New locker time.....

[CWLONGSHOT]

Well boys.. the problems I have had with this ECTED axle are nearing an end... I am quite fed up with it!! Time for a new locker!!!

 

Thinking full case Detroit Locker. IO have had one before in a mustang on the street and with the long DS and auto tranny in the MJ it should be just fine.

 

I have been the lunch box route and altho I do have a open carrier on the shelf its not what I want in the MJ. I was ready to install a Tru Track in the front D30, but all winter the ECTED had been non functional and I don't like that!

 

Today I dropped the DS and pulled the cover on the 44 to see what was going on, i had an idea that maybe I wasn't allowing a full 12V to get to the axle and that was the issue. But once I got the tires off the ground and was able to "bias" the tires. (Turn one against the other) I saw that the clutches where worn. I installed this back in Feb 2007. Now in its defence, I haven't been easy on it, don't get me wrong, I don't abuse it. but with the 4:56's and allow axles driven by a torque 4.0L it was "fun" to catch the occasional rice burner with a fart can holdin' his arse at a stop lite. :yes: SO, I'm sure I hastened its demise. I'm planning on sending it back to Auburn for a rebuild and a once over. Then toss it on Ebay and get rid of it.

 

What do you have for a rear locker and what do you like?

 

CW

[wyk]

I have a 65 mustang with a hot 302 bored 060, a racing C4 that snaps your neck when you put it in gear at idle, a reinforced frame, slammed 2", with a detroit locker 9" Ford rear end running 3:73's. The last time I opened it was 1997. Which, incidentally, was the last time I put (fully synthetic)fluid in it. It has worked flawlessly under stupid abuse ever since, and doesn't chew up tires any more than I can burn them off.

 

The Eaton in my Colorado with 3.73's, behind a 225 hp I5, has been great as well. It has 140,000 trouble free miles and works like new. But, I am easy on my trucks compared to you guys.

 

I am so unimpressed the only 4X4 I own does not have a locker. If anything, a 4X4 should make a locker mandatory. Otherwise, they should call them 2X2's and my other cars and trucks 2X4's. ;).

[Darren]

I loved the Detroit in my MJ. No problems on the street at all. It was a little noisy in stop and go traffic, but that shouldn't be an issue with an automatic. I'd buy another one for the rear without hesitation, the front however, now that was a mistake.

[cracker]

Detroit :cheers:

[CWLONGSHOT]

I'd buy another one for the rear without hesitation, the front however, now that was a mistake.

 

EXACTLY my thinking!!

 

I never had one in the front, but one guy in my club did. I have ridden in and driven that YJ and I can tell you you are spot on correct. IMHO, a Detroit in the front of a vehicle like a CJ/YJ,TJ is a mistake. Now go figure, I HAVE and have had lock-rites and Aussies in the front axle of jeeps and they are fine. In fact the Aussie in my TJ on 35's is completely invisible. The mud terrains are noisy enough that you do not even hear or feel the ratcheting in turns! LOL. Even so, I pretty sold on the Tru track for the front. Its just gonna have to wait for a while...I'm gonna fix the D44 first! maybe if mommas agreeable, I'll grab some funds from the tax return and do it quickly!! :brows: :brows:

 

Thanks for the tips and opinions guys, keep 'em coming!! :thumbsup:

 

CW

[jpnjim]

I'd buy another one for the rear without hesitation, the front however, now that was a mistake.

 

EXACTLY my thinking!!

 

I never had one in the front, but one guy in my club did. I have ridden in and driven that YJ and I can tell you you are spot on correct. IMHO, a Detroit in the front of a vehicle like a CJ/YJ,TJ is a mistake. Now go figure, I HAVE and have had lock-rites and Aussies in the front axle of jeeps and they are fine. In fact the Aussie in my TJ on 35's is completely invisible. The mud terrains are noisy enough that you do not even hear or feel the ratcheting in turns! LOL. Even so, I pretty sold on the Tru track for the front. Its just gonna have to wait for a while...I'm gonna fix the D44 first! maybe if mommas agreeable, I'll grab some funds from the tax return and do it quickly!! :brows: :brows:

 

Thanks for the tips and opinions guys, keep 'em coming!! :thumbsup:

 

CW

 

 

 

I'm running 33-36" tires on a 30ft (with Alloy-USA shafts), and 60 rear (with a full Detroit & 35sp Moser shafts),

 

& went back & forth between going with a full Detroit, or a LockRight in the front.

