Diff locks

**DirtyDawg** · 6th June 2007, 01:50 AM

I can tell you a MAJOR Problem with switchable Lockers after driving 180km over badly corregated track and then needing them and the switches dont work 900km from home due to a ****ty cheap relay the 4WD Central ARB store put in you get peeved..al I could do was bridge 2 wires to get the aircomp working but the lockers wouldnt engage (some safety override or something

lucky for me my Fender is a ****in capable girl and she got me through on center diff lock Oh but the fishin was great

*UPDATE*
took her back to ARB today The problem was a wire connecting to the accessories was/been disconnected buy the UHF Installer and not reconnected, it runs of of a different ciruit to the illumination of the switch..
For all those with airlockers if it happens to you Dave Purcell said that in emergencies once you get the comp going and direct battery connection to the air solenoid will engage the locker..little tip for those electronically challenged like me

**Utemad** · 6th June 2007, 07:12 AM

I have a rear ARB locker.

I was on a trip this year and had three attempts at a short but very steep climb. First two with the rear locker on. Both saw me putting my tail out to the left when almost at the top (just as about to climb over a small rocky bit).
The third attempt I switched the locker off and it walked up no worries.

How would an auto locker get up a hill like this

I'm thinking of upgrading my axles but I won't bother until I get bigger more aggressive tyres.

**waynep** · 6th June 2007, 08:43 AM

The MaxiDrives are great - indestructable- the only problem I've found is that it takes a while to lock in sometimes so if you're already in trouble and then try to lock up it won't help much.

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 6th June 2007, 08:49 AM

Originally Posted by waynep

The MaxiDrives are great - indestructable- the only problem I've found is that it takes a while to lock in sometimes so if you're already in trouble and then try to lock up it won't help much.

I don't know if you've priced a set recently, but they are now eye wateringly expensive

**Loaded** · 6th June 2007, 09:22 AM

Nothing wrong with the ARB product. If you are not running huge upgraded tyre sizes they will work fine and wont damage the axles.
Don't get them to run the power through the in cab fuses like connected to radio or wiper fuse as they tend to blow. Get it wired directly to the battery with an in-line fuse.
I have used front and rear lockers on the Disco and it will climb just about anything with little effort when they are engaged.
You don't have to give it a boot full so you save on wear and tear.
For price and a proved product you cant go past it.

**Tusker** · 6th June 2007, 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

I don't know if you've priced a set recently, but they are now eye wateringly expensive

But have you compared apples with apples - factor in MDs axles as well, & CVs for the front.

Maxidrives are fit & forget. They don't break and they don't give trouble. Simple as that.

Regards
Max P

**Loaded** · 6th June 2007, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Tusker

But have you compared apples with apples - factor in MDs axles as well, & CVs for the front.

Maxidrives are fit & forget. They don't break and they don't give trouble. Simple as that.

Regards
Max P

They do break I have a friend that had to fork out over $2000.00 for a new center. plus other parts that where also a bit pricey. So if thing do break with them then you are up for a huge cost again.

**Redback** · 6th June 2007, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by Captain_Rightfoot

I don't know if you've priced a set recently, but they are now eye wateringly expensive

Oh yeah, $3700 fitted at B.Davis

But that included the axles, protector, new drive flange and drive shaft, which is required for the Disco 2.

Originally Posted by Tusker

But have you compared apples with apples - factor in MDs axles as well, & CVs for the front.

Maxidrives are fit & forget. They don't break and they don't give trouble. Simple as that.

Regards
Max P

Very true, i like mine

Baz.

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 6th June 2007, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Redback

Oh yeah, $3700 fitted at B.Davis

But that included the axles, protector, new drive flange and drive shaft, which is required for the Disco 2.

Very true, i like mine

Baz.

The problem I faced was I wanted to do front and rear. At that the maxi's were prohibitive. They were more than 15% of the cost of the car

I went ARB with maxi rear axles and that was mega bucks. It will have to do!

**rick130** · 6th June 2007, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

a normal open diff with a pair of one way sprag clutches on the carrier to the axles.

when you corner the outside wheel is driven faster than the carrier and the sprag clutch allows this.

when a wheel slows down in relation to the carrier the sprags bite and drive the axle.

when you drive the carrier in the opposite direction it doesnt work as the sprags are working the wrong way and if a wheel looses traction it speeds up and its sprag will grab. the one that is stationary will continue to slip its sprag as the relative motion is the same as if it was the wheel that was going faster while going forwards.

Firstly, Detroit Lockers and Tru Tracs used to be made by a company called Tractech, now been swallowed up by Eaton in the US.

Secondly, a Detroit Locker is a pair of dog clutches splined to smaller hubs which are splined to the axles, with a central dog ring connected to the diff case. This locks the two outer dog faces together, not sprags. On differential wheel speed an outer dog ring can be forced against spring pressure to unlock, giving differential action. As soon as both wheels are rotating at equal speeds, the springs force the dogs to re-engage, locking the diff.

A sprag clutch is a different animal altogether, and will unlock on the over-run, and I'm assuming in reverse.
A famous locking race diff from the seventies was the Wiseman (sp?) Locker that was basically a sprag clutch and cone. It locked 100% but unlocked on the over-run, which is important in a race car as it doesn't then cause corner entry understeer. A Detroit Locker remains locked as you describe, causing corner entry understeer (as does a spool) and only unlocks under differential wheel speed.

A Detroit Locker or No Spin locks the same forward or reverse.

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