opinions on detroit locker

[dirtdawg]

looking around at various lockers now that my rear diff is on the way out and i was wondering if anyone had any experiance with these

Detroit Locker (http://www.4wdworld.com.au/products/detroit/index.htm)

[justinc]

Unbreakable and no nonsense locker, but when you say 'on the way out', do you mean crownwheel and pinion? or worn crosspins etc. The original crownwheel and pinion is retained, but the rest of the hemisphere is binned when you fit the Detroit.
I'm soon fitting one to the rear of mine.
JC

[rovercare]

Unbreakable and no nonsense locker, but when you say 'on the way out', do you mean crownwheel and pinion? or worn crosspins etc. The original crownwheel and pinion is retained, but the rest of the hemisphere is binned when you fit the Detroit.
I'm soon fitting one to the rear of mine.
JC


Yours for salisbury, is an insert, that fits in the original hemisphere:p
PM me your address so I can get it over to you

[Bigbjorn]

I have never had a Detroit Locker or "No-Spin" in a Land Rover but have had them in a HT Monaro GTS350 with a mid 60's big Oldsmobile diff and 370 rear wheel horsepower, a 1970 Dodge Challenger with Hemi 426 and 600+ horsepower, and three way No-Spins in Rockwell SSHD's in a prime mover. Totally reliable, performance excellent, only complaint is that in a passenger car you can hear the clatter of the dog clutches when turning tight low speed corners.

[Mick-Kelly]

Mark2 on this forum has one and he did a topic on it. I really like his vehicle, handles well both on road and for a very limited jaunt through the grass.

[djam1]

I have one in my old Land Rover and personally I think they are great they are not perfect, on slippery side slopes they can be a bit odd but overall they are worth buying in my view beware they also introduce more backlash into the drive train.
I would use uprated axles with it as they are hard on axles ocassionally you can get an almighty bang and think you have broken something but its just a detroit being a detroit.
I would do it again as the performance increase outweighs any negatives

[long stroke]

I don't think they make any allmighty cracks anymore as they have up graded them i think;)
There are plenty of people on here running them as there was a bolk order on them last year.

TIM.

[discopete]

I've got one in my D1. Sometimes clunks on gravel driveway when in tight turn but nothing major. Quiet on road and hardly noticeable as far as handling goes. Excellent off road and value for money. Easy to install even for a novice like me. But an axle upgrade is highly recommended as with any locker.

Pete

[dirtdawg]

i may go for a s/h disco diff and just change it all over for now as the locker will end up costing me about 800 more to do

[2_door]

did you get any prices?

I am considering a 24 spline one for the rear of a RRC and upgrade the axles,stubs etc all to 24 spline...I am waiting for a price from the US

[kitacooch]

Don't know about the "New Improved" version, however i do have the Detroit True Track Lockers front and rear in my D1. I am very happy with them and generally will get there with the best of them. At the end of the day though, you cannot beat 100% direct positive drive that manual lockers provide.
It depends on your needs, i beleive the true tracks would satisfy anyone other than those into full on extreme.
Hope this helps

[r.over]

Of the diff locks, they are the worst. Much better off with a selectable diff lock like an ARB.
Detroits are very hard on axles as they they only drive through one axle a lot of the time. They also have a tendency to shock load themselves through their continual engaging and disengaging. Have been known the disintegrate, taking the axle with them.
Can be a real bastard of side slopes.
The price difference is not worth it.

[rovercare]

Of the diff locks, they are the worst. Much better off with a selectable diff lock like an ARB.
Detroits are very hard on axles as they they only drive through one axle a lot of the time. They also have a tendency to shock load themselves through their continual engaging and disengaging. Have been known the disintegrate, taking the axle with them.
Can be a real bastard of side slopes.
The price difference is not worth it.

So you've owned one?

Seen a broken one?

Only drive one axle alot of the time?

The ONLY thing in there I agree with, is they are a ***** on SOME side slopes

[r.over]

So you've owned one?

Seen a broken one?

Only drive one axle alot of the time?

The ONLY thing in there I agree with, is they are a ***** on SOME side slopes
Yes

Yes

Can't do anything else without spider gears. Only drives both axles when driving in a straight line with no bumps in the road

[Bigbjorn]

Unless there have been dramatic design changes in Detroit Lockers since I owned mine, this is how they work. When one wheel is slipping significantly, the dog clutches engage and drive both wheels, that is the diff is "locked". Otherwise it works just like a normal diff. A limited slip diff. is different. In the case of a limited slip diff. when one wheel is slipping, the clutches disengage that wheel and drive only the opposite wheel.

