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Thread: ATB or Truetrac v Detroit locker

  1. #1
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    Oct 2011
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    ATB or Truetrac v Detroit locker

    I am hunting for an auto TD5 D2 at the moment. I have come from part-time 4wd's with ARB lockers front & rear and crawler gears and no traction control. The Disco won't be used in quite as much anger but I still want a very capable vehicle when the situation demands it.

    From what I have read here it seems that either the Ashcroft ATB or the Truetrac fitted front and rear coupled with the traction control will give a pretty good outcome both on and off the road for the dollar. Is there any advantage or disdvantage in fitting a Detroit locker to the rear instead of a LSD. Manual lockers are an option but I am pushing my budget given some of the other items I will still need to address. I still want to retain reasonable on road manners for when my wife drives it.

    My driving is here in Vic with day trips from Melbourne and some high country trips but I also enjoy sand and snow when the opportunity presents itself e.g. Robe, Mt Skene in winter.

    I would like to know your thoughts and experiences with respect to this.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Yes the True Trac front and rear do work well, but your still better off with lockers front and rear(ARB or Jack MacNamara) or Detriot rear and True Trac front, these work the best, but you must upgrade your axles as well with lockers, not so much with the True Tracs, these are easier on axles than lockers are.

    Baz.
    Cheers Baz.

    2011 Discovery 4 SE 2.7L
    1990 Perentie FFR EX Aust Army
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  3. #3
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    Also if you are running air lockers your traction control will do jack all ! In my opinion the ashcroft air locker are the best value for money and quality and they give you the choice to engage and disengage when you want to

  4. #4
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    I have truetracs front and rear on my auto D1 and I cannot credit the difference, totally transforms the vehicle.
    This is probably helped by the fact that I have a lot of flex and hence wheels stay in contact with the ground most of the time, if I do lift a front wheel then a little bit of left foot braking takes care of that, I imagine your TC will work in the same manner.
    I have been advised that it is not necessary to upgrade my axles etc and if anything does let go that the truetracs should be fine, whereas if it lets go with a detroit locker it will be damaged also.
    I landed both front and rear from the States with bearings fitted and freight for just under AU$1200, PM me if you would like details.
    I had a mate install them who said they were very straight forward, with the front taking a little longer than the back.
    Cheers,
    Lee

  5. #5
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    I have not felt the need for lockers in sand or snow, the D2 will have no problem there. You will go most places in the high country just OK too but the high country is where you would get your money back on lockers. The first thing though is to get the centre diff locking, that is a must.

  6. #6
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    Torque biasing diffs with TC gives you 99% of the ability of being fully locked yet you still have steering, etc.

    Sam/Strangerover that used to be on outerlimits had Tru-Tracs with TC in one of his full comp buggies and loved it, he was the one that reckoned it had the traction of full diff locks without the drawbacks.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Melbourne
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    Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, the CDL is a given. At this stage I am thinking it is going to be Ashcroft ATB's front and rear. I don't forsee running larger than 245/75R16, 265/75R16 or 235/85R16 MT's with a 2" lift, how will the axle shafts and CV's cope with this configuration? The ECU will get a remap but the auto should soften the shock loads in the driveline.

  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by CJH View Post
    Thanks for the replies so far. Yes, the CDL is a given. At this stage I am thinking it is going to be Ashcroft ATB's front and rear. I don't forsee running larger than 245/75R16, 265/75R16 or 235/85R16 MT's with a 2" lift, how will the axle shafts and CV's cope with this configuration? The ECU will get a remap but the auto should soften the shock loads in the driveline.
    On my 2004 manual TD5, I've been running 245/75R16's since new, 50mm lift for 6 years and had no problems or breakages. Biggest pain is speedo under-reads by 5%. Also means take off is a little more sluggish till turbo spools up but that's been compensated for by remapping and no egr.

    Put in an ARB rear diff lock a year ago and its been great, too.
    Mundy

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