Off Roading Which locker?

[Blue Thunder]

Which is the bast locking diff out there? One that can handle the torque and the power?

 

[Jim Fulmer]

If it will ever come in I ordered a Lockrite for my Dana 70, strong and ease of installation, I ordered it just about the time the company sold so I've been on hold ever since.



Jim

 

[tarussell]

The only problem that I see with the Lock-Rite is that it is only as strong as the open diff. itself. If you choose a Detroit Locker than it will have four pionts of contact on the cross shaft insted of just two on the Lock-Rite. They all have pro's and con's , it just depends on what you do with your truck.

If your going for heavy duty than the D/L will deliver.

Just my $. 02 worth . Thomas

 

[griggsd]

I have ordered a mechanical locking differential from OxTrax for the front Dana 60 axle (3. 54), which is similar to an ARB, but is lever/cable activated instead of relying on air-activation. The unit appears to be stout. Will post feedback when installed. Dana 60 applications are now available and the company intends to have Dana 80 applications available later this spring.

 

[Boomer II]

I run D/L's in both ends of my Jeep, never had a problem.

 

[Blue Thunder]

If you noticed by my sig. , I need something very stout. I just blew up the factory limited-slip, and need one that is going to hold up to the 700+ lbs. of torque.

 

[Tom C]

Blue Thunder, Sounds like you need an ARB air locker. There tough.



Tom

 

[Bob Horrell]

I have a Detroit Locker and over 900 ft/lbs torque, tow heavy daily. The locker works great and no problems. I end up using 4X4 about twice a week while towing 12,000lbs. to get my tractor to a job site. The locker really helps. I would have to use 4X4 twice as much if I didn't have the locker.

 

[Boomer II]

All of my experience with lockers is in an off road rock crawling environment. ARB's are a great product, the problem with them is way too many systems to go wrong. The compressors are pretty notorious for failure, then you have air lines to snag on things. I've heard of folks breaking them also, then again I've heard of folks pretty much breaking everything at one time or another. Detroit lockers have their own idiosyncrasies too, but they are always there and always working.

 

[CAROLINA CUMMINS]

Does anyone know if Oxtrax has made yet or is planning on the cable actuated locker for a Dana 70??





Thanks, Steve

 

[Tom C]

All my expearence with lockers is with offroad rock crawiling apprications also (except for the limited slips for on-road). I & friends of mine have and have had D/L, Lock Rights, ARB's, Track locks, ETC. and you can ask any one of them which locker they would use and they would most likely say ARB. Cost usually makes most of us to use less expensive lockers. I think the ARB is one of the best Lockers made. It stronger than the rest and is very reliable. I NEVER had any problems with an ARB. The pumps that were problematic were the old design. Basically they would get to hot and have a melt down. That was because most people were filling there tire with air from the pump which would make the pump run continually. Normal operation for locker use only will not get the pump that hot anyway. You wont have a problem with the pressure lines if you install them correctly, taking time to cover them with vacume hose and zip tying them up. As for problems with the Locker itself, The older units had a problem with some screws coming loose. The lastest design does not. I am building another Landcruiser (frame up again) and will put ARB's in this one as well since the last ones performed flawlessly.



I would not waste my money on a Lock Right. I have had them break while driving down the road.



One avantage with a locker that u can turn off is that u have less tire wear and better handling on pavement. Just lock it in when needed.



well thats my 02 cents



good luck with you search for a locker.

 

[Mopar_Mudder]

Here are my thoughts.



Lock-Rite's are junk, sorry to here you wasted your money on one. Just because I got one cheap (almost free) I threw it in the Dana 60 in the back of my Ramcharger. It failed on the first outing, which I figured it would, but to my surprise it failed in the locked position some how, so now I have a spool



In my serious off-roader I run ARB's front and back, they are awsome and the best thing out thier in my opionion. You here people talk about problems with air lines and copmressors and such. Well in 7 years I have had no problems. But I did it right and put in braided stainless lines instead of the plastic ones that come with it, the compressor is in the cab where is is dry and clean all the time. Most failure I here of come down to install problems and compressors under the hood packed with mud and water.



My next choice would be the Detroit, just as good as the ARB but not selectable.



Oh yea, Detroit is making an electric lockable locker now also. It is a gear driven posi when it is not locked rather then just open like the ARB is. But it is new, only time will tell how it is.

 

[CUMINNTSTRKN]

i have arb's front and rear in my truck and they work great. i have beat the crap out of these units and they have not shown any weaknesses. i even have a slighty used one for a dana 70 if anyone is intertesed. i broke my pinion in my 70 and i upgraded to a dana 80.



everytime i drag race,or sled pull i i shift her into 4wd and lock both lockers and she hooks great!!!



jim

 

[mopars1]

I can't say what the best locker is but I will throw in that you cannot at this time get a Detroit Locker carrier for a Dana 80 unless you have a 4. 10 gear ratio. I have been searching for a good locker/posi for my 3. 54 ratio and cannot find a thing except the original carrier (trac lock) for my rear axle except for the Powertrax unit that is not being made at this time according to Richmond Gear who bought out Powertrax.



I had a Powertrax No-Slip and it did not work at all. I just ordered a carrier that should have originally came with my 80 but the computer would not let me order one without changing to the 4. 10 ratio when I ordered my truck.



Those of you thinking about the Detroit Locker that have the 3. 54 ratio you are out of luck at this time



Just my experience and have been searching for two years. (I have not researched the air or cable operated lockers)

 

[Jim Fulmer]

I'm doing this very same thing now and it is a pain in the a$$ to get something to replace the open diff, powertrac has been on order since Sept. and now a Detroit is on order from 3 different places just trying to get me one, Rick at www.samsoffroad.com in Tulsa, Ok. has been really good to me through this.



Jim

 

[tarussell]

To the best of my knowledge those w/ the lower numerical gear can use a D/L originally intended for a HD Dana 70 with the large carrier bearings- if you have the ring gear bolt holes enlarged to the 80 size. There is plenty beef left around the bolt hole mounting boss's when drilled for the larger screws.

HTH , Thomas

 

[Roger rodbolt]

mopars1,

Thomas is correct, you can put a Detroit Locker in your Dana 80 3:54. The Heavy Duty Detroit 70 seris has the same locking unit in it as the 80 and will fit by boring out the pinion bolt holes. Conversely I've found that you can only buy the ARB Airlocker in 35spline axles for a 3:54 ratio. Go figure!

Larry

 

[Sled Puller]

Originally posted by mopars1

.



Those of you thinking about the Detroit Locker that have the 3. 54 ratio you are out of luck at this time

Thats strange, that is exactly what I have in mine!



There is a trick to it!

 

[mopars1]

I was talking about taking a locker that was purchased and installing it for the proper application as I and most people are not going to modify it or take it to a machine shop. I could have put the Detroit locker made by TracTech in if I was to modify it. I tried that and it almost worked! I did not want to do that as I don't have the cash to throw around to get another one if it did not work or broke for some reason.



This is just from my experience. I am sure there are a lot of things that can be modified if you have the time, patience, and money to do so.

 

[tarussell]

I *THINK* that the 4. 10 and up D/L's for the 80 are infact HD 70 units that they have modified . More people w/ the higher numerical gears have called for them so that is why they offer it . Supply and demand ????