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Detroit vs Aussie and Lock-Rite

G

GamblySmurf

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Denver, CO
The rear diff in my XJ needs to be rebuilt. It is a ChryCo 8.25.

I have been planning on installing lockers in this anyway, so I figure that now is the time while it is being rebuilt.

The 4x4 shop that works on my XJ does not care for Aussie or Lock-Right lockers because they use the stock carrier, which may not be up to the job of driving my 32s while locked.

Thoughts... Agree? Disagree?
 
the 4x4 shop isn't putting much thought into it than
Aussie or Loc-rite will be just fine for 32's
But Detroit means you make them some money on selling one, more money on installing one, and more money on re-setting up the gears after its all said and done (Aussie/Loc-rite you can do yourself)

Not to mention Aussie/Loc-rite will allow your tires to break loose a bit to lessen tire wear and be a tad better for daily driving. Detroit can/will eat through tires as they will not un-lock as forgivingly as the lunchbox lockers will.

Ask your 4x4 shop why you have to go with Detroit, and then bring up those points. If you think they are taking you for a ride, walk away. How much are they charging to 'rebuild' the 8.25 anyway? Depending on the year, you could upgrade from 27 spline to 29 spline and/or get different gearing for about $250 depending what the junkyards around you are like.

Also, search, very very repeated subject on here, with plenty of insightful opinions to be found already, instead of having to wait for someone to chime in here in the next few hours.
 
Last edited:
your shops trying to take you for a ride.

if you get an aussie you can install it yourself in 2-3 hours, and call it done for about 250.

if you take their advice you have to spend 500+ on the detroit, and then pay them to reset up the gears. the stock carrier is plenty strong

BTW, 2 friends have run locked chry 8.25s on 35s for years and never broken them. haven't been easy on them either
 
x100 on that.

the stock carrier can easily handle 32's. i'm running 33" tsl's on a welded 8.25. no probs. at all.

I'd go with the aussie as i've never heard anything bad about them. my buddy had the detroit ez-locker in his 06 tj in the d30 and it broke very quickly (the locker not the carrier). it may have just been a defective unit, but who knows.
 
beakie said:
the 4x4 shop isn't putting much thought into it than
Aussie or Loc-rite will be just fine for 32's
But Detroit means you make them some money on selling one, more money on installing one, and more money on re-setting up the gears after its all said and done (Aussie/Loc-rite you can do yourself)

Not to mention Aussie/Loc-rite will allow your tires to break loose a bit to lessen tire wear and be a tad better for daily driving. Detroit can/will eat through tires as they will not un-lock as forgivingly as the lunchbox lockers will.

Ask your 4x4 shop why you have to go with Detroit, and then bring up those points. If you think they are taking you for a ride, walk away. How much are they charging to 'rebuild' the 8.25 anyway? Depending on the year, you could upgrade from 27 spline to 29 spline and/or get different gearing for about $250 depending what the junkyards around you are like.

Also, search, very very repeated subject on here, with plenty of insightful opinions to be found already, instead of having to wait for someone to chime in here in the next few hours.
Click to expand...

I have a 2001, which I believe already has the 29 spline, correct? And it already had 4.56 gears.

They are charging $227 for new ring and pinion. $100 for bearings, crush washers, etc and $400 for labor.

Whatever locker I select will not change the labor price as the diff needs to be taken all the way down either way, even if I don't put a locker in.
 
Sounds about $100 to high for labor and the parts IMO.

Your paying over $700 for one diff. I recently had a shop install new 4.56, master install kits on both axles for just over $900.
 
Aussie and Lockright are comparable to each other only. If you're on a budget go cheap and use one of these. It will get you around and let you do what you want on a budget. If you have taken your diff apart before you should be able to put in a lunchbox locker in about an hour tops. If you want to step up you could go Detroit or a selectable and yes it does cost more in setup. As for performance, longevity, reliabilty and you really get out and wheel often you will want to go with the latter choices. If you're mainly a street driver save a little longer and get a selectable and your XJ will thank you.
 
theres a big difference in pulling the carrier to install the aussie, and installing the detroit.

when you pull the carrier to install the aussie your not messing with the backlast of the gears, so no adjustments need to be made to the ring and pinion. thus making the job very easy.

to do a detroit you have to reset up the gears. a lot more time and money.
 
Are you planning a gear change or just a locker.A 6 yr old could set the backlash(only thing thing needed on a carrier only swap) on a 8.25!
 
Matt98XJ said:
beakie said:
Not to mention Aussie/Loc-rite will allow your tires to break loose a bit to lessen tire wear and be a tad better for daily drivingQUOTE]

Where did you get this info?
Click to expand...

I meant in relation to the Detroit. Seeing as its an auto locker, as opposed to a lunchbox.
The Aussie will rachet around corners, allowing the tires to break loose. Where as the Detroit is an auto locker, which from my understanding doesn't unlock as easily as the Aussie style does. Granted both will un-lock, it takes very little torque to lock up the Detroit, as opposed to the Aussie being able to rachet/clunk around corners with a small amount of torque being applied.

However, this is what I have read, and from the net, which isn't the most credible source of information. The Aussie in my D30 will still clunk around tight corners off road if there is good traction (in 4x4), where as the Detroit in my 8.8 chirps/skips around town and trail. So being 2 dif axles in 2 dif applications, my experience isn't exactly on topic.
Click to expand...
 
The Detroit is fine on the street, I have been running one for three years. The only thing you have to do is make sure your tire pressures are even.

If you are having new gears installed (i.e. the carrier is coming out anyways) I would go with the Detroit. It is bullet proof.
 
beakie said:
Matt98XJ said:
I meant in relation to the Detroit. Seeing as its an auto locker, as opposed to a lunchbox.
The Aussie will rachet around corners, allowing the tires to break loose. Where as the Detroit is an auto locker, which from my understanding doesn't unlock as easily as the Aussie style does. Granted both will un-lock, it takes very little torque to lock up the Detroit, as opposed to the Aussie being able to rachet/clunk around corners with a small amount of torque being applied.

However, this is what I have read, and from the net, which isn't the most credible source of information. The Aussie in my D30 will still clunk around tight corners off road if there is good traction (in 4x4), where as the Detroit in my 8.8 chirps/skips around town and trail. So being 2 dif axles in 2 dif applications, my experience isn't exactly on topic.
Click to expand...

an auto locker is an auto locker. the inside of a Detroit looks like a lunchbox locker. a lunchbox just has to be smaller to fit inside the crampped stock carrier.

The Detroits are much quieter from my own first hand experience (not just reading about it)
yes, they chirp tires on the street if accelerating through a turn. coasting through a turn it unlocks and coasts through as well. front, invisible, and quiet.
Click to expand...
 
I said that, not Matt98XJ, I quoted him in my post tho, maybe some confusion regarding names. Mine is in there, just in the html text, not in the quotes.
Just thought I'd clear that up.
 
tomcat said:
beakie said:
an auto locker is an auto locker. the inside of a Detroit looks like a lunchbox locker. a lunchbox just has to be smaller to fit inside the crampped stock carrier.

The Detroits are much quieter from my own first hand experience (not just reading about it)
yes, they chirp tires on the street if accelerating through a turn. coasting through a turn it unlocks and coasts through as well. front, invisible, and quiet.
Click to expand...

The detroits are quieter, except for the occasional BANG, they happens every now and then. The lock-right I had made more noise. Also I have seen far more lock-rights break than detroits. The Aussie is pretty much the same design. Don't really have much experience with them though.
Click to expand...
 
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