If you’ve ever experienced the shame of the peg-leg burnout, with one tire pouring smoke and the other completely still, you appreciate how important a locking differential can be. As humiliating as an open diff is at the track, it’s even worse off-road, where it can leave you stranded. Eaton is the world’s largest independent producer of torque controlling differentials for OEM applications, the performance aftermarket, and commercial and military vehicles, so they know a thing or two about the subject. The Eaton Posi and Truetrac have become synonymous with getting both wheels to do their fair share of the work, but they’ve got a relatively new differential that’s gaining traction (pun intended) as both a dragstrip and off-road solution.

The Eaton ELocker is unique because it’s electronically selectable – with the flip of a switch on the dashboard, it goes from an open diff to fully locked, making it perfect for both street/strip cars and off-road or towing applications. Under normal circumstances, it has the manners of a standard differential, with no weird clunking as it locks and unlocks on the freeway, and no binding in tight turns. Apply some electrons, and it becomes a spool, ensuring both wheels turn in lock-step.

Available for a wide range of different rear and front cases, the ELocker isn’t just versatile – it’s strong too, built with four internal “spider” gears to help distribute torque, and it’s compatible with C-clip axles thanks to its compact size.