Nothing is uglier than a one-wheel burn-out, yet so many spend their hard- earned cash ahead of the rear axle without considering how to put the motor’s full power to the ground. In a perfect world, there’d be ultimate traction in all conditions. And on those days at the strip, the traction device would be strong enough to handle gobs of power and deliver it equally to both wheels.
This is why cars that see more track action than street time often run spools.
Spools are strong, but are certainly not user-friendly on the street. Normally going into a turn, one wheel differentiates (turns faster or slower than the other) to allow cornering with ease. With a spool, relatively easy tasks like turning and making U-turns become a nightmare, and driving in bad weather can be deadly.
Most cars on the road today have either an open or limited-slip/posi differential that regulates which wheel gets power. The problem with these designs is that the wrong tire spins in a traction-limited situation. For example, with an open differential, all the power is transmitted to the tire that is spinning. This takes away all the power from the other wheel and doesn’t allow any adequate power to be delivered and propel the car forward. With a limited slip, you get some power transfer to the wheel with the most traction, but the friction materials in the differential quickly wear out with heavy use, rendering the unit useless.
To remedy this, Powertrax developed its No-Slip Traction System, which can be installed with no special tools in less than an hour without resetting your gears, and it’s foolproof. The Powertrax acts like a spool in a straight line under power, locking both axles together, but the design allows it to unlock either side around corners.
You’re only as good as your weakest link, but the smallest of the No-Slip Traction System models can handle 6,800 lb-ft of torque per axle. You do the math; this thing is not going to break. Powertrax makes units for most popular rearends, including 10- and 12-bolt GM axles, and the Ford 9-inch. Follow along as we show you how to install the Powertrax into a Ford 8.8-inch rearend with a limited-slip differential.
