Front Mechanical Locker Experiences?

[MTVR]

Detroit Lockers, and Yukon Grizz lockers, aren't lockers at all. They're unlockers. They unlock the outside tire in turns for a moment. They're locked up at all other times.

Billie, you're thinking of the G80 gov bomb, or something.

Bingo...

 

[Metcalf]

If you had lincolns then you'll know 99% of what to expect. The other 1% is the quirks of the unit unlocking and relocking on occasion.
Really boils down to your own personal tolerance of the driving characteristics. Again, if you were welded at both ends you'll know pretty much what to expect.

Poor vehicle maneuverability?

Going in a straight line is the easy part.

 

[billiebob]

They do not unlock or coast when going downhill.

Many thanks, I find locking on steep rough rock strewn downhill a fabulous safety feature.

 

[Axlesup]

i vastly prefer a quality auto locker like the detroit or yukon in the rear and a selectable in the front. i would advise replacing the factory rear LSD with an auto locker. you will likely find that you no longer need a front locker.

with that said yes you can run an autolocker in the front many people do it. it will be easier to turn than a spool but not as easy as an open diff. your turning radius will increase, but so will your straight line traction.

 

[broncobowsher]

Ratcheting style locker (lock right, Detroit) in the front axle. In 2WD they disappear. Don't know they exist. I could drive around with the hubs locked and not know it.

As for the ratcheting action, under power the slowest tire gets the power and the faster tire is allowed to freewheel around.
Under coast, the fastest tire is driving the engine. In the rear axle, at highway speeds, in a curve, getting on and off the throttle may result in a little tail wag as you go from driving the inner tire to the outer tire driving the engine. Not sure what happens in a front axle, never drove on a paved twisty highway at speed while in 4WD.

The inability to turn while on a nasty bit of tight trail does sometimes happen, just back up a foot and try again and it will generally make the turn.

It also makes it much easier to break questionable drivetrain parts. If a wheel U-joint or CV is known for being a little weak, you can confirm pretty soon.

 

[BlindingWhiteTaco]

Just looking to get some feedback on some people who have actually run with a front mechanical locker on a vehicle.

I am about to do a front end refresh on my 06 Ram and would like to add a traction device while at it. The preference is to keep it simple without any wires or air running into the diff, looked into the helical diff, but the factory rear one has left me without traction on many occasions, with a heavy dual disc its not easy to the parking brake at the same time.

From searching around people seem to think its the end of the world running one in the front, and have not come up with many people who have actually have one. In the past I have run dual Lincoln without any issues, so driving quarks can be understood.

Also was wondering if they work with one side locked and the other in freewheel for 3 wheel drive in tight situations if needed.

If you want foolproof I would use a mechanical limited slip. Not as good as a true locker, but it isn’t depending on anything external to the differential.

 

[Buliwyf]

i vastly prefer a quality auto locker like the detroit or yukon in the rear and a selectable in the front. i would advise replacing the factory rear LSD with an auto locker. you will likely find that you no longer need a front locker.

with that said yes you can run an autolocker in the front many people do it. it will be easier to turn than a spool but not as easy as an open diff. your turning radius will increase, but so will your straight line traction.

Good advice. I felt the same way, a few years ago.

But I was kinda wrong. The rear diff, ''diffs'', much more in turns than the front. It's the major culprit in hurting turning radius. We blamed the front diff because we were running selectables up front that sucked at turning when locked. If more of us would have run an auto up front, and a LSD or open diff on the rear like the jeep guys did, we would have caught on to this sooner.

As we all know now, the front tires can't drive the vehicle, turn the vehicle, and fight the rear locker all at the same time. Where we messed up? We always changed, or adjusted, option 1 or 2. Never the 3rd one. We never suspected that the rear was being as big of a pain as it was.

If your front axle can handle it, selectable rear, autolocker front is the hottest setup for switchbacks and tight turns now. With the rear open, the front still pulls over obstacles very well, another bonus. Crank the steering over harder, and use more gas to pull the truck into the right direction. Cycle the rear locker now, instead of cycling the front off/on in turns like we used to.

Even rally cars have a ton of front drive, and on power steering built in now.

 

[Hillbilly Heaven]

Does the Detroit Tru-Trac fall into the limited slip category without wear parts? It does require 2 foot driving when in slippery situations. It does work better in the front than the rear when using the 2 foot method because of typical brake bias. Talking off road here, something like a muddy or wet slick rock uphill.

 

[b dkw1]

Does the Detroit Tru-Trac fall into the limited slip category without wear parts? It does require 2 foot driving when in slippery situations. It does work better in the front than the rear when using the 2 foot method because of typical brake bias. Talking off road here, something like a muddy or wet slick rock uphill.

No wear parts, the only time I had to tap the brakes was if one tire was in the air. If both tires are on the ground even just barely, you will not need to.

 

[Axlesup]

i like the auto locker in the rear for street driving. when turning right onto a busy street my inside tire doesn't spin needlessly. if it was a 100% off road tube buggy i would have selectable lockers front and rear.

the best setup for tight turns is doing a front dig preferably with a cutting brake on the rear, but your parking brake will do almost as good.

 

[wyowandering]

Go with the Tru-Trac in the front and rear. Excellent drivability- you hardly know its there. I'm running one in the rear of both a 69 camaro and my 71K10 and they will take a lot of abuse. I'm also running a spartan locker in the front of the K10 and in 2WD you don't even know its there but lock the hubs and its a different story. Very capable off-road but a lot of driveline feedback. On slick roads is where its terrible so I just lock one hub. When I re-gear I'm going to put a tru-trac in it.

 

[Metcalf]

i vastly prefer a quality auto locker like the detroit or yukon in the rear and a selectable in the front. i would advise replacing the factory rear LSD with an auto locker. you will likely find that you no longer need a front locker.

with that said yes you can run an autolocker in the front many people do it. it will be easier to turn than a spool but not as easy as an open diff. your turning radius will increase, but so will your straight line traction.

Unlock the rear axle and 99% of the issues with a front automatic locker go away. The only thing I notice on mine is a touch more return to center feel through the wheel when on the power. I can still drive one handed so it isn't a deal breaker.

My front automatic locker is WAY easier to steer than my other vehicle with a front selectable locker ( locked ) for SURE.
The front automatic locker is also WAY better at unlocking vs the selectable locker.

I prefer a front automatic locker vs front selectable locker in a lot of ways.

 

[billiebob]

Heres why I love Lockers going downhill, just shift into 4LO, Lock Up and Idle down.

 

[billiebob]

And UpHill all Locked Up. Just idle thru the divots created by those who don't have lockers.

 

[1000arms]

Heres why I love Lockers going downhill, just shift into 4LO, Lock Up and Idle down.

And UpHill all Locked Up. Just idle thru the divots created by those who don't have lockers.

Easy on the vehicle.

Easy on the vehicle occupants.

Easy on the terrain.