Detroit Locker: Looking for Real World Experience

[FleshEater]

I know they work off road.

What I want to know is, does anyone have one in their vehicle that makes long treks across the country?

I use my 4Runner for long haul trips and off roading at the destination. Usually 1,500-1,800 miles across the US.

What’s it like on the interstate? What about high speed in rain?

I see a lot of information online about DD’ing and going around street turns, etc. But I can’t find much about high speed interstate travel. I’ve had an Aussie locker in a Jeep before. It wasn’t terrible.

 

[Superduty]

I have had a Detroit Locker in at least one of my vehicle for the last 35 years. They work well and they are very reliable. They do take some getting used to. The vehicles that I have had them in are old broncos and Jeeps. These rigs were typically built for some hardcore off roading, but also driven to the trails, many times 100s of miles. If it doesn't bother you on a 20 mile highway trip you can drive it on a 1500 mile trip.

The Detroit will sometimes chirp a tire on turns. The thing you have to get used to and understand about Detroits is when the vehicle is coasting it seems to unlock and then as soon as you apply power it locks up again. So when you are on the highway if you take your foot off the gas you usually don't feel any change, but when you get on the accelerator again you may feel some movement or sideways push of the rear end.

I don't find it a big deal and it doesn't bother me. With that in mind, if you don't mind a selectable locker and there is a good one available for your vehicle, then that is probably the way to go.

 

[charlieaarons]

They’re fantastic. I’ve owned 4wds from 69 FJ40 to current 52 Dodge M37, 88 Bandeirante OJ50 and current Unimog U500 camper.
In a place with lots of winter icy roads. The U500 has selectable air lockers. My experience is mainly with autolockers in the REAR.
Detroit Lockers are safe and easy to get used to, with one caveat: 4wd MUST be used on icy roads. None of this show-off stuff using RWD on snow and ice. With this caution, I’ve safely driven with rear autolockers with wheelbase as short as 90” (2286mm).

 

[FROADER]

This was my daily driver/ off-road rig for almost 10 years, and I've had them in other DDs as well.



I live in Orange County, CA and drove it loaded up for multiple trips to Moab, San Felipe, Washington State, etc. I had a Detroit in the rear and a TrueTrac L/S up front. I never noticed it affecting driving characteristics on the interstate. As mentioned it doesn't take much to get used to, and as long as you're smart in inclement weather, it should be fine for what you're looking for.

 

[FleshEater]

Thanks for the replies! This was exactly what I wanted to know.

Selectable lockers are the way to go for all around use, but they can also fail (air leaks, or lack of electronic engagement). The Detroit seems to be more useful for lighter off roading needs, but is also capable of harder stuff, too.

I do not plan on doing hardcore off roading in my 4Runner, but the open diff leaves a lot to be desired. I did consider a True Trac, but they’re not as useful as a locker. At one point I had a Rubicon Jeep, and never engaged the lockers. It handled everything I did just fine in an open configuration.

Lot of money to spend to decide on the wrong thing...

 

[plh]

Front and rear or just rear?

 

[FleshEater]

Front and rear or just rear?

I was mainly focusing on the rear. I am completely new to Toyotas. So I’m not sure if a True Trac would be good in the front or not.

It’s an 08’ 4Runner SR5.

 

[bkg]

Only negative is getting used to the Detroit in snow/ice.

some people hate it. I always found it very predictable.

 

[FleshEater]

Only negative is getting used to the Detroit in snow/ice.

some people hate it. I always found it very predictable.

I just put a spool in my Geo and have bombed all around snow and ice all winter long.

The Toyota will never see salt here and most of our trips are during summer or fall. So probably no snow then either.

Other than that I only drive the Toyota to let it run every so often. It’s not a DD. Only am exploration vehicle.

 

[FleshEater]

I think you all have convinced me to throw a Detroit in the rear. East Coast Gear Supply offers a Torsen Limited Slip for the front.

Off to research that next.

Re-gearing without a locker seems pointless. Plan is to head out to Northern California next year, so the locker will be a must have.

 

[FROADER]

If you have experience with a rear spool, on ice... you're going to feel silly for even starting this thread after you get a Detroit in there.

I like the L/S up front for a DD/ non dedicated off-roader. That SAS Explorer I posted had a TrueTrac in the front and got me everywhere (Rubicon, every trail in Big Bear, Moab, etc.) I wanted to go. It was beneficial being an automatic, so I could 2 foot while driving obstacles to trick the L/S into spinning the tire I wanted to spin.

You won't regret it, and I completely agree that re-gearing without putting some kind of locker or L/S is a waste of time and money.

 

[smokeysevin]

I am running a Trutrac in the rear, and a Supra Clutch-Type LSD up front. The front end drives really differently with the hubs locked vs unlocked, just be aware of that. It is probably easier on the driveline/steering with the torsen style out front vs a clutch system but you can totally tell a difference vs open/unlocked.

I have been super happy with the Trutrac in the rear though even in powder sand/mud and it is excellent on the road.

Sean

 

[beef tits]

I have had the detroit locker and would never buy one again. Turning on pavement sucks. Winter driving sucks. On my old Frontier, even without applying the throttle, the tires would bind and the whole truck bucked if I were making a u-turn. Slightest bit of snow and I had to put it in 4x4. Rear wheels would just spin spin spin. Wore BFG MT's out in 10-12k miles. A set of KO2s would last me 15-20k. 90% city/highway driving. For highway specific driving? Wasn't very noticeable.

For a >20% pavement pounder; I would recommend the e-locker. The money you save in tires over time will be MUCH more than the up-front cost of the e-locker.

FWIW I have also have had a truetrac in a different vehicle. I would get the Truetrac in the rear over the Detroit any day of the week and would get the e-locker over both. I would not under any circumstances put anything other than an e-locker up front.

 

[billiebob]

If your question is about interstate travel, no worries a Detroit Locker only becomes irritating when manuvering around town at low speeds. On the interstate where your steering inputs barely register you will feel nothing.

But off road, a selectable locker is best. The detroit locker was built for muscle cars and drag racing, street racing where it was king. All the negatives listed so far are reasons to not spend money adding to anything off road or just driven around town. But a selectable locker if you can think does it all with a full open dif when you don't want it locking up.

If you are spending money on a regear just buy the best locker you can find. The detroit is built for street racing.

 

[bkg]

If your question is about interstate travel, no worries a Detroit Locker only becomes irritating when manuvering around town at low speeds. On the interstate where your steering inputs barely register you will feel nothing.

But off road, a selectable locker is best. The detroit locker was built for muscle cars and drag racing, street racing where it was king. All the negatives listed so far are reasons to not spend money adding to anything off road or just driven around town. But a selectable locker if you can think does it all with a full open dif when you don't want it locking up.

If you are spending money on a regear just buy the best locker you can find. The detroit is built for street racing.

First time I’ve ever heard the “built for street racing” argument. I agree that a selectable locker is probably better (owned many ARB’s and elockers) for most people, once a person learned how a Detroit reacts, it’s very easy to accommodate it into driving habits.