The Detroit Locker in my experiece was a dramatic improvement when used in very powerful street cars capable of heavy wheelspin on dry bitumen. The limited slips I had been using would clutch from side to side when the vehicle was used hard and thus providing a good bit of rear wheel steer and a weaving progress. The Detroit Locker engaged both wheels equally and progress was in a straight line even with extreme wheelspin.

[rovercare]

Yes

Yes

Can't do anything else without spider gears. Only drives both axles when driving in a straight line with no bumps in the road

Tell me more, yours that broke? what car, tyres etc? what broke?

I've "heard" and "read on the internet" of axles breaking and takeing out the locker, but that is all, I have to mates who've run this in the rear of Rangies, one for about 10 years the other for 4ish, without issue, they have a different way of driving, when the pace is on, but even after seeing broken axles, they're fine

[r.over]

Tell me more, yours that broke? what car, tyres etc? what broke?

I've "heard" and "read on the internet" of axles breaking and takeing out the locker, but that is all, I have to mates who've run this in the rear of Rangies, one for about 10 years the other for 4ish, without issue, they have a different way of driving, when the pace is on, but even after seeing broken axles, they're fine
I have no wish to get into a debate about it. The person starting this thread asked for views on Detroits and they have been provided.

[mrapocalypse]

I'm interested, They seem like a good solution to a light user like me. I don't really want compressors and air lines and switches. etc.

[r.over]

Unless there have been dramatic design changes in Detroit Lockers since I owned mine, this is how they work. When one wheel is slipping significantly, the dog clutches engage and drive both wheels, that is the diff is "locked". Otherwise it works just like a normal diff. A limited slip diff. is different. In the case of a limited slip diff. when one wheel is slipping, the clutches disengage that wheel and drive only the opposite wheel.

The Detroit Locker in my experiece was a dramatic improvement when used in very powerful street cars capable of heavy wheelspin on dry bitumen. The limited slips I had been using would clutch from side to side when the vehicle was used hard and thus providing a good bit of rear wheel steer and a weaving progress. The Detroit Locker engaged both wheels equally and progress was in a straight line even with extreme wheelspin.
A standard diff applies equal torque to both axles at all times. This is the function of the spider gears. A detroit does not have spider gears. It operates by engaging or disengaging each axle. It is not a limited slip diff. Without spider gears it cannot act like a normal diff at any time. ARB, Maxi-drive, and others have spider gears and act like a normal diff when not locked.

[rovercare]

I have no wish to get into a debate about it. The person starting this thread asked for views on Detroits and they have been provided.

Not debateing, just want to know why you have those opinions, if you've broken one, I'd like to know about it.....its called interested:p:D

[Treads]

I have no wish to get into a debate about it. The person starting this thread asked for views on Detroits and they have been provided.


Not debateing, just want to know why you have those opinions, if you've broken one, I'd like to know about it.....its called interested:p:D

So am I, I'm currently trying to work out whether to get a full locker or just a trutrack for my Disco. Horror stories for each type are welcome :D as are good stories. I mostly want it for muddy tracks, not rocks or sand

[dirtdawg]

the reason i asked is my diff is on the way out and these look like a better replacement than standerd but without the fuul cost of a air locker, then later if i want i can fit an air locker to the front

[silverhammer]

Got TruTracs front and rear in D1 4.6 auto. Agree they are fantastic for all but really extreme use. Have saved my bacon many times when a traction situation arose before I could flick a switch or whatever. I really use my Disco offroad and no problems at all. Just to clarify.. they are not Detroit Lockers, very different mechanisms I understand.

A fron TruTrac will tend to reduce steering effect say when coming over top of a really soft dune and turning sharply. Easily compensated forr once aware of it. On shale or loose slpopes, just great. In mud if the wheels touching the ground I've got motion. Cheap too!!!

Silverhammer

[Outlaw]

Had my detroit installed into a rear salisbury on the fender Monday... haven't had a chance to test offroad yet but have not heard any clunking from it or tyres chirping doing corners at speed etc... so assuming it was actually installed ;)

Have noticed how quiet my rear diff is now though... 90% of my drivetrain noise is gone since install :D:D:D