anyone running a detroit? if so, how is it? I ran a Lockrite for years in my jeep and am curious if the detroit is as harsh in a full-size with an automatic as the lockrite was in a teeny jeep with a manual. thanks.

 

nobody? hmph!

 

I don't run one....but have had friends that did. They said it wasn't that bad with the long wheel base of these trucks and an auto trans. And all they had to do was mash the throttle and they could roast both tires

I've been tempted for some time to pull out my rear ARB and toss in a Detroit just to be able to spin both tires at will all the time.....

 

ARB in the SD, but Detroits in about anything else.
Don't notice any of the backlash problems that everyone says occurs while running Detroits, even with a trailer.
I also have a hard time understanding why most guys say that driving in the winter with a locker is such a tough thing to do. I hear about turning and losing control because the truck tries to fishtail, and I do not see how anyone that is a reasonable driver could ever have this problem. If one tire has enough traction to stay in contact with the ground, then both should be just as driveable.
Now i wil admit that a locker can get interesting when it is slick out, but not to the point that it becomes dangerous, I mean the whole theory behind an open differential providing traction to the tire with the least amount of traction only means the wrong tire is getting traction, and a LS unit can be just as interesting.
At any rate, the Detroit has got to be the best and most durable locker available, and does not make as much noise as most think. I do tow a bunch and did opt for the more expensive ARB, but would not hessitate to install a Detroit in a SD.

 

A couple of things to think about, with a locker, they are not easy to drive on the road with snow/ice and if you tow a trailer or haul heavy loads a locker is not recommended. If you need something that will work on road in snow/ice or towing a trailer then either install a L/S or a selectable locker.

 

Lockers used on road in snow/ice get interesting and difficult to drive do to the torque steer that occurs. With a locker as the vehicle goes thru a corner the inside wheel gets all the power and the outside wheel unlocks and coasts. If you are on the throttle in a corner you get understeer (push) and if you let off the throttle you get oversteer (loose). Also when you let off the throttle in corner with a locker the inside wheel will unlock and the outside wheel will lock do to the engine braking effect and the change in direction of the torque in the differential.

With a L/S you get some torque steer as well but not as much as with a locker, and with a L/S the power transfer is smooth unlike a locker. On slippery roads abrupt transfers of power to the wheels is the last thing that you want. The key to maintaining vehicle stability on ice/snow is smooth power applications. An open differential has the least amount of torque steer and is the easiest to drive smoothly on ice/snow conditions.

 

I'll say this much, in a jeep, the ONLY WAY to drive in ice/snow was with a locker. In 4wheel drive on snowy roads with both ends open, any slightly heavy touch on the g-pedal would actually **** the jeep sideways on an angle, pointing me in the direction of say, a telephone pole. with the locker in it was dead-nuts on st8 ahead... even when I was trying to turn a corner! that's easily solved by letting up on the gas and letting the dog clutches disengage and slide over one-another. I was just curious if a real auto-locker like Detroit was similar to a lunchbox Lockrite. thanks.

 

FYI, most lsd have clutches, which are "grabby" and don't transfer torque smoothly, that's why most lsd are not good in a front end application. The True Trac is different, in that it uses a worm gear and acts more smoothly.

 

All L/S transfer torque much more smoothly than a "Locker", but yes a True Trac or Torsen is much smoother than a clutch style L/S and the best L/S for a front axle application. I was trying not to go to far down the L/S path since the OP was asking about a Detroit Locker

 

From a stop or moving very slowly, yes a heavy touch on the go pedal will get things sideways with an open diff on the ice as only one wheel is turning. Also a manual transmission is harder to feather the power when starting out than with an automatic transmission. However, in a corner there is much less torque steer with an open diff than a locker and so cruising along at 30-35 mph and going into a corner on snow/ice is much more predictable with an open diff than a locker.

I have not driven a vehicle with a "Lockrite" only Detroit lockers, but my understanding is the Lockrite is not as harsh as a Detroit Locker. The Lockrite is similar to the "E-Z Locker" of "Soft Locker".

If you are planning to tow or haul heavy loads with your SD you may want to consider a selectable locker as Detroit Lockers etc are not recommended for these applications do to driveline stress.

