locker vs. locker

I'm currently building a Dana 44 for my TJ, and am debating between a Lockright, Powertrax No-Slip, and Detroit. I would like to here from those who have run more than one/ all of these personally, and how you would compare them.
Here's the background. I've run the stock 30, and 35 w/ Lockrights for several yrs. w/ various ratios(4.10 at the moment), and 32" Swamper radials. The front has not had any failure to date of gears or locker. I sold the rr. Lockright to a friend and tried a Gearless locker by Tractech, and an ARB. After breaking the gearless and not caring for the ARB, I got the Lockright back from my friend and reinstalled it. Since then, w/ harder use than the first time, I've broken the crosspin twice. But overall I've been satisfied w/ it. The breakage in the rr axle has always occured when launching on asphalt. Still original shafts probably because offroad I tend to be a "little" easier on it. I was looking at the Super 44 kit but don't know if I need that as shafts haven't been the problem. Thanks for any constructive input.

Brian

explorerer: I have run the Lochright in the D35 of my YJ for 6 years of gentle and reasonable off-roading. Never had a hint of problems and got exactly the kind of lockup I needed when I needed it. It was fine around town too, but I never got on it while on asphalt.

I am now running the Powertrax No-Slip in the Corporate 8.25 of my 2000 XJ Freedom. I have about 70,000 miles on it with about 50% of that off-roading. The No-Slip was a little obnoxious while making turns on the street for about the first 20,000 miles. Then it seemed to "break-in" and become much less noticable. The performance of the No-Slip while off-road is perfect. Step on the brake while putting on just a little gas and the No-Slip locks up tight. I patrol the desert and desert mountains in my XJ. I have an open differential in the front. The No-Slip has worked out so well that I don't feel that I need anything else up front. I had the Axle Installation place that originally installed the No-Slip service it at 65,000 miles. They told me that it looks good for another 65,000 without any problems. They also told me that they were not recommending PowerTrax No-Slips anymore because of the super long breakin period required for seamless on-road behavior. Only if a customer comes in and is totally familiar with the long breakin required will they install the No-Slip.

Big Cholla, when you say it was a little obnoxious, what? Does it not unlock freely like the Lockright? More or less backlash? I'm familiar w/ the clicking and occasional snap/ bang from my Lockright. Is it much different than that? From what useful info I can find, I see that it has some built in drag on the couplers, but my impression was that it was meant to improve the road manners while making it more durable, causing less wear on the coupler teeth. Has the shop that you deal with had any other issues besides the long break in.

Thanks, Brian

Get out the Miller welder (; I run 33" boggers with my rear welded never had a problem. (Cheap)

I said I was cheap, but I don't keep "all" of my money in the backyard. I have run an ARB in the rr. and my main complaint w/ that other than the numerous problems I had w/ it, was I don't like the spool effect. It always wants to go straight, even off the throttle. The Lockright will uncouple in a turn when your off the power, and I want something that does this without having to lock/ unlock. Basically I want an automatic locker. Even offroad, I didn't really care for having to mess w/ the ARB. I wanted to always run w/ it locked but then the turning radius goes to hell. Lots of trees where I wheel and some the Jeep can just squeeze through(literally).

explorer: By a "little obnoxious" I meant that when new and up to about 20k miles, when pulling up to a stopsign and then immediately turning right or left from stop, the No-Slip was now locked up tight. Of course it caused the tire chirp and a little lurch. It wasn't bad, just annoying. I took it into the Axle Installation place, they checked it and told me it just wasn't broke in as of yet. Sure enough, sometime after 20k miles, my wife and I realized that it wasn't making that chirp and lurch anymore. Since I drive the XJ in the desert daily, I promptly gave it a good check out in 4x4 and 2x4 on some steep hills. Still worked perfectly as a locker.

I have an AW4 automatic tranny in my XJ. That seems to increase the No-Slip's tendency to lockup when unwanted. My manual tranny YJ with the Lockright never locked up on asphalt from day one unless I happened to tap the brake at just the wrong time. Between the two, I prefer the No-Slip. I have driven this XJ in deep snow, light snow over black ice and on black ice. You just have to keep a light foot and be ready to drive in a "crab" once in a while.

You could always wait for the auburn ECTED. I think ultimately that I will go with the 8.8 and that differential is already available for it. After reading a few posts about the noslip I was considering that also, but I was unaware of the break-in. I like to drive corners fast (by suv standards), and I don't want any nasty behavior. Do you think hard use would speed the break in?

The ECTED interests me also, not much out there on them though. I also like to drive fast by those "standards", that is why I liked my Lockright. It rewards aggressive driving in my opinion. Can't wait to much longer. Were kinda in the off season, but I like to get a little winter wheeling in too, and the Jeeps been on stands for two months already.

Brian

lockright is cheap and easy, probably what I will do in the 35 since it has been voted a turd in jeepdom and wouldn't want to invenst too much. that auburn helical LSD would definitely reward our driving styles on-road. it isn't an auto locker, but because of the LSD it would only need locking in extreme situations. There really isn't much out there on the ECTED, from what I gather it is sort of meant for OEM installs and therefore is also a little limited in strength. It has been made to handle small-block V-8 torque though, so our 225 ft-lbs shouldn't hurt it.

i run a Detroit "soft locker" (a full detroit but thats what they call i tnow since they redesigned it a few years ago) in my 8.25" with 33s.... its a 90% trail rig but it gets plenty of street use.. i was a little aprehensive when i first bought it because the rumors that go around about how loud a detroit is on the street.. clicks, pops, bangs.... maybe with the earlier designs but i have NEVER heard anything like that from mine... i only get tire noise on corners when i am aired down, and on the throttle deeper than i need to be... aired up and paying attention to my driving style the Detroit is totally INVISIBLE... but its excellent off road... it will take alot of good impressions to get me to buy anything else...

