Topic: detroit or detroit LS

[yotacrawler4]

please tell me what would be better i have a high pinion front, dual cases , 4.88 and im  goiin to get the bobby super set so what would be better.

[yotabj]

Detroit..I have one in mine....LS are a waste of money

[All_Set]

Limited Slip.

One really bad characteristic of a LS is that once you get a tire in the air, LS acts like an open. 

[hudlenutz]

For the record:

The detroit LS works on worm gears, which means it balances the torque between the two tires.  So... if you have a tire in the air, yes, you can spin it like a dj on friday night, but if you use the brakes, you will apply torque to the free wheel.  The torque will then be transfered to the wheel with superior traction.  I have a truetrac in the rear, and I do this all the time.  It works just like a selectable locker, I just pull on the ebrake a little. 

To answer your question: 

If you wheel snow and ice or get nervous on side hills (and other off camber situations), go with the LS.

If you wheel rocks or dirt or trails or something where you just need to have the wheels locked, go with the locker.

There are lots of good reviews here on the aussie locker.  You might check it out since it's cheap too.  It looks like your truck is pretty built, so I might hold out for a selectable locker like a toyota e-locker or an arb.  Then you could have your full lock, and still demonstrate slippery side hill prowess.   

[toybuilt]

ARB Air locker!

[Rocksurfer]

ARB Air locker!

Great when they work twice as bad as a limited slip when the aircompressor fails.

[toybuilt]

Great when they work twice as bad as a limited slip when the aircompressor fails.

I had front and rear air lockers and never ever had any sort of problems with them

[Rocksurfer]

I had front and rear air lockers and never ever had any sort of problems with them

It's only a matter of time.


Couldn't tell you how many times I've fixed peoples ARB's, club members and people we have met on the trail, were stranded because their ARB was not working and knew nothing on how they work and actuate. Just this summer we fixed a guy up on the Dusy we met. If we wouldn't have come along he was screwed on the trail with open diffs in his Jeep that was only moderatly fixed up. You can't beat 'em when they work, if you don't know everything about how they work and the stupid sensors that get dirty and fail to open keeping all that air bottled up and your locker open you don't want to be on a technical trail. Or the pump shuts down and now you have no air. I'd prefer to weld my diff than run ARB's, at least I'd know it's there and working since I'm still moving.

[toynorcal]

For the record:

The detroit LS works on worm gears, which means it balances the torque between the two tires. So... if you have a tire in the air, yes, you can spin it like a dj on friday night, but if you use the brakes, you will apply torque to the free wheel. The torque will then be transfered to the wheel with superior traction. I have a truetrac in the rear, and I do this all the time. It works just like a selectable locker, I just pull on the ebrake a little.

To answer your question:

If you wheel snow and ice or get nervous on side hills (and other off camber situations), go with the LS.

If you wheel rocks or dirt or trails or something where you just need to have the wheels locked, go with the locker.

There are lots of good reviews here on the aussie locker. You might check it out since it's cheap too. It looks like your truck is pretty built, so I might hold out for a selectable locker like a toyota e-locker or an arb. Then you could have your full lock, and still demonstrate slippery side hill prowess.

Thats all the answer you need, but I wanted to chip in on the aussie locker. I havent used one, but with all the great reviews they get and a good price, it's my first choice if I need another locker.

[derek]

never had a problem with my arb. will never go with anything but a selectable locker in the front again.
and for the record, i dont use the arb compressor. it runs off my oba (converted toy ac compressor).
and even if that failed, my tank holds enough air to run it for a few days.

derek

[derek]

given the choice of a ls or detroit, it would be detroit all the way.
my rear detroit has taken all i throw at it and i imagine a front detroit would do the same.
but i would definitely be hooking up hydro assist. 

derek

[Rocksurfer]

Thats all the answer you need, but I wanted to chip in on the aussie locker. I havent used one, but with all the great reviews they get and a good price, it's my first choice if I need another locker.

  Half the price and has had great reviews so far.

[sdiker]

My last was a detroit LS, it was ok but even with brake pedal it would not help in alot of situations, I changed it out for a high pinon and a full detroit, I have been many times over happier with the full locker and I dont have to worry if it will work or not, I call it peace of mind, also I drive my rig in the ice and snow many months of the year so the full locker up front is no problem just learn its quirks on the ice.  I also had an air locker but I did not like it as much as the detroit.  The last trail run in the hills I went on there were 3 rigs that had problems with their air lockers, even if most of the time the air lockers work or dont have issues I wanted more reliability and I wanted to know it would actually work when I needed it.
It really is hard to beat a good detroit locker.  But as it was said above if you get nervous on side slopes and such a LS might be better, I just simply hated using the brakes for biasing while easing over a rock and then sometimes it would not engage even with the brake biasing.
Good Luck.

