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detriot locker?

xjeepers2

xjeepers2

NAXJA Forum User
Location
From CO living in NYC
ok so i know there r lots of threads on lockers but i couldnt find my ? so i was talking to my (all knowing uncle) and he clamed that detriots suck. unless your only rockcrawlin. he said if i go on shelf roads im going to die and if i drive in any snow or ice im going to die.:shocked: so i need an answer. thank you
 
unless hes comparing a Detroit Locker to a posi unit, I completely disagree. IMO, Detroit is the very best locker you can buy. With just about any locker, snow is going to suck and be hard to drive in. From that point, I could see how a posi unit would handle better in snow/ice. Ask anybody with a Detroit, theyre awesome!
 
justin_502 said:
Do you drive a auto or stick? I got a stick and it sucks, Heard auto is better, If you got the cash I would go with a OX locker
Click to expand...
I have a stick and I have a detroit and I've wheeled it on loose gravel, on rock, you name it and I haven't had any problems with driveability. My only (and rather recent problem) is bolts backing out on the case, but then again I've wheeled it fairly hard in past 6 years or so. This is the third housing the locker is in :D
 
justin_502 said:
Do you drive a auto or stick? I got a stick and it sucks, Heard auto is better, If you got the cash I would go with a OX locker
Click to expand...
its a stick
 
I had a detroit locker in a nine inch in a swb (yuppi jeep) I only had one problem in snow and ice and it was my fault. Lockers are critical on tire pressure and circumfance. I had a tire with a slow leak and was late to work. I hit a bridge that was frozen and went for a nasty spin. That is the only bad experience with a detroit I have had. Every nvehicle I have owne in the last 20 years has had a ford nine inch and a detroit locker.
 
Detroits aren't for everybody, but the ones that run them usually are very pleased with them. I have them front and rear in my Dana 44/ Ford 8.8 axles. They work great and are much less harsh than I thought they would be. I was worried that I'd have trouble turning in 4wd and have trouble on the street in normal driving conditions, but most the time I barely notice they are there. If I had to do it all over again I would do it the same way.
 
With the detroit dont get me wrong the this works great! For a DD with a 5 speed mine is very loud and pops and bangs a lot! How are you guys with 5 speeds daily driving, it is big difference from auto with a locker. I also think my tires are slightly off on the size tho. They are both 32s and I put the closest match in the rear, but I think its off by a hair with seems to make it click often even going stright.
 
justin_502 said:
With the detroit dont get me wrong the this works great! For a DD with a 5 speed mine is very loud and pops and bangs a lot! How are you guys with 5 speeds daily driving, it is big difference from auto with a locker. I also think my tires are slightly off on the size tho. They are both 32s and I put the closest match in the rear, but I think its off by a hair with seems to make it click often even going stright.
Click to expand...

Mine does not bang nor pop on the road. Second it does, I know I lost some air in one of the tires...
 
I ran a detroit for 2.5 years and it pop'd once. I patched the flat tire and never had a noise from it again.

I wheeled it in all terrain and never saw a problem with it. Mud, snow, ice, rock, dirt roads, gravel, sand..


The only reason I'm not running it now, is they don't offer a detroit for my axle/spline count.
 
Just put new axles in my jeep with a Detroit locker in the rear, and I am pleased so far, but this is 100% street driving so far. July 4th weekend will be the first time I get to go crawling with it.
 
Tenny said:
Just put new axles in my jeep with a Detroit locker in the rear, and I am pleased so far, but this is 100% street driving so far. July 4th weekend will be the first time I get to go crawling with it.
Click to expand...
you're gonna love it
 
thanks guys. well then when i get my axles in i will have to tell my uncle that he is crazy. hahaha. i should have htem in by the end of next week i hope and i will have a detriot locker in the back and a lock rite up front so thanks again
 
If it's a DD don't forget to price out ARB air lockers. They give you the best road manners matched with the best off road manners - you know when they're locked and when they're not! I would say that that Detroits are great for the fair weather/crawler rig but not the best choice for a DD.

Also, if you don't want ARB's and you're going cheap but good, check out the Powertrax No-Slip. Here's a decent review of them:
http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/powertrax_tj/index.htm

But no one can argue with Detroit's long history of success off road! There's just more than one good choice out there nowadays...
 
justin_502 said:
With the detroit dont get me wrong the this works great! For a DD with a 5 speed mine is very loud and pops and bangs a lot! How are you guys with 5 speeds daily driving, it is big difference from auto with a locker. I also think my tires are slightly off on the size tho. They are both 32s and I put the closest match in the rear, but I think its off by a hair with seems to make it click often even going stright.
Click to expand...

You have a detroit easy locker dont you, Detroit's lunchbox locker.
 
TEXJLE said:
If it's a DD don't forget to price out ARB air lockers. They give you the best road manners matched with the best off road manners - you know when they're locked and when they're not! I would say that that Detroits are great for the fair weather/crawler rig but not the best choice for a DD.

Also, if you don't want ARB's and you're going cheap but good, check out the Powertrax No-Slip. Here's a decent review of them:
http://www.rockcrawler.com/techreports/powertrax_tj/index.htm

But no one can argue with Detroit's long history of success off road! There's just more than one good choice out there nowadays...
Click to expand...
you make a good point, all "automatic" lockers are really automatic un-lockers.
 
jk333 said:
unless hes comparing a Detroit Locker to a posi unit, I completely disagree. IMO, Detroit is the very best locker you can buy. With just about any locker, snow is going to suck and be hard to drive in. From that point, I could see how a posi unit would handle better in snow/ice. Ask anybody with a Detroit, theyre awesome!
Click to expand...

I guess that depends on what kind of snow you are in. If you are driving through over a foot of snow, I would say it is a must. on light snow and ice, there is nothing that works particularly well, so you need to be careful anyways. if you let off the gas into the turn and ease into the gas as you come out of the turn you should be fine.

I love my Detroit. A locker is probably the best upgrade out there and will get you farther than you want to go in most cases. A LSD will usually loose traction before you get in a situation were you might roll. With a locker you will be wondering what the hell you are doing climbing rocks that big.
 
xjeepers2 said:
thanks guys. well then when i get my axles in i will have to tell my uncle that he is crazy. hahaha. i should have htem in by the end of next week i hope and i will have a detriot locker in the back and a lock rite up front so thanks again
Click to expand...

Too late to change now Daniel, just finished putting your 9" together with the Detroit today.

Everyone's gonna die sometime!


But as far as drivability, Icy roads and Detroits can be scary, you wouldn't want to goose it on a curvy icy road, or shift a manual without being careful on an icy curve, or use your gears too much to slow you down on an icy hill.

On a slick off camber hill or loose soil side hill the rear end may tend to slide downhill.

Also long sandy hills going down, the rear end tends to want to float.

But i've been all those places and haven't died.....yet, just have to be aware and more careful.

ARB or OX eliminates all those problems, but at a considerable price!

Mine with the 5 speed is alot more noticable then it was in my other rig with the automatic, I feel it tug to the left when shifting, sometimes a loud pop after making a turn in gear. Lot's of bangs and pops in parking lots.
 
I drive (or have driven) my Detroit locked rig in just about every situation you can imagine gettin into..
Snow? Sucks big time!
Sand? My son with his open Cherokee kicked my Jeep's butt.
Rocks? No question, I could have gotten away with a spool!
Mud? I don't know why it would be any different than sand, but the detroit works better.
Street? Never had an issue. I don't drift so the locker never somes into play..
All in all, I like how mine works...
 
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