Rear locker - Detroit or chinese ARB knock off

[rar110]

I am looking to fit a rear locker to a Salisbury housing. I already have a Trutrak in the front & I haven't been bogged since. Very happy with it. A consequence is that I can't justify $2k on an ARB or maxidrive locker. I'm struggling with justifying the $800 for the two proposed options.

I say ARB knockoff - but in reality ARB have been making lockers in china for years. I don't want this to be a debate about the rights or wrongs of buying copies. Personally I think they have sufficiently benefited from the R & D they bought in the locker area 20 years ago.

Everyone I've spoken to has been happy with their experience with a Detroit locker. And the set & forget option is attractive.

The on line reports from users have been positive regarding ARB type chinese lockers. I have an ARB compressor already.

So I'll throw it open for debate about pros and cons if each. However I'm leaning toward the Detroit.

Thanks.

[DeeJay]

If you get a Detroit, and it will be the SL ( Soft locker) make sure the shims go back in. I just completed a 720klm Vic High Plains trip with mine incorrectly fitted, as a result of briefly reading the instructions.:mad:, Still, the traction was excellent and we got home OK..
For me the clincher was how easy it was to fit. My other Landie has a maxi drive locker & its hard to pick the difference. I'll be pulling it out on Sunday, hopefully no damage is done..

[steveG]

More than happy with my Detroit, and its a fit it yourself option for anyone who knows which end of hammer to pick up and has access to a torque wrench and some loctite.

I've no experience with the other type, but my understanding is they require diff setup which puts them into a different arena from an installation perspective (not sure if your prices include installation).

Steve

[redrovertdi]

Detroit in the back of mine- it always works

[steveG]

If you get a Detroit, and it will be the SL ( Soft locker) make sure the shims go back in. I just completed a 720klm Vic High Plains trip with mine incorrectly fitted, as a result of briefly reading the instructions.:mad:, Still, the traction was excellent and we got home OK..
For me the clincher was how easy it was to fit. My other Landie has a maxi drive locker & its hard to pick the difference. I'll be pulling it out on Sunday, hopefully no damage is done..

You meaning the hardened washer thingo's that normally go between the side gears and the carrier?
If that's what you mean then I reckon you'll be fine. Worst case it might have worn a tiny bit on the carrier faces, but can't see it being a drama.

When you take it out again take some photos as its one of those things that's not obvious and even the tutorials on here sort of skip over it.

Steve

[newhue]

Perhaps Pete anther way of seeing it could be what's the benefit of an air locker. I was a bit pro air because I had one in another vehicle. However after now having the no spin I can't see any advantage at all. I have driven side slopes, and admit not slippery or muddy, but certinally rocky and found no issue from a Detroit at all. No airline to foul, no holes in the diff housing, no switches or compressor to fail. Just set and forget

[Bearman]

For simplicity and price I would also recommend the Detroit Pete, even though I went Maxi with mine years ago when I did it. My 2nd 110 will get a Detroit when I get around to finishing it (already sitting on the shelf in the shed):D

[tonic]

I am leaning toward the Detroit myself, a friend of 40 + years has told me not to do anything else. He plays pretty hard in both Disco's and Jeeps, more than I want to do anyway. He swears by the lack of lag against the lag sometimes you can get with air or vacuum units.


He has not had a Deefa but says he got vibration from a Trutrak in the front, have you had that problem? I was looking at that option too.


I was worried about SHMBO driving it in car parks etc, but everyone says that they have never had a problem and that it just disengages when you turn. I have been told the 90's being shorter have had a few issues while I was researching, but don't have any first hand knowledge.


I have some other bits to get first but will be getting the locker once the other items have been paid for.

[redrovertdi]

I have the trutrac in the front, no vibration just a stronger "return to center" which took about 2 ks to get used to, others that have driven my 110 dont notice.
Most people will tell you that you need to upgrade your 1/2 shafts with the detroit, i did that further down the track with ashcrofts[another $600] but hadnt broken the standards yet.
Also be prepared for the odd clunk/bang when the detroit re-engages[normal]

[weeds]

Air lockers.........mine have been faultless

Have never driven a car with other type of lockers so have nothing to compare against

I don't quite get some of the comments about air lockers though...........

