Who Makes The Best Differential?
04-24-2004, 02:19 PM
#4
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Eaton and Auburn are very good. Auburns are a little cheaper and much cheaper and easier to rebuild without removing out of the truck. The Eaton is rebuildable also but must be removed out of the truck, most people just replace the Eaton when it goes. Both are good for about 150,000 miles of regular use. This includes going to the drags every now and again, or doing a modest amount of offroading. But to be on the safe side, if you offroad a bit, or drag race twice a month, than it may only last 100,000 miles. I had 160,000 miles on my 71F150 before the eaton started to go on that truck, and that truck was like 7000 lbs.
For heavy racing applications, there are a few that have brocken the Auburn cases, but it is super rare, so this does give Eaton a small advantage, since no one can recall blowing an Eaton. For most parts, the Auburn Race unit is the best for the lowest price and rebuildability. I had to rebuild the one on my 88 mustang after about 60,000 miles, but I drag raced that relentlessly, I did it my self and it cost about $100.
One last thing. If you get the Eaton, use only regular non synthetic oil in the diff. Most are useing 85/140 with it to protect the bearings from racing. A lot of people will tell you it is ok for synthetic, but it states in the instructions in the box, that synthetic may cause traction problems, and a few people on the board have run into the Eaton not working very well with synthetics, myself included. I just switched mine back after about 4000 miles with synthetic, and it took a couple of hundred miles before the diff started giving real good traction again. Now it is awesome. I was first dissappointed with the traction, not feeling much better than the G80, but now it rocks!
For heavy racing applications, there are a few that have brocken the Auburn cases, but it is super rare, so this does give Eaton a small advantage, since no one can recall blowing an Eaton. For most parts, the Auburn Race unit is the best for the lowest price and rebuildability. I had to rebuild the one on my 88 mustang after about 60,000 miles, but I drag raced that relentlessly, I did it my self and it cost about $100.
One last thing. If you get the Eaton, use only regular non synthetic oil in the diff. Most are useing 85/140 with it to protect the bearings from racing. A lot of people will tell you it is ok for synthetic, but it states in the instructions in the box, that synthetic may cause traction problems, and a few people on the board have run into the Eaton not working very well with synthetics, myself included. I just switched mine back after about 4000 miles with synthetic, and it took a couple of hundred miles before the diff started giving real good traction again. Now it is awesome. I was first dissappointed with the traction, not feeling much better than the G80, but now it rocks!
04-24-2004, 03:36 PM
#5
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I have heard about the problems that some people have with the Auburn units, and im not to fond of the idea of having to rebuild them even if it happens only every so often. The Detroit seems like a good unit, i havent heard of anybody breaking one. The Detroits dont use clutches right?
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04-25-2004, 11:11 AM
#10
I have an Eaton in my '02 and an Auburn in the '94. I vote for the Eaton. I have used Auburns in several different vehicles over the years-probably had about 6 of em, and the one Pro series I had lasted less than 1 year and the one I have now only went about 4000 miles before it started doing the 1 wheel peel. Hodgeee-I didnt know the Auburn was rebuildable-can you PM me with some details? Thanks.