So how are Detroit Lockers in the snow? I live in Alaska, I put one in my 74F250 resto project but havn't had a chance to drive it yet. I am a little concerned how it's gonna handle on ice. Hope to have it on the road by spring wish I could post a pic but I don't have a scanner or digital camera yet.

 

wish I could tell you from experience, but what I know is that they can be very scary on ice to say the least. They will kick *** breaking through deep snow but when it comes to ice they are not good because with an open diff one wheel will spin and try to provide traction and the other will not spin and will act like an anchor so the truck does not slide. Also, be VERY careful going around corners on ice because a locker supplies equal traction to both tires and the tires are not covering an equal distance. Not positive but I think if you have a locker in the front you can only lock one hub so one wheel will spin. hope I helped some.

 

When I bought my '76 Bronco about 8 years ago, it had an open front and limited-slip rear (very limited, no better than an open). My first upgrade to the rig was to install an Air Locker up front. This locker has worked flawlessly and greatly increased my traction especially in situations where one or more tires are off the ground. The best thing about the Air Locker is that I can leave it off when I don't need it and it steers just fine, like an open diff. Steering is a bitch when it is on; I can see why other lockers are not recommended for the front.
I eagerly waited two years for the arrival of the Air Locker for the 9-inch rear, but the ARB Corporation kept putting it off. I couldn't wait any longer so I bought a Detroit Locker for the rear. Because the back end of these early Broncos are fairly light, I did not expect much of a change in performance; however it actually seemeed to make a bigger improvement in traction than the front locker did especially on steep, twisty trails with deep ditches.

Here is what I have learned about lockers whether they are automatic or manual; used in front or back:
1. The faster your vehicle is moving, the less they seem to help. For example don't expect a locker to help you much if you are trying race over the top of a large sand dune; you may get a few extra feet at best. Releasing 10 PSI from your tires will help here more than any locker will.
2. If there is equal weight and traction on both tires, then a locker will not help one bit. Some people think that since they only see 1 tire spinning in the gravel that they are only gettting half traction. The fact is that in an open differential, both wheels will always recieve equal torque from the engine no matter what the surface conditions may be. That other tire that may seem to just be "just sitting there" is actually doing just as much to push you along as that tire kicking up all the dirt. It is only when weight and/or traction conditions between the two tires change that a locker will do any good.

You will notice some improvement with your locker in the snow, especially when it gets real deep and you start pushing it with your bumper. And you will really be glad you have one when you finally do have to stop to turn around and get back in the tracks you came up on. Not the place for open differentials.

It is true that you have to be more carefull on icy roads with a locker, but as long as you have a good set of studded snow tires, and you don't accelerate too hard, you shouldn't have any problems. Decelleration is almost as dangerous in a curve as acceleration. Slow down before the curve, give just enough throtle to maintain speed while in the curve, and do not accelerate until completely out of the curve.

Your Detroit Locker will probably be more annoying to you than dangerous. Your tires will wear out more quickly, front tires also. When making an accelerated turn (such as pulling out of your drive way) it is almost impossible to try to keep the inside tire from spinning up to the speed of the outside tire; even on dry pavement (probably the reason for increased tire wear). While accelerating or decellerating at hiway speeds, your vehicle may pull slightly to the left or right. It will take you by surprise at first until you get use to it. And finally, the most annoying drawback is a major increase in drivetrain slop. It feels like someone removed the needle bearings in every u-joint in your driveline. Letting up on the throtle slowly helps reduce shock from the sharp clunk which is no good for any of the drive train components.

I will soon be replacing my Detroit with an Air Locker which is finally available for the 9-inch Ford rear. It costs about twice as much, but it gives the best of both worlds. Is is too late for you to exchange your Detroit before you use it?

 

I have a 79 f350 4x4 dana 60 front & rear,35-12.50-16.5 BFG mudders, 4.56 ratio with detroit lockers front and rear.
My one experience in the snow was not pleasant. I was stuck on the top of a hill and any time I "touched" the gas the whole truck would move sidways about 2 to 3 feet. Very spooky. Scared the sh#$ out of me. Finally dug thru the snow to dirt and was able to get out. May be tall and skinny tires would have worked better?
Hope this helps, Jon

 

i am wondering if a locker would help me get both tires spinning when i am roasting them. just a crazy punk wanting a fast tire roasting truck.

 

69Man


Unless you break an axle, a locker will gurantee that both tires will be spinning.

If you are looking for something that will "help" get both tires spinning, a limited-slip might be a better choice. As long as traction between the two wheels is close, a limited-slip will smoke both. If one tire is on dry pavement and the other is in loose gravel or wet grass, a limited slip will help get you moving by adding torque to the wheel with more traction, but it may not be enough to leave a black mark on the road until both tires are on "solid ground".

The aditional tire wear and drivetrain slop a locker comes with is usually not worth the extra traction they provide over limited-slips, unless you are into extreme off-road driving where one tire is often hanging helplessly in the air.

 

Thanks for the info guys that locker has been in that axle for several years (I said this was a long project) and it ain't comin out... I had some info from a company called Boyce engineering in Utah they sold axle kits. At the time they had a 2&1/2 ton truck axle kit that was very complete axles, driveshafts, brake master cyl., springs, hangers, shocks, steering gear box ect. and it was only $5000.00. Hell I have almost $3000.00 in the two axles I have (dana44 hvy. hub frnt., dana60 rear). Might as well of installed the 2&1/2 ton kit. any body actually used one of these kits? What did you think of it?

 

i currently have a '69 F-250 w/ a dana 60. do you know of a limited slip that can modify that diff?