 

I do understand the principles and theory behind all of the arguements, but I have driven my Detroit equiped vehicles with pretty large trailers, and to be honest, even in the snow, the truck drives better with a locker.
I hear many claims regarding the loss of traction, and I wonder what kind if tires they are running in the first place. The whole idea of a locker is to provide additional traction by providing power to both wheels on a common axle. The downside is that during a turn where tires have to spin at a different rate, some lockup can occur. This is why the Detroit is used and not say a spool. The Detroit is designed to ratchet to release the windup that causes damage and that barking of the tires.
Not trying to be a wise guy here only commenting on the fact that in order to lose traction the driver has to really be on the throttle, and this could occur with an open differential too. Folks spin out all of the time, and if the throttle input is such that they can loose control, they might want to consider not driving in the white stuff.
I do not get a bunch of backlash, or ratcheting noises from my Detroit equiped vehicles.

 

Don't forget you also get engine braking when you lift off the pedal and then the power shifts from the inside wheel to the outside wheel. The engine braking effect and transfer of power is more abrupt with a locker than an open diff or L/S. The torque steer and transfer of power is also the reason lockers are not recommended for the front axle on a 4WD vehicle that is driven on the street. It is not impossible to drive a locker on the street just more demanding and less forgiving.

 

most of what I'm reading here about the Detroit, sounds very similar to the behaviors exhibited by the Lockrite. that power transfere when decelerating at highway speeds was ANNOYING, but aside from that it was all good, especially off-road! was like night and day. the only exception being when i'd try to skillfully maneuver through paved, jam-packed parking lots and not pop, chirp, bang my head against the door glass and stall out!

I've always heard that the carrier replacing Detroits were much smoother than the Lockrites (which only replace the spider and side gears in the stock diff carrier). I did ALOT of towing with my 'quarter-ton' bob-tail, usually an 8' utility trailer loaded with yard crap or a 14' trailer pack with polarises. the only damage to my drivetrain that I might attribute to the locker was a spun bearing race with damaged seal and small oil leak, probably from all the ratcheting in conjunction with 250,000 mile axles. I'd like to think that my 1-ton full floating Sterling would be able to absorb any drivetrain shock loading, etc from a Detroit.

Oh well, it's not like I'm going to try and squeeze the SD down any of my favorite jeeping trails, or blast thru the many remote sand pits and bogs scattered all over south jersey if the factory limited slip locks up enough to get me thru the ever decreasing amount of snowfall we get here, than I'll be content.

btw, for the stock LS, don't I have to add friction modifiers when changing the oil in the Sterling and occasionally replace the clutch packs? I don't get it with Ford; why go with a clutch pack type LS in the Super Duty, and Zexel Torsen gear type LS's in the Ranger?

 

Assuming that the engine brake workedlike a light switch, and that the engine is actuall capable of dragging the tires, i might buy it, but unless the driver makes a mistake, this is still a non-issue. That would be driver error, and not the fault of the locker.
Stop and consider that NASCAR Cup cars use Detroit lockers. They haul some tail, and run from wide open throttle to standing on the brakes without issue. When they loop one, it is driver error. Now if they were driving on water they would have problems, but as I suggested in a reply above, that would be related to the tires, and not the locker. Same is true for street driven vehicles.
Semi trucks also use a full locker. See them crash far more often than I would like, but would be willing to bet that the crash was not related to having lockers active. They also drive with trailers, heavy trailers, and they get in some snow and ice as well.
Good enough for them, good enough for me too.
I believe the locker is blammed for drivers that simply can't control a vehicle.
A limited slip can also present these same possibilities and can also get interesting when the ground is not clean and dry, but to me I would much rather have two tires going, and not just the one with the least amount of traction.

 

When you change the diff fluid on a clutch type L/S friction modifier is added to reduce chatter, but it also reduces lock up. You don't have to add the friction moddifier at all but you may get some chatter. If you add the friction modifier add it in small amounts until the chatter just goes away. Yes with any L/S that has friction clutch packs, they wear out and need to be replaced periodically.

I do agree with you that a locker off road is the only way to go.