Lag in engaging - I engage way before I need it and in any case never experienced a delay

Compressor failure - never failed, not even a fuse, I fact I cannot remember the last time I even looked at the compressor, buy a quality one and it should see out the the life off he car + if you do regular touring than you need a reliable compressor to adjust tyre pressures

Hole in diff - what's one more hole......there is at least five other holes probably more on the front diff

Air line failure - yep happened on my first trip, I went and brought connectors which I have carted with me for eight years and never used them

In saying all that the previous owner installed mine so it didn't cost me anywhere near what retail is, if I brought a new rig I would look at other options

[101 Ron]

I have been running the Detroit in the rear of a 101inch wheel base 101 landrover with no power steering for years( fitted with Salisbury diffs) and a ARB air locker in the front for years and using the vehicle on and off road hard.
The Detroit in the rear is easy to fit.(a few hours)
The Arb locker requires a lot more work and if the slightest thing is not set up correctly, the O rings will leak.
The Auto action of the Detroit means you are not switching the locker on and off all the time if you are trying to do tight turns with maximum traction.
The ARB tends to be point and shoot.
There are many falise stories around about the Detroit.........ie towing a heavy trailer though a roundabout on a wet day etc.........driven normally it will not happen and especially with a constant 4wd system of a defender.
The only draw back is slightly increased drive line back lash which the experts never seem to know about when knocking the Detroit.
With both types of lockers it is very wise to up grade the rear drive flanges and drive axles as the standard ones will not cut the mustard with any sort of locker.

[ugu80]

I have the trutrac in the front, no vibration just a stronger "return to center" which took about 2 ks to get used to, others that have driven my 110 dont notice.

X2


I have had both. I had one of the very early ARB air lockers in my old Toyota 60 series (front and rear). They never broke or stopped working (more on that below), but the air tank seemed to take an age to fill and it was no good if you thought the terrain was okay and get bogged, better to have a detroit which just works all the time. 4wd action did a locker test a while ago and their recommendation was a detroit for the rear and manual locker for the front.

ARB spout about that if the air locker does fail you can still drive as the diff reverts to an open diff, but who wants to pay the big bucks for something doesn't work and they do fail too often. They have failed a couple of times on the said 4wd action vids, one not long ago on a Defender and my friend went to Cape York this year in his 80 series (rear only ARB air locker) and whilst crossing a muddy creek he started smelling oil - the air line blew out internally and was blowing diff oil out of the breather. IMO for that money failure should be virtually unknown.

Another uniformed comment on the detroit locker is unlocking on bends. That only happens on firm ground. Even if the rear is unlocked and slippage occurs it locks within a quarter of a wheel turn. Further I just got back from a trip and on tight fire trail bends you could hear a rear wheel sliding on the dirt as the axle was locked. You could also feel the LSD working at the front - it is a very reassuring feeling, knowing that everything just works.

I have had both and whatever 4wd I get in future, it will be the detroits in the diffs.

[bushrover]

I have had all sorts of lockers over 20-30 years. The absolute best set up for all situations are manual lockers front and rear. For the other 99% of the time manual front and auto rear works well. Different lockers behave in different ways, you just have to get used to them.

My current set up is Ashcroft front, Eaton eLocker rear and Ashcroft ATB in the middle. Works well for me.

Don't go Chinese copy. Go the Detroit.

Rick

[djam1]

I would go the Detroit I have both an ARB and a Detroit I like the ARB its been trouble free for years.

The Detroit will increase backlash in the drive line but you can drive around it.
Be mindful if you use the Detroit you really need to use better axles I twisted standard axles with the Detroit

[newhue]

Air lockers.........mine have been faultless

Have never driven a car with other type of lockers so have nothing to compare against

I don't quite get some of the comments about air lockers though...........

Lag in engaging - I engage way before I need it and in any case never experienced a delay

Compressor failure - never failed, not even a fuse, I fact I cannot remember the last time I even looked at the compressor, buy a quality one and it should see out the the life off he car + if you do regular touring than you need a reliable compressor to adjust tyre pressures not saying it will, but perhaps a solenoid failure. If the locker doesn't require a compressor than one less thing

Hole in diff - what's one more hole......there is at least five other holes probably more on the front diff a hole is drilled in the diff for the airline. Airline get ripped off there then there is a hole in the diff. Again may not happen, but no hole no concern

Air line failure - yep happened on my first trip, I went and brought connectors which I have carted with me for eight years and never used them good fix, but you had to do so

In saying all that the previous owner installed mine so it didn't cost me anywhere near what retail is, if I brought a new rig I would look at other options

Air lockers are good, but genuine Detroit $600, genuine air $1300, Chinese $600?. I know what I'd go for.

[rar110]

I've never had a problem with the Trutrack.

Thanks for all the replies.

[Distortion]

Had a Detroit in my 110. I can only notice it while reversing around a tight corner slowly
Other than that it's been excellent