Lockers for 11.5 AAM axles finally available

[milo12]

Title says it all. These axles are on recent years diesel Dodges and some GM's.

https://brownsdiesel.com/products/details/1669/15/transmission/yukon-locker,-aam-11-5

At $1,175 they seem kinda expensive to me. I think I will wait a little longer.

 

[charlieaarons]

A true locker for the AAM 11.5 has been a LONG time coming; I would not consider the purchase of a 4X4 truck if lockers aren't available for it. I am very curious as to the internal mechanism of action of this locker.
I called them, it is a Detroit like mechanism.

Charlie

 

[milo12]

Hmm, that makes me a little less enthusiastic. A Detroit mechanism is good from a strength standpoint but not so good on the street. Lots of noise and clunking.

 

[olympiccop2002]

Maybe they will spark a fire under ARB to release one... I know about this time last year I sent ARB an email asking when the were going to release one and they told me 2-3 months. That has passed and then some and still no sign of them releasing one. Makes no difference to me at this point as I sold the Dodge.

 

[ujoint]

Hmm, that makes me a little less enthusiastic. A Detroit mechanism is good from a strength standpoint but not so good on the street. Lots of noise and clunking.

I run a Detroit in my van, it's not too bad on longer wheelbase rigs. An occasional "popping" is all I get after making tight turns.

 

[theMec]

This isn't a switchable locker?

Normal locker's (air & electric) have been available for sometime for the Dodge front 9.25" axles. I figure one axle w/ locking capability is enough for most purposes. I wish I had the $$ for one axle.

 

[milo12]

It is not switchable.

The problem with running only the front locker is you may find yourself in a situation where you are trying to drag 8000+ lbs of truck from one front tire. The puny front drive shaft and u-joints can not handle that and will break.

Here is a link to a guy in the Cummins forum that expoded his front driveshaft trying to back up a hill. He was trying to pull a tractor out. But the bottom line is the front driveshaft was taking all the load and failed.

http://www.cumminsforum.com/forum/6-7l-powertrain/169462-snapped-universal-joint-front-driveshaft.html

 

[brut4s]

I run a Detroit in my K5 Blazer with no problem.

 

[Chas Stricker]

I've ran Detroits in all my rigs except the one I own now and loved them. Really soft suspended, short wheelbased rigs need to be "driven", but, even my wife had no issues. With the longer wheelbases I'd hear a "bang" (like a ballpean hammer on the driveshaft) about once a month when it unloaded. I was wondering when they'd bring one out for these axles. The axle itself sure hangs down alot.
Chas

 

[mrblond]

Im going to take a swag here and say the Yukon brand is an overseas knock off the Detroit brand assembled in USA and looking at pics on the Yukon web site of the power lock LS diff and the other lockers looks like they just put up pics if the Eaton stuff?

Anyway, im going to wait a bit longer but may not have any choice and have to get the Yukon unit after all?

 

[smbisig]

Hey everyone, as of this morning, ARB officially released the AAM 11.5" 30 spline ARB Air Locker (Part No. RD139).

First batch of lockers are due in the USA mid to late September with a second batch arriving October.

Suggested retail is $1,063.30. ARB is currently taking pre orders.

Link to the official ARB press release

 

[Rockcrawler]

There goes the bank account...

 

[Metcalf]

Now I just need to buy that 03-05 Dodge that for the DoItAll II I'm not really kidding.....