23 Non-Sas BB Adding Rear Locker

[White Zombie]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what your off-road/wheeling is like but I'm looking to go almost the same places that I was taking my 76 and 79 rock crawler Broncos, Black Hills of SD, Moab, Sand Hollow and other rock crawling places. However, its going to be a driver not a trailer rider like the others.
So with that being said, 4.88s might be better. Guess I'll be looking at the gear ratio calculator.

I can say - the 4.46 can run 37s. I've been running 38s on 4.46 for a year. Also upgrading the front end is optional, I'm still running the m190 front end as well.

That isn't to say it's optimal. But definitely possible. Other than starting from a stop, really isn't bad at all. It will still chirp the tires if you want it to.

Just saying it doesn't necessarily have to be a $7k upgrade if you don't want it to be. That said, I do have a 5.38 regear kit and m210 front end sitting in my garage that I've been working on.

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[Brian_B]

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what your off-road/wheeling is like but I'm looking to go almost the same places that I was taking my 76 and 79 rock crawler Broncos, Black Hills of SD, Moab, Sand Hollow and other rock crawling places. However, its going to be a driver not a trailer rider like the others.
So with that being said, 4.88s might be better. Guess I'll be looking at the gear ratio calculator.

Yeah my wheeling is pretty mild compared to yours.

I'll be honest, the best advice here is probably:
Trade it in for a SAS / BL / Raptor model
Anything else to get to where you want will probably cost you more money.

Honestly, I've spent more on my non-SAS BB than I would have had I just got a BL/WT in the first place. And I'm still not quite up to what that has stock, and never will be.

 

[White Zombie]

To be honest, I HAD a 2nd reservation for a 21 Black Diamond 2dr 7MT which would have been perfect but my business need a different pickup so I bought that and but the 2dr bronco purchase on the back burner. 4yrs later, this base model 2dr, 7MT came up and for the almost perfect price. So I bought it. Getting it to somewhat of a Black Diamond-ish or better is the plan.

Yeah my wheeling is pretty mild compared to yours.

I'll be honest, the best advice here is probably:
Trade it in for a SAS / BL / Raptor model
Anything else to get to where you want will probably cost you more money.

Honestly, I've spent more on my non-SAS BB than I would have had I just got a BL/WT in the first place. And I'm still not quite up to what that has stock, and never will be.

 

[AJITO]

So I did hear back from the Dana rep Ken Farley Jr. who was nice enough to provide the solution...
And once you hear it, you will feel like an idiot (at least I did).
All you have to do is take the 2 wires from the solenoid and splice them into the already existing e locker harness plug that was plugged into the old M210/220 e locker (2022 Wildtrak).

I have not yet completed this, but it seems the resolution was super simple.

Why then have I not been able to find anything on this?
Either way, this completely changes the way I feel about the e locker being an air locker now.
Thank you Ken Farley Jr.
You have officially won MVP for the week lol!

So I definitely spoke too soon.

I recently had a shop in CA (APG) put in a Dana60 with Air Locker in my 2022 Wildtrak.

Are you able to actively set the GOAT mode to off road and not get an error about the rear diff? I have mine currently (2022 Wildtrak) connected to the e locker harness I had before switching to a Dana 60 ARB Air Locker. I have the air solenoid wires connected to the open end of the e locker harness/connector, but the Bronco is still throwing a code when trying to lock it out using GOAT mode Off Road, or the rear diff lock Hero switch. Specifically, the solenoid will fire, then deflate shortly after. This happens twice in a row, before throwing the error ("Check Differential, Service Soon.)"

Do you know how I can retain my Off Road mode in my Bronco without throwing an error and locking me out of any diff selection until I restart the vehicle?

For FYI purposes, I was able to hard wire the air solenoid to a switch and the locker is able to engage FAST doing this. I have checked my air lines and the compressor and tank are holding air over time without leaking.

 

[ejpaul1]

Hello,

I picked up a 23 Non-Sas 4-door BB w/ 2.3 and manual transmission. It doesn't have any lockers and I'd like to at a minimum add a rear locker. What would it take to add a locker to this vehicle? Any help is appreciated, thank you.

I almost went this route, the BBs are a whole lot cheaper than badlands or black diamond but I dont know the actual costs of doing a rear locker myself. Anxious to hear what you do

 

[Brian_B]

I almost went this route, the BBs are a whole lot cheaper than badlands or black diamond but I dont know the actual costs of doing a rear locker myself. Anxious to hear what you do

Having been through this and done it myself a couple of different ways now - the best way is to replace the rear axle rather than trying to add an ELD. Most of the non-ELD axles have welded ring gears - which makes them extraordinarily expensive to try to do anything with on the internals, since you have to replace ~everything~ on the inside.

If you have the 4.46 ratio (pretty much the 7MT crowd + a few other trims):
If you can find a takeoff (salvage yard or someone upgrading their own) - that will be the cheapest, but you are at the mercy of a bit luck there. In addition to the 7MT, there are some BL and BD 4.46 ratio models with a locker, so models with the 4.46 ratio and ELD exist.
If you can't find a takeoff, Ford Performance can sell it for ~relatively~ cheap.. or at least cheaper than trying to just add a locker to what you have (by the time you include both parts and labor)
https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-4000-446B
The rear axle swap is relatively easy (can be done in an afternoon in your driveway once you know what's what), and wiring up the locker is not really much different or more difficult than wiring up a light.

If you have a 3.73 ratio:
It's gonna suck. I'll be honest, and your best bet is probably to trade up to a different trim level. But if you are determined, you will need to either ~also~ upgrade your FDU, or look at regearing something, which I don't recommend.
~If~ this is your scenario and you decide not to trade up - I'd look at going straight to the 4.70 ratio on both front and rear. Front FDU replacement is a bit more involved (you have to deal with an FAD on many models, and you have to replace the CVs as well as the FDU), but not impossible for someone at home with hand tools.

If you have a 4.70 or 4.27 ratio:
Well, you probably already have a locker, so this doesn't apply.

For the record, I spent ~way~ more on adding lockers to my Big Bend than if I had just bought a BL in the first place.

 

[crzyhawk]

If he's got a 3.73, might be possible to do something with a Ranger's rear locker. They're 3.73. It's not ideal, but will allow skipping re-gearing up front.

 

[Brian_B]

If he's got a 3.73, might be possible to do something with a Ranger's rear locker. They're 3.73. It's not ideal, but will allow skipping re-gearing up front.

Maybe if you get creative, but the rear axle as a single unit won't bolt right up - Bronco has all the mount points for coilovers, Ranger is set up for leaf springs, so the mounts are all gonna be different. But if you wanted to transplant the internals and drill a hole for the ELD connector.. maybe.

 

[crzyhawk]

yeah. For a 3.73, it's going to be effort. More probably than it's worth. For my 4.46, it's pretty clean should I decide to spend the coin. Ultimately, the best answer is just to get one that already has it.

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