Thread: Lockers

IMHO lockers should be a factory standard on all real 4wd's they make such a difference.

Personally I prefer manual actuated (air, vacuum or cable) but I think for people not experienced with them then the detroit style - automatic would be the way to go. I have also had feedback that the detroit soft locker is much more gentle than the original.

I found it worked great reversing up hill. I was stuck at the bottom of a steep loose rocky hill where I could not turn around and thought there is no what I would reverse up it, but it did in without any problem.

As for the axles they say you should upgrade them with the Detroit but I still haven't got around to it yet and are running standard. I maybe tempting fate though and will be doing it soon. Having the standard axles also makes me drive a bit smoother and think about it as I know if I go crazy I could hear the cracking sound.

4WD Action magazine (I know lots of you hate them) recently did a comparison on lifts, big wheels, lockers, etc and lockers came out way in front, as you say more bang for your buck. Interestingly, in their tests twin lockers came first, front lockers alone came second and rear lockers alone came third for increasing performance across a variety of terrain from soft sand to mud to rutted tracks to stepped rocky hills. I'd always thought rear was preferable to front lockers.
I was wondering what you guys think about front vs rear lockers. I have a 96 model 110 (rear Sals) and am getting more confused as I read more and more opinions and reports. thanking you in advance

I run high tough axles front and rear. The difference with lockers was felt today when I climbed some decent rocky sections and did it with ease. Front locker helps so much but can have an opposite effect if it's working when you don't need it.

Bought a Detroit for the 101 from GBR (formerly Great Basin Rovers) in the USA. Bill was great to deal with and came in with the cheapest price I could find. (Although not many left in 101 ratios - they have stopped production)

EATON (Who make the Detroit Locker) have a nice video to explain the operation.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYBOoljH-qE]Detroit Locker - YouTube[/ame]

I had a Detroit "interim" Sof Locker fitted to my 77 RRC about Oh 15years ago now. This was not as fine spline as the current one but finer than the original.
Just a few idiosyncrasies those planning to fit should know about.
1 If you are in a supermarket car park and turn slowly the locker will clunk in and out. You can drive around it but it is a bit disconcerting.

2 if you are on a slippery track , a locked rear will follow the camber of the road, so you will drive sideways. I did this for 150 Km once and was fun.

3 if you change gear on say a medium steep tarmac hill in say a RRC or D1, it will dive a little into the curve on the change. OK if you are ready.

4 Your turning circle on dirt will increase under acceleration
5 If you are going uphill on a muddy track it will not disengage at a hairpin and you will proceed straight ahead.
6 Sometimes mine would give an almighty "BANG" as I took off from lights, mainly at a slight curve . It used to do it often at the Military Rd/Spit Rd intersection for some reason. I assume the dogs were on top of each other and dropped into mesh.
7 I initially had standard old RRC axles but broke one at Mt Walker then twisted both about 60 degrees at the 1999 Nissan Trials. So I had the Detroit Broached and JACMAC axles fitted.
8 I found that my carrier bearings died quite quickly, so if you have one fitted , fit new carrier bearings( and maybe pinion) at the same time. It is extra money , but better than taking out the diff again in under a year. I think they are pretty hard on bearings.
All in all , I decided to not fit a Detroit to my 92 as I thought it may spoil the car so I fitted a Maxi Drive, which I am still very happy with after 11 years. I have recently fitted a Quaife LSD to the front similar to a tru track and am pretty happy, although it affects the steering a little.

To the poster re the 4WD test. they found the locker in the front good with an LSD in the back of a PART TIME 4WD. For a Land Rover the better fit is Detroit in the back. You cannot really fit them to the front of a full time 4WD. After all you mainly use it when you are climbing with most traction from the back.
Regards Philip A