyone bypassed all the electronic BS and wired their locking diff to an up-fitter switch?

I am considering but have one question....

Does anyone know if our locking diffs require an exact amount of voltage/current to actuate the mechanism?

In other words, do our locking diffs require a certain mount of power to lock it in or does it just take 12v from the battery?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I would like the ability to lock the diff in when ever I wanted...

I'm not sure what the point is, since there is already a factory switch for the rear diff?

You would be substituting one switch for another... you already can lock it whenever you want.

^^^ Not sure why you would want that.

I haven't looked into it, but I would promise that the factory switch just hits a relay when you short wires.

I do know that there are reasons that there are paramaters as to what speed it will stay locked in certain modes. Those nannys are there for a reason.

I did get annoyed when I was getting new tires one time that I had to disconnect the ABS fuse to do a burnout and couldnt lock my rear diff so it was just a one-wheel-wonder-show.

JDUB said:

Has anyone bypassed all the electronic BS and wired their locking diff to an up-fitter switch?

I am considering but have one question....

Does anyone know if our locking diffs require an exact amount of voltage/current to actuate the mechanism?

In other words, do our locking diffs require a certain mount of power to lock it in or does it just take 12v from the battery?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated. I would like the ability to lock the diff in when ever I wanted...

Click to expand...

I have looked into this in the past. We wanted to put a Raptor Rear end into an F150. I don't remember all of the details, but initial voltage is different then modulated voltage.. So what that means, is that initially 12 volts is supplied to the coil to engage the differential side gear into the differential carrier therefore disabling the differential "locking the rear diff"... 12 volts continuously causes the coil to overheat so the voltage is then reduced to approx. 5 volts.

Not So Easy

Could you have a switch that would interupt the unlocking there of, ie lock it in the flip the switch to not allow nanny to power it back to one legger????
Just a thought.....

155mm said:

I'm not sure what the point is, since there is already a factory switch for the rear diff?

You would be substituting one switch for another... you already can lock it whenever you want.

Click to expand...

The reason is to bypass all the "nannies." It unlocks after a certain MPH... then for it to stay engaged you have to be in offroad mode, which I cannot stand the characteristics of the truck in this mode...

The desire is to flip a switch and lock this baby in whenever I want, 2wd, 4wd, going 100 mph or going 30 mph...

I understand all the nannies are to preserve the transmission.

---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:00 PM ----------

RPG said:

I have looked into this in the past. We wanted to put a Raptor Rear end into an F150. I don't remember all of the details, but initial voltage is different then modulated voltage.. So what that means, is that initially 12 volts is supplied to the coil to engage the differential side gear into the differential carrier therefore disabling the differential "locking the rear diff"... 12 volts continuously causes the coil to overheat so the voltage is then reduced to approx. 5 volts.

Not So Easy

Click to expand...

Yeah, I was afraid of that. I experienced this same issue with our JK jeeps and my dad's Power Wagon.

There's gotta be a tuner that disables all this stuff?....

Got it. That makes more sense. I thought you were just talking about moving the switch from the existing switch to the upfitter, leaving the existing relays, ECU, and everything else in the way. I couldn't figure out why you would want to do that.

I like running with the RSC fuse pulled, but you can't lock the diff. Definitely interested in a solution.

treypal said:

I like running with the RSC fuse pulled, but you can't lock the diff. Definitely interested in a solution.

Click to expand...

Same here trey, I love the way it behaves with the RSC fuse pulled. I just wish you could lock the diff. But the thing is, does the rear diff automatically disengage when you turn the truck off? If not you could engage it, turn the truck off and pull the fuse. Then turn it back on.