Hi Ian,
Detroit No-Spins don't have clutch packs, they are a mechanical lock. You are thinking of a clutch type LSD, which as far as I know aren't available for Land Rovers. Truetracs and Ashcroft ATBs are geared LSDs.
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Different vehicle, but my 101 has no issue with the Detroit in the rear. No additional backlash, no banging or crashing when doing normal driving on the road (including roundabouts), no steering from the rear - you would never know it was there and I have an old worn drivetrain.
The only time you can here the Detroit is on full lock turns on hard ground where you can hear it disengaging.
Garry
Hi Nielsc.
I have just sold my 130 Td5, into which I'd fitted a Detroit Locker, and I have one sat on the shelf to go into my 101. My 130 had exactly the symptoms you describe. Having fitted it you will have seen it in the flesh so I assume understand the principal of how it works... If not, here's the basics.. Driving in a straight line both the left hand 'dog clutch' and right hand 'dog clutch' are locked (yeah I know that's prob not the correct name for them) as pictured and the axle is in effect 'locked'. Turn into a right hand corner under 'drive' and the RH shaft will remain locked to the carrier (via the Detroit) and the left will freewheel. If however, you take your foot off the throttle while still turning right, then the RH 'dog clutch' will disengage and the LH 'dog clutch' will engage. No problem I hear you say... Not quite. When turning right, the left wheel is turning slightly faster than the right as it has to travel a greater distance than the inner RH wheel (a matter made worse by the Detroit as all prop drive goes to one wheel and is not evened out to both wheels). Soooo, as your rear diff is no longer a std 'open' diff this increase in shaft speed has to be taken up somewhere... and it is, in all the excess backlash that is found in all Land Rovers. Even a new vehicle will do it. If you re apply the throttle, you transfer the drive back to the inner shaft. The jerking then causes your foot to bounce on the accelerator making the whole matter worse!!
The Cure.... Adapt your driving style to suit the Detroit. (This is the bit they don't tell you about). Do all your braking before the corner, and make sure you then drive through the corner under acceleration. This is the way you are taught to drive a truck. You do get used to it and once you have an idea when its going to do it, you'll drive accordingly.
The other 'Detroit Trait' is the occasional loud bang as one of the 'dog clutches' that has not engaged properly after a corner slips into the next set of teeth. Scared the hell out of me a few times! Good luck and hope this helps. I was also advised to upgrade the shafts as when one breaks, the shock will take the Detroit out with it! Check out HyTough Engineering here in Australia (used to be Maxi Drive).
Cheers for now. Simon.
I do know how the detroit locker works. But your explanation sound very good and I now see how come there is an increased backlash in the drivetrain when taking corners.
I indeed have suited my driving style to it, it's just that lately it was starting to anoy me alot that I was afraid something was wrong.
Today I found that the rear trailing arm bushes at chassis end are pretty worn out. If I rock a rear wheel forward and backwards with parkbrake off and trans in gear I can see the bush and the whole axle moving forward and backwards. I guess this has something to do with my problem as well :whistling:
EDIT:
Found out I had a spare set of trailing arm bushes laying around. I've replaced them both now and I instantly felt that the rear end is alot tighter in corners. It also took away a bit of backlash in the rear. Not alot, but it made it landy a bit more driveable for sure !
Niels