 

 

With 4.56's I'd have to pull the gear set to put either in a D30,

but I went with the lockright so I could swap the spiders back in if I broke it.

 

Plus, for whatever reason, lockrights seem to deal with the shock load of a broken axle better than Detroits.

 

I didn't think I'd snap a rear shaft, so I was less worried about running a Detroit there.

(I don't carry spare rear shafts, so I'd be screwed either way :ack: ).

 

For the 'Grandpa Jeep', depending on what (rear) axle I end up swapping in, I'm going to try to find an old school Power Lock (beefy, clutch type LSD), and run it tight.

They can be very effective on the street, but like anything with clutches, only last so long offroad.

 

Spools aren't bad in MJ's either (rear), and they don't bang like Detroits. :D

[jeepcoma]

You liked the aussie in the front, why rule it out for the rear?

[CWLONGSHOT]

Pow-r-Loc's where the bomb!! I have actually seen one break a axle shaft!!! Yes they are good LS's! but don't think they have anything on the modern Tru-track and to a lesser extent the Torsen differential!! So for the front (when I do do it) that's my choice!

 

I thought about the cost factor being I have a open case on the shelf and the $300 cost of the Aussie/Loc-rite compared to the $600 for the full Detroit. Good argument....

 

I never considered the spool as this is not on the trail that much. (Once a month on average.) Besides the increased cost of tires kinda negates it for me. But I'm sure you are correct, the same qualities that make the Detroit mild mannered apply to the spool.

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

You liked the Aussie in the front, why rule it out for the rear?

 

Mostly durability.

Working in the front is one thing as you don't run 100% of the time with the front axle engaged... Don't get me wrong, It will hold up, but it's simply not as durable as a full cased carrier/locker. Why go backwards in strength.. I men I put a 44 in there for strength, why ham string it with a not as strong setup?

 

CW

[jeepcoma]

Gotcha. Pardon my ignorance, but what's the difference between a "full case" locker and what the Aussie does?

[jpnjim]

Gotcha. Pardon my ignorance, but what's the difference between a "full case" locker and what the Aussie does?

 

The carrier, or differential is the biggest internal part of your axle.

 

The ring gear bolts to it, & the carrier bearings attach to either side (where it bolts into the axle housing).

The parts that allow one wheel to spin faster than the other in turns (differential), are inside that carrier.

 

A full case (automatic) locker takes the place of the entire carrier, and it's differential will lock, and unlock as needed, and still allow one wheel to spin faster than the other in turns.

 

The locker's case is built specifically to house the locking mechanism inside, and (hopefully) is up to the task of handling the shock loads of locking & unlocking.

 

An Aussie/Lockright etc lunchbox does the same thing, but instead of replacing the entire carrier, it just replaces the spider gears inside an open (non-locking) carrier with cogged parts that will lock & unlock as needed.

 

In some applications, the factory open carrier is considered the weak link, and putting a lockright to it just puts it under even more stress than it was as an open.

[89eliminator]

I loved the Detroit in my MJ. No problems on the street at all. It was a little noisy in stop and go traffic, but that shouldn't be an issue with an automatic. I'd buy another one for the rear without hesitation

 

x2

[Pete M]

Spools aren't bad in MJ's either (rear), and they don't bang like Detroits. :D

 

 

but holy crap do they chirp the tires a lot. :ack:

[jpnjim]

Spools aren't bad in MJ's either (rear), and they don't bang like Detroits. :D

 

 

but holy crap do they chirp the tires a lot. :ack:

 

 

I messed around with different tires, and pressures,

Boggers were the worst (for me),

BFG AT's were nearly silent, with the PSI pumped up (35+).

 

So I daily drove with BFG's outback for most of the time I ran the spool.