Sidriptide, do you have an auto or manual trans? One of the things holding me up on the Detroit is the amount of backlash. I understand how auto lockers work and that this is normal. But from the few I've driven and installed, compared to the lockright, they have more backlash. I currently have a manual, but an AW4 is waiting in the gargage for possible future use. I swapped an AW4 into a friends TJ and even w/ a Lockright, there was a lot of banging going on when shifting D to R.

First of all; I would work on my own vehicle rather than let someone else tell me its good. Second, a Detroit locker will suit you much better than any of the limited slips.

Big Cholla said:

explorer: By a "little obnoxious" I meant that when new and up to about 20k miles, when pulling up to a stopsign and then immediately turning right or left from stop, the No-Slip was now locked up tight. Of course it caused the tire chirp and a little lurch. It wasn't bad, just annoying. I took it into the Axle Installation place, they checked it and told me it just wasn't broke in as of yet.

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20K miles??? Wow, my front and rear No-Slips were "broken in" after 100 miles. Maybe it's the quality of the installation. Or the synthetic blend gear oil. You can avoid the tire chirp by not accelerating hard around corners. I'm not saying that a No-Slip is invisible on the street, but pretty close.

BTW, no matter what anyone says, no automatic locker is totally "invisible" on the street. You just get used to it, so it feels invisible. Let someone else drive your Jeep, and they will definitely feel it.

I ran a No-Slip in my rear D44; now it's got a Detroit. The Detroit is actually a little better mannered IMO, but they both worked great off-road. The same No-Slip is now in my HP44 front axle.

I have run all of the above, at one point or another.
My favorite combo for the 'street rig' was a NoSlip out back and open front.
The NoSlip will occasionally 'wind up' and release, with a bang, but it was rare, and the instances only decreased over time.
Silent and deadly, that NoSlip.
Currently, I have 4.88s and LockRights front and rear on my rig, driven daily.
Get the Unobtanium crosspins, to be sure, especially if you have a c-clip axle.
If you understand mechanical lockers, you have no issue. I drive in snow, ice, rain, and other crap that WI tosses my way with no worries.
If you have a lifted rig, with lockers, armor, and MT tires, you can't expect it to handle like an Olds Bravada with SmartTrack.
I love the performance of the LockRight, on road and off.
The turning is no problem, again, if you know what you are doing.
That said, no one drives my rig in inclement weather unless I know that they are familiar with this type of vehicle.
It can be 'squirrely, but I love it.

90KrawlerXJ said:

First of all; I would work on my own vehicle rather than let someone else tell me its good. Second, a Detroit locker will suit you much better than any of the limited slips.

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Some misinfo here. All the other lockers that are being talked about here ARE lockers, not limited slips. I've done everything on my own rig except for the differential work......many of us have others do gear and locker installs.

explorer said:

I'm currently building a Dana 44 for my TJ, and am debating between a Lockright, Powertrax No-Slip, and Detroit. I would like to here from those who have run more than one/ all of these personally, and how you would compare them.
Here's the background. I've run the stock 30, and 35 w/ Lockrights for several yrs. w/ various ratios(4.10 at the moment), and 32" Swamper radials. The front has not had any failure to date of gears or locker. I sold the rr. Lockright to a friend and tried a Gearless locker by Tractech, and an ARB. After breaking the gearless and not caring for the ARB, I got the Lockright back from my friend and reinstalled it. Since then, w/ harder use than the first time, I've broken the crosspin twice. But overall I've been satisfied w/ it. The breakage in the rr axle has always occured when launching on asphalt. Still original shafts probably because offroad I tend to be a "little" easier on it. I was looking at the Super 44 kit but don't know if I need that as shafts haven't been the problem. Thanks for any constructive input.

Brian

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I haven't had a NoSlip, but I've had a Lockright in a D35 with a stick. I've had EZlockers (same as LR) in a D44, and Detroits in a D44 and a D60, all with an automatic. If you're OK with the Lockright and a stick, you'll like it even more if you switch to an automatic. The ratcheting that you can get if you allow full coast in a real tight turn won't be there with the automatic. The Detroit is less noticeable than the Lockright, virtually invisible on the street. If you're willing to spend the extra couple hundred I would highly recomend the Detroit. The handling and the peace of mind are well worth it.

Yep, the weakness in a D35 Lockright, EZLocker, etc., is the stock cross shaft, the harder pin in neccessary. We also hear of more Lockrights in D35's blowing apart on the street than offroad.

Again, if the funds are available, I'd go with the Super 44.......especially if you might end up getting allow shafts down the road. You might never break a 30 spline Spicer shaft........you won't break a 33 spline Superior shaft.

I'm voting for the Detroit since I I have to buy & install a new case for the gear ratio I will run. (rather than pulling existing innards & simply installing a PTX, EZ, Aus etc)

The Super 44 kit (33 spline Detroit & Superior alloy shafts) should take some serious abuse. Expensive too but is it? If you are having visions of 'big tires later' then don't rule this upgrade out... but for 32-33" kind of overkill?

90KrawlerXJ said:

First of all; I would work on my own vehicle rather than let someone else tell me its good. Second, a Detroit locker will suit you much better than any of the limited slips.

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I was a dealer mechanic for 8yrs. No one but myself has ever put a wrench to any of my vehicles. I'm just looking for "constructive" input from people who have used and understand lockers. All of the units I listed are automatic mechanical locking units.

Brian

if you're only considering auto lockers, then go with full detroit. combo l/s and lockers(i.e. electrac) seem to be the perfect setup (street and off-road) but evidently the bugs are not worked out yet on the ones i have heard about? the more choices you have the tougher the decision huh....