[bluetoy84]

If you get a LS you'll probably be dissapointed . I would reccomend either a detroit ez-locker or lock right. Full case detroits are over priced.

I know everyone says get an aussie locker , but the only one I have installed was a P.I.T.A. I have installed a dozen or more lock rights and ez-lockers with no problems. The one aussie locker I installed would not fit through the opening in the carrier. I had to grind on the carrier to get it to fit.    Has anyone else had this problem ? Also the springs did not want to fit through the slots that they go in. Maybe I just got one that was machined wrong  I have never had any trouble with a lock right or ez-locker. They have worked great for me.

[sdiker]

Just a quick note on the easy lockers, If you have tires over 33" I would avoid them unless you drive real easy, Every year I see a couple of the Non full case lockers break, the full case detroit I have never seen one broken although I am sure it happens just not near as much as the ez versions.  I got my detroit full lockers for about $450 a piece which is not all that more considering the peace of mind they provide.  I am sure many out there have good luck with the cheaper versions I even ran them for a while until I witnessed so many of them broken on the trail. 

[bluetoy84]

Just a quick note on the easy lockers, If you have tires over 33" I would avoid them unless you drive real easy, Every year I see a couple of the Non full case lockers break, the full case detroit I have never seen one broken although I am sure it happens just not near as much as the ez versions. I got my detroit full lockers for about $450 a piece which is not all that more considering the peace of mind they provide. I am sure many out there have good luck with the cheaper versions I even ran them for a while until I witnessed so many of them broken on the trail.

That's odd. I have ran them for years with 36" + tires and the only problem I have ever had was a broken a set of dowel pins due to a broken axle. I just replaced the pins and it was fine. Even with the pins broke it never quit pulling , it just wouldn't unlock. I have seen full case detroits break from the shock load of breaking an axle. This normally shears the teeth off the gears which costs serious $$$$ to fix and also leaves you stranded with only 2wd.

I know of a dozen or more guys running lunchbox lockers up front and have never seen one break. I have seen a few broken ones before , but they were in the rear diff on JEEPS not in a toyota.

I guess it's just all a matter of opinion   and how much cash your willing to spend. Good luck on whatever you decide 

[All_Set]

Lol..  Did you read the directions?  To install an Aussie locker you have to grind the carrier slightly in two spots.     You've got to do this cuz the Aussie is so much beefer than the lockrite!         

I've had to grind the carrier for all three I've installed so, yes it's normal.

I know everyone says get an aussie locker , but the only one I have installed was a P.I.T.A. I have installed a dozen or more lock rights and ez-lockers with no problems. The one aussie locker I installed would not fit through the opening in the carrier. I had to grind on the carrier to get it to fit.    Has anyone else had this problem ? Also the springs did not want to fit through the slots that they go in. Maybe I just got one that was machined wrong  I have never had any trouble with a lock right or ez-locker. They have worked great for me.

[blackdiamond]

please tell me what would be better i have a high pinion front, dual cases , 4.88 and im  goiin to get the bobby super set so what would be better.

I have experience with this exact situation.

When I first geared and "locked" my truck I opted to install a Detroit in the rear and a Truetrac in the front because I wanted to minimize the risk of broken parts in the front end.  I have been to Moab a couple of times with 4.88 gears, a single 4:70 t-case, 33 inch BFG Muds and the Detroit/Truetrac combination and it has performed excellent.  I have done almost all of the famous trails with relative ease.  As examples, I have driven Pritchett Canyon, with the exception of the Rock Pile, with only one minor tug required because I didn't want to mess with a potential roll over...I did drive it up Rocker Knocker Hill on the first attempt.  I have driven Potato Salad Hill with ease, come out of Mickey's Hot Tub and numerous challenging and fun places.

Having said all of that, I have an Aussie Locker sitting in my garage and soon after Christmas I will get getting a set of 30 spline Longs and upgrading the front end.  I am tired of powerbraking to get the Truetrac to "lock" better (an automatic and torque would make this easier).

My suggestion is this: If you have the money to install two Detroits, you could install an Aussie in the rear differential (I hear they work well) and get an ARB or Electric locker for the front for the ultimate in economical building.  I am installing an Aussie in the front to minimize cash expense.

PS.  In my opinion, a LS front would be about worthless in a Jeep since they tend to go everywhere with a front tire off the ground, my Toyota tends to lift rear tires keeping some weight on the front end so the LS often works quite well.