 

 

The only time they were bad was in concrete parking garages,

where they Absolutely Screamed, no matter how slow I drove. :clapping:

 

People walking in the garage would do everything but dive out of the way :rotfl2:

then snap me a filthy look, only to see I was barely going 10MPH. :rotf:

 

FWIW, 15 minutes of running the Boggers made them look like I hit them at a 45* angle with a belt sander.

[Pete M]

the 88 is wearing generic 31s with like 40 psi. makes a horrible racket just driving it across the street. :yes:

[dakal]

33's with a detroit :brows: :brows: :brows: :brows:

 

the clunk has scared me, but won't trade it.

[CWLONGSHOT]

Thanks for the comments guys!!

 

Altho I quickly tought about it... I really would never consider a spool on the street for tire wear reasons. I know one would be far more predictable. Its on, always on and always the same.

 

I have had a couple lockrites, one E-Z locker and one Aussie. While not identical, work, assemble and function nearly identical. I have a E-Z in the TJ back with the D35. I removed and re-installed at at least twice. Thinking the thing was broken. It was always fine. Unloading too many time to remember. The entire vehicle would lurch and "catch" and continue just fine. Banging and popping where the norm. I let my Pop drive it for a while and it was nearly invisible. So What Paul says about driving style is spot on! Its absolutely amazing the differences wheel base and what transmission makes! I threw a lock rite in the D35 of the MJ before the D44 swap. That thing was awesome! Never even a hiccup!

The Aussie is in the front axle of Eugene. it is also invisible on the street. But that's because its not a drive axle. Off road its what it should be with the only draw back a limit on my turning radius.

 

I'm leaning to my first decision, the full Detroit. Like I said before. I have had a full Detroit on the street before. it was a Mustang with a auto and a V8. It was vary mild mannered. But was before I really knew what it was. i blew a rear and bought a replacement with the Detroit in it. At first we thought we had bought a "problem" rear as it would "click" all the time in turns. LOL... It would "pop" occasionally. Again leaving me thinking it was on its way out... It wasn't, it was fine and Hole shots would leave two equal length marks. Finally a lube swap and some reading showed me what I had.

 

I have spoken with Auburn a couple more times and this D-REX plan seems a good one. they will send you out a replacement differential, BEFORE you pull yours! Allowing you to swap it in and not do with out your truck! They need the receipt, (in my case long gone) OR the numbers off the case. Then you pay for a clutch pack and they send you the replacement diff.

 

CW

[High2by]

The Detroits are nice, no doubt.

 

I run Aussies both front and rear in my XJ. I have broken rear D44 Yukon alloys, both sides at different times, running 35's and the locker is pristine. They broke where the splines engage the locker. I have also broken D30 Alloy USA shafts where the splines engage the locker without any damage to the Aussie. Granted, the rear clicks something awful and I do get some weird looks :nuts: when pulling into parking lots, but they have proven themselves to me. For the money, they would get my vote.

:cheers:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Well,

I'm just about ready to drop the hammer on the Detroit Locker. Got a good price and got rid of one unit. Now I need to pull the cover and get the numbers off to Auburn for the replacement. (Tonight hopefully) In the mean time, I'll get the Detroit ordered and here along with the new bearings. Then swap everything in the first week (week end) in May.

 

Watch for the pics...

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

Its here!!! I got my Detroit Locker today!!! Install will be TUESDAY!! Stay tuned!!!

 

Image Not Found

 

CW

[CWLONGSHOT]

Its in and its WONDERFUL!!!

 

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1230&p=238715#p238715

 

CW

[kro10000]

Its in and its WONDERFUL!!!

Thats what she said...

 

 

Sorry had to :brows:

[CWLONGSHOT]

Just a quick update:

 

This unit is even better tahn the one I had 20+ years ago in my Mustang!!! I havent had it on the trail as yet, but on the street its nearly invisable!! I should have done this from the start!!!

 

CW

[dakal]

and you did :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping:

[cracker]

Just a quick update:

 

This unit is even better tahn the one I had 20+ years ago in my Mustang!!! I havent had it on the trail as yet, but on the street its nearly invisable!! I should have done this from the start!!!

 

CW

 

I am glad to hear you say that.

 

I tell everyone that and they look at me like I am insane.

 

Detroits rock :cheers: