Nitro Helix Helical Gear Diff for JL

[AdamG]

No issues with Nitro so far and a very good wheeling experience on Drummond Island Marble Head loop trail. I had chance to speak with Eaton rep at Silver Lake Jeep Invasion event last weekend and he had rear Truetrac on display and a front one in catalogue. It sounds like Truetrac has a little better bias than Nitro. Both are excellent products imho. Nitro does not make front one. I would be interested to hear if someone installed front Eaton Truetrac on Dana M186.

I have front and rear TrueTracs on my 2019 SportS 2dr, D44 rear, regeared to 4.56, running 35s - what questions do you have?

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[grs]

@AdamG, I also have 35s and 4.56 gearing. For the front axle, I have factory M186 with open diff. If I install Eaton Truetrac on front, is the diff deck hight same? - can I just move gear ring to new diff? Is this how you installed it? Or did you remove old diff with the factory ring and installed new diff with new 4.56 ring?

 

[AdamG]

@AdamG, I also have 35s and 4.56 gearing. For the front axle, I have factory M186 with open diff. If I install Eaton Truetrac on front, is the diff deck hight same? - can I just move gear ring to new diff? Is this how you installed it? Or did you remove old diff with the factory ring and installed new diff with new 4.56 ring?

Don’t know that answer, I had it done by Ken’s Kar Kare in Fowler, MI. I think best would be to send Raton that question directly, I think they have decent customer service and install guides.

 

[AdamG]

@Jubi351 also has a front TT on a Sport, he may have the answers to the install questions

 

[Jubi351]

@grs you just have to get the 912A585 TT. I am on 37s with 4.88s. The JL M186 has a thin ring gear compared to the JK model so there is no carrier break. 3.45 up to 5.38 all use same carrier. @Top Cat II is using above with stock gearing, he may be able to chime in.

 

[grimmjeeper]

@AdamG, I also have 35s and 4.56 gearing. For the front axle, I have factory M186 with open diff. If I install Eaton Truetrac on front, is the diff deck hight same? - can I just move gear ring to new diff? Is this how you installed it? Or did you remove old diff with the factory ring and installed new diff with new 4.56 ring?

The ring gear should transfer over. In theory it should go back together with the same shims that are in there now. However, sometimes you need a very small adjustment because of manufacturing tolerances.

Regardless, I would go with new bearings because it's too easy to damage them when you pull them off the other carrier.

 

[grs]

@grs you just have to get the 912A585 TT. I am on 37s with 4.88s. The JL M186 has a thin ring gear compared to the JK model so there is no carrier break. 3.45 up to 5.38 all use same carrier. @Top Cat II is using above with stock gearing, he may be able to chime in.

Thanks!

 

[grs]

The ring gear should transfer over. In theory it should go back together with the same shims that are in there now. However, sometimes you need a very small adjustment because of manufacturing tolerances.

Regardless, I would go with new bearings because it's too easy to damage them when you pull them off the other carrier.

Thank you.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Thank you.

To expand on my answer a little:

Gears are sold in matched pairs. As you drive they wear slightly and "mate" with each other. The wear pattern on the parts becomes unique. Because of this you don't want to put a new ring gear with an old pinion. They won't fully match. So that's why you keep the old ring gear with the new limited slip.

Also, there are "minor install kits" that have all of the parts you need to swap the true trac in. New bearings, shims, ring gear bolts, etc. That's what a shop would use to install it. The pinion is already set so you don't want to touch it so you don't need new parts for it.

If you were changing out the gear ratio you would need a "master install kit" that has everything. But a carrier change doesn't need all of that.

 

[Blade1668]

I

Sale Price: $328.00 they are giving them away right now...

I wish I had noticed that sale then. I was dealing with some serious issues then.

So for everyone with one how is it working? As a year or more of use.

 

[LLANERO]

On the road, you forget it’s there. On the trail, you think you have a locker when needed.

 

[grs]

Two years and 30k miles later, it still works well. The difference is noticeable especially in the mud. When I changed diff fluid after about 10k miles it was very clean. Least year I also added manual OX locker to the front axle.
I would do exact same setup if I was doing it again.

 

[azwjowner]

Two years and 30k miles later, it still works well. The difference is noticeable especially in the mud. When I changed diff fluid after about 10k miles it was very clean. Least year I also added manual OX locker to the front axle.
I would do exact same setup if I was doing it again.

Do you have the m186 in the front? I thought the larger OX cover would interfere with the track bar when flexing offroad. Is that not the case?

 

[grs]

Do you have the m186 in the front? I thought the larger OX cover would interfere with the track bar when flexing offroad. Is that not the case?

Yes I have M186 in the front. I have Rusty's adjustable track bar which I added after installing 2 inch Mopar lift. I did not see any interference.

 

[azwjowner]

Yes I have M186 in the front. I have Rusty's adjustable track bar which I added after installing 2 inch Mopar lift. I did not see any interference.

Aha, thanks! I'm stock height so the OEM track bar would hit. Looks like Rusty's is curved, which probably makes the difference.

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