Detroit Lockers

[shockseals.com]

It seems there is a lot of misinformation about them. I put a detroit locker (not a soft locker) in mine and was concerned based on everybodies hate for them and all sorts of unpredictable behavior. In a stick shift...I can see the lash being an issue but in an automatic it is NO different than my posi was.

No clunks, no bangs, no lane changing.

Friday night I drove it around like an asshole in the rain TRYING to spin out, break loose uncontrollably and nada...worked just like it should, 100% predictable.

The biggest snow dump of this year was this weekend...I passed over 50 cars in the ice/snow going up the mountain in the early morning yesterday(icey). There was nothing unpredictable about it. No different than a spool when going straight and no D-Bag tire squealing in parking lots and rounding corners.

I had 1 person drive it in the rain and one in the ice and they couldnt tell a locker was even in it.


I will recommend them to anybody and I would purchase one again for an automatic trans vehicle. For 35 spline a detroit IS the best option. The ARB is the weakest unit in a 35 spline configuration per ARB, then toss in multiple failure modes with a line failure, pump failure, solenoid failure and the answer is easy if you dont want to run a spool which I do not want to run.

Anybody thinking detroit and worried about all the naysaying...if youre local to san dimas you can give it a test drive. I know I was reluctant but the few people who told me it was the way to go I trusted and hoped for the best.

[Dezertbronco]

I have had 3 different vehicles with Detroits and love them... Good write up.

[hobbyturnedobsession]

Same here, I've got one and I love it. It seemed to straighten me out on the ice. When I build another rear end I'm going with a detroit locker.

[Polarcub]

Kris I am glad your happy with it I also was tentative based on the reputation that seems to stick with them. I do not regret going the locker route either.

[toddz69]

Glad it's worked out well for you, Kris. As I noted another list, I like mine in my EB with the auto in it - even in the snow driving I've done with it. With the stick shift years ago it was a different animal (although I still liked it).

Todd Z.

[gunit]

Like Todd, I am glad you are pleased. I have had a DL front and rear in my Jeep for years and have always been pleased with the performance. But in my Bronco with a soft, long travel suspension it negatively affected the handling enough for me to swap it out.

[navynuke]

I just put a yukon grizzly in my 9 inch, but stuck to the 31 spline unit.

Works great, except one time so far, down hill on a corner that decreases radius, increases and decreases again.

It bound up then unlocked and gave me some pretty substantial sway/swerve action

no locked up tires or anything else, just a bit of pucker factor.

Asside from that, even in the rain and with a trailer this weekend out at primm I had no issues, and it locked up everytime I needed it dragging people around, mostly in 2wd.

[shockseals.com]

I just put a yukon grizzly in my 9 inch, but stuck to the 31 spline unit.

Works great, except one time so far, down hill on a corner that decreases radius, increases and decreases again.

It bound up then unlocked and gave me some pretty substantial sway/swerve action

no locked up tires or anything else, just a bit of pucker factor.

Asside from that, even in the rain and with a trailer this weekend out at primm I had no issues, and it locked up everytime I needed it dragging people around, mostly in 2wd.

It unlocked for no reason on your downhill turn?

31 spline has a number of options for diffs.

[navynuke]

it was a lock and unlock midcorner, just made the truck push a bit. Even the detroits are known to do that on occasion, as the Yukon Grizzly is just a detroit with a few other parts in it that protect the center section in the event of a broken axle.

Was looking for durability and not a spool when I built the 9 inch housing, but no budget to go with 35 spline setups.

[Deleted Account]

I just put a yukon grizzly in my 9 inch, but stuck to the 31 spline unit.

Works great, except one time so far, down hill on a corner that decreases radius, increases and decreases again.

It bound up then unlocked and gave me some pretty substantial sway/swerve action

no locked up tires or anything else, just a bit of pucker factor.

Asside from that, even in the rain and with a trailer this weekend out at primm I had no issues, and it locked up everytime I needed it dragging people around, mostly in 2wd.

Iv had the same thing happen in my f150. I accually almost jacknifed my truck and trailer because of it. it is a very ocassional thing for sure. I have one in my crewcab long bed too and i love it in that. It is a opion and it really depends on the driver and the truck. It is hands down the winer in the cheap traction department. It cost 1/3 of an arb. and it is simple to install and it always works. As much as i dont like some aspects of them i will put one in my bronco. You can calm them down alot with either stiffer springs or a 2-link/ taction bar setup. basicly 90% of the issues people have with the detriots and the yukons is car setup problems that are amplified. you just need to control the movment of the rearend and alot of the drivability problems will go away.

[magic carpet XLT]

couldn't agree more with what has been said. one of the single best mods you can make to any off road vehicle.

[jimmyd]

same here. i had one in my 94 bronco, super predictable, after a couple weeks tooling around i had no problems. i had 36" IROKS on my my truck and never once could i get it to bark around a turn. in the 2.5 years i had it in my truck i think it "banged" or "cracked" whatever you want to call it, maybe 6 or 7 times. out in the desert, i could pull anyone out. had no problems, loved it

[BajaF250]

Not to pile on, but I've had a Detroit in my truck (longer wheel base, 133") for at least 15 years and I've had one in my D90 for over 10 years (shorter wheel base, 93"). I've never had any issues with the exception of towing a 7K lb toy hauler going down the grade into Ocotillo... wild ride. But otherwise, always great street manners, ALWAYS available when it's needed, no maintenance issues, they just flat work.

I was a little concerned about operations in the ice and snow, but again, living back east, it was great to have, performed flawlessly... I had no issues.

Just flat a great traction device, I'd absolutely put it into my next vehicle without hesitation.

[shockseals.com]

if an axle breaks...will it still drive forward? Full floater of course.

[philofab]

if an axle breaks...will it still drive forward? Full floater of course.

Yes, but it will pull to one side quite a bit and do some really odd stuff while on and off the throttle.

[SteveG]

If one breaks you can pull the axles and drive with the front end.

[shockseals.com]

If one breaks you can pull the axles and drive with the front end.

Thats last resort...

[magic carpet XLT]

breaking a shaft can wipeout the whole detroit. usually happens when they are bound up in the rocks and one side is suddenly shock loaded with 100% torque instead of the 50-50 split. my buddy grenaded a detroit with only breaking a hub in the rocks. its sporadic how it occurs, but it can happen. still won't stop me from running one tho, thats the only true weakness i know of. compared to all the issues people have with selectable lockers i think its no biggy and cro moly shafts strengthen the whole package

[shockseals.com]

breaking a shaft can wipeout the whole detroit. usually happens when they are bound up in the rocks and one side is suddenly shock loaded with 100% torque instead of the 50-50 split. my buddy grenaded a detroit with only breaking a hub in the rocks. its sporadic how it occurs, but it can happen. still won't stop me from running one tho, thats the only true weakness i know of. compared to all the issues people have with selectable lockers i think its no biggy and cro moly shafts strengthen the whole package

300m axles in mine so it should never be an issue I was just curious.