Detroit lockers

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Ok, who here runs an eaton detroit locker? Do you notice any improvement? And who has the best prices on this unit?

 

[JayC]

I had one in my car with the 9 inch. Great unit.. its a little noisey on the street but they're very durable.

 

[DR BOOST]

I ran one for a few years and now im much happier with a spool. the locker is unpredictable and very annoying

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

Unpredictable? In what way? How so?

 

[Black3]

Unpredictable? In what way? How so?

Detroits are a hardcore all business locker, not a street friendly type of locker like what GM uses in their trucks. With a Detroit going around corners at partial or off throttle they can either harshly lock or unlock, jerking, and making ugly driveline clanks. When cornering they are made to unlock and thus work like a 1 legger. The best way I can think of for explaining the street characteristics of a Detroit are, unlike a nice tight clutch unit that you know you can do a donut with because you know the clutches are gonna hold tension on both wheels under power, a Detroit can actually let you do a one legged smoking circle if you crank the wheel and mat the skinny pedal without first locking the rear wheels. With a Detroit you have to start the tires spinning while going straight to engage the locker and then you would cut the wheel for all day donuts because once locked it would stay locked until you let off. They are definitely a good straight line or off-road unit fine for a truck on the road but not real graceful on a street car. For a pure strip car I'd go with a spool and for a street car go with a clutch type unit like GM and Chrysler use. I put a full spool in the rear of my 350 CJ-7 and preferred it to a Detroit locker even on the street because it was predictable, I knew it was locked.

 

[TOOMANYTOYS]

I am using a Detroit Tru-Trac in my other car and couldnt be happier. Its smooth, quiet and very predictable. And this is in a car that makes close to 600hp and is a 5 speed with a Centerforce clutch. I got the best price at Summit.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I could care less about cornering. All I want, is an absolute guarantee, that both of my wheels are locked in a perfectly even 50/50 forward position, at a street light, with about a 10 psi launch. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless. and I don't do donuts either, so that doesnt apply.

 

[driveshaft man]

I have installed a number of Detroits in off road vehicles and my experience has been as stated above except ;you must be COASTING around a corner to disengage...power on ,its locked up. They are noisy at times but have enough slack to let you drive at hwy speeds OK.Drive to reverse slack is annoying but normal. VERY sensitive to tire diameters....tires must roll out the same or it will pull toward side of smaller tire under power...same with spool.Most friendly street unit is Eaton clutch type posi unit.Equal tire pressure and equal traction(not in dirt with one tire) will provide very satisfactory results 99%of the time.You might have to stagger tire pressures if the car transfers weight heavy to one side.

 

[DR BOOST]

I could care less about cornering. All I want, is an absolute guarantee, that both of my wheels are locked in a perfectly even 50/50 forward position, at a street light, with about a 10 psi launch. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless. and I don't do donuts either, so that doesnt apply.

judging by the above criteria, a spool is the best choice

 

[bad V6]

The Detroit Locker does take some getting use to, makes noises while going into and out of a corner. The thing that bothers me the most is the slack going from forward to reverse. If any throttle is applied while cornering mine locks, makes it rough on the shoes out back. I have a one in an F-250 4x4 P/U, around 425 HP and 900+ lb/ft at the rear wheels. I don't have any regrets about installing it after grenading the stock Dana 60 differential. I know that both out back are going to pull when needed, however I have to be cautious on wet or slick roadways.

I do know of a few locals running a spool on the street. To me they have a lot of unnecessary tire wear, but they are putting power to both tires all the time.

 

[Timbuick]

I have a powertrax locker on my Mopar. feels the same as the Detroit locker, tends to steer from the rear as both wheels lock in. Quite strange on bendy roads, no problem in a straight line.

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I have installed a number of Detroits in off road vehicles and my experience has been as stated above except ;you must be COASTING around a corner to disengage...power on ,its locked up. They are noisy at times but have enough slack to let you drive at hwy speeds OK.Drive to reverse slack is annoying but normal. VERY sensitive to tire diameters....tires must roll out the same or it will pull toward side of smaller tire under power...same with spool.Most friendly street unit is Eaton clutch type posi unit.Equal tire pressure and equal traction(not in dirt with one tire) will provide very satisfactory results 99%of the time.You might have to stagger tire pressures if the car transfers weight heavy to one side.

coasting around a corner? No problem. slack at highway speeds? I don't get it. why would it not like highways?

And the eaton clutches. (isn't that what we have from the factory?) I was talkin to the eaton rep at the autorama this weekend, and he said sometimes, if you're getting any slip, the clutch type units will start to transfer torque to a wheel. Is this true? I want no transfer. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless of what's goin on as far as traction. Spools are not an option. This is a street car ONLY.
With the amount of vht on the tracks, I could run factory radials on a pegleg and hook. That doesn't take any talent. Traction on the street, with a stock turbo and a 2800 rpm converter does however. I need all the help I can get.
Noise isn't a problem. Winning every race I get into is my only focus.

 

[Black3]

I could care less about cornering. All I want, is an absolute guarantee, that both of my wheels are locked in a perfectly even 50/50 forward position, at a street light, with about a 10 psi launch. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless. and I don't do donuts either, so that doesnt apply.

The donut description was just an example of what to expect from a Detroit locker. For the street you want a tight limited slip.

 

[wbrophy]

I have used one for 8/9 years in a 9" low 10 second Fbody street/strip car, it clicks on a very tight turn like in a parking lot and you can't get into the gas on a turn but other than that 1.4 launches in a 3950 lb. car every weekend all that time could not break it, I would go that route in a heartbeat for a strong street/strip car again because there are no clutches to wear out.

 

[hensleyt]

Ive run a Detroit locker on the street with some 4X4 Jeeps just like every one described them, noisy scary in the wet. My last jeep we ran a ELocker from Detroit, unlocked it is sweet. hit the switch it is locked.These thing can take a beating,lots of wheel spin throwing rocks every where and it has never broke.If I was going locker this is the way Id go. I think Eaton makes one to.Don't know if they make them for 8.5

 

[Turbo6Smackdown]

I thought eaton was the maker of the detroit locker.

 

[hensleyt]

You are correct,made me do some recherche One mint of looking I came up with the other Elocker that was in my head, It Auburn ECTED locker.they have a 8.5 for are cars.Auburn is good stuff.

 

[driveshaft man]

coasting around a corner? No problem. slack at highway speeds? I don't get it. why would it not like highways?

And the eaton clutches. (isn't that what we have from the factory?) I was talkin to the eaton rep at the autorama this weekend, and he said sometimes, if you're getting any slip, the clutch type units will start to transfer torque to a wheel. Is this true? I want no transfer. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless of what's goin on as far as traction. Spools are not an option. This is a street car ONLY.
With the amount of vht on the tracks, I could run factory radials on a pegleg and hook. That doesn't take any talent. Traction on the street, with a stock turbo and a 2800 rpm converter does however. I need all the help I can get.
Noise isn't a problem. Winning every race I get into is my only focus.

sorry ,I mis-stated the slack issue here
I think the transfer issue here is more a Truetrac design than a clutch plate design.If traction is near equal ,the clutches will hold it and is rebuildable.
But it sounds like the Detroit locker is the best bet for your demands

 

[driveshaft man]

I thought eaton was the maker of the detroit locker.

I think Eaton bought Dyneer(who was the Detroit Locker parent co.) about 3 years ago.And yes ,Eaton shows a Elocker for the 8.5#19659-1,and is 30 spline but it requires different bearings than factory(LM102911-49)

 

[gczarny]

I could care less about cornering. All I want, is an absolute guarantee, that both of my wheels are locked in a perfectly even 50/50 forward position, at a street light, with about a 10 psi launch. I want both wheels spinning forward regardless. and I don't do donuts either, so that doesnt apply.

then you want it ,period