Detroit vs. Aussie

[Clifcattankass]

So, I'm nearing the end of my build and I'm trying to decide on lockers. Friend of mine has an Aussie and he loves it so far, and it seems like most anyone who's gotten one has really been impressed, especially for $240. On the other hand there is Detroit's witch are $500 a piece, but I know they work great as well. I was thinking welding it in the rear but tires are too expensive, and it is my DD. I wanted ARB front but I'm not made of money, so I've been contemplating just Aussie front and rear. I just can really figure out the advantage of one over the other, Aussie or Detroit. What do you guys think? I can get 2 Aussies for the price of one Detroit so I am seriously considering that but I want some input before I decide on anything. So please just give me some pros and cons on the 2.

Thanks,

Damen

[RHG]

Id say that the advantage of being able to get two aussies for the price of one detroit is a good to convince me. I have a welded rear and it really doesnt seem to eat up tires too terribly bad, but then again I havnt had it in there very long. I am going to go with a Aussie for my front axle that I am building for my SAS project this winter. Ive heard only good things about them.

[Wyatt]

Two lockers are AMAZING.  Aussies are relaitvely smooth and quiet and your truck would simply rock with them in the front and rear.  Detroits replace the carrier, which is not a weak point on Toyotas and they are noisier and clunkier.  Unless you REALLY think you are going to be breaking your locker or carrier, don't bother.

[Rocksurfer]

I've only run Auburn's, Detroit's and ARB's, never had the Aussie but from what I 've heard of them you can't beat them for relialbility and  price. I will be looking at an Aussie the next time I'm in the market. I never had any trouble with the Auburn's (limited slips) or the Detroit's but I hate and I mean hate ARB's. Not that they break they are very strong, but it's all the other stuff required to make them operate that end up letting you down when you need them most.

[Prismo]

The advantage to the Detroit is it will outlast your truck. I have had my rear Detroit for almost 10 years.

[Rocksurfer]

The advantage to the Detroit is it will outlast your truck. I have had my rear Detroit for almost 10 years.

I think that would be a little of an understatement, I had my detroit in 3 different trucks before I sold it with the last one it was in. So It would be safe to say a Detroit will outlast at least 3 trucks.

[Clifcattankass]

Well i think i ight end up going Aussie front and rear. A detroit would be nice but like i said, i cant be locked all the way around for $500 with Aussie's. Thy have a pretty good waranty so thats also a good thing. Maybe if i dont wheel like a jack i wont have much trouble with them breaking.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Weld the rear its not an issue of tire wear, thats an old wives tale.  

A buggy buddy of mine said it best.  A lunchbox locker and a detroit both lock your tires together, but only the lunchbox will unlock.

Put a detroit in and go bust a shaft, you jut earned yourself a $500 paperweight.  Not something Id like to do.  The way I see it is a lockright will cost you $25 to rebuild if it breaks while a detroit will screw ya out of a lot of cash.

[yodersgirl]

 i had a detroit and sold it along with my 84 runner it worked fine but it cost a few $$$$     i have a aussie now in my 85 runner i like it alot better and i did't break the bank to buy it ether   

[hbar314]

Weld the rear its not an issue of tire wear, thats an old wives tale.  

A buggy buddy of mine said it best.  A lunchbox locker and a detroit both lock your tires together, but only the lunchbox will unlock.

Put a detroit in and go bust a shaft, you jut earned yourself a $500 paperweight.  Not something Id like to do.  The way I see it is a lockright will cost you $25 to rebuild if it breaks while a detroit will screw ya out of a lot of cash.

Thats weird my detroit in the rear locks and unlocks depending on the load from the driveshaft. I had an aussie in front and its great if i hadnt of found the detroit setup then I would have gone aussie front and rear.

[WHITE_TRASH]

Put a detroit in the front.  It doesnt like to unlock very much.

[Hyena]

I broke my detriot when i broke an axle  I really only bought it because it was installed with 5.29's in an axle so i bought the whole thing.  I wouldn't buy a detriot again.  Aussies are reliable and cheep.  If i were to buy a locker then i would go with that.  But i am really cheap and decided to weld mine front and rear.

[4.3s10]

I broke my detriot when i broke an axle I really only bought it because it was installed with 5.29's in an axle so i bought the whole thing. I wouldn't buy a detriot again. Aussies are reliable and cheep. If i were to buy a locker then i would go with that. But i am really cheap and decided to weld mine front and rear.

how is that working out for ya... would you suggest it to anyone? Hows the steering that would be my biggest concern

[All_Set]

I would not suggest a detroit in the front of a toy axle unless you've got bobbies superbirfs up front.   I hear too many stories of people breaking something up front and taking out their $500 dollar detroit.  Have also seen it 1st hand.  Friend now uses his $500 detroit as a door stop as the parts to fix it are more than a new detroit.   

[Hyena]

Welded rear is pretty much like the detriot.  But the welded front gets hard to turn.  on dirt is is good.  But going downhill on rock slabs is impossible.  I finally decided to take my broken detroit apart and found some broken parts inside.  I am going to make another thread about this with pictures once i get new batteries for my camera.

[Ramrod]

I have an aussie up front and detroit in the back.  I origanally had the aussie out back but got a good deal on the detroit.  the aussie is smoother than the detroit definitly.  I would not have bought the detroit if I didn't get it in a complete almost new rearend for $175

[whiteman]

I would say if you want a locker that wont break by the Detroit, I dont know a lot about the Aussie so I cant compare.  I have just heard so much good about the detroit. 
My friend has a lock right and he has broke it twice, put in a detroit and broke an axle, bought chromo's and keeps on truckin!

[Clifcattankass]

From what it sounds like the detroit may be stronger but if i go and wheel a little crazy and brake a shaft, there goes $500. If i go crazy and brake with an Aussie there goes $250. The Aussie is sounding better and better every time i think about it.

[YODA 88 62]

check this review 

http://www.pirate4x4.com/articles/productreviews/aussie/


friend has a jeep with a detroit in the rear and hates when it unlocks.  hit your head on the dash without a seat belt on

roomate has an aussie that is very smooth when it unlocks.  quietly "chirps" the tires when turning sometimes

other roomate has a lock right and forgot to put the thrust washers in while installing, sheared the pins.  all he needed to fix the locker was a set of pins and springs but they dont sell them separately. he ended up having to buy another locker from lockright and adding a nice mantle piece.  have heard cases of them breaking, but not many.
    

look into spools if you want an inexpensive, high quality "full" locker.


 

[blackdiamond]

check this review 

friend has a jeep with a detroit in the rear and hates when it unlocks.  hit your head on the dash without a seat belt on 

This is definately true, but only a low speeds (like in parking lots) while turning.  As long as I keep a reasonable throttle is stays locked.

The Aussie locker may not break, but the open carrier isn't as strong as the full Detroit I would suspect.  I have a Detroit rear and I am planning for an Aussie front.

[IronClad]

detroits are total garbage  stay away from them.  the only detroit that id actually put in a yota is the tru trac  LS  otherwise stay away from them.    Ive seen them get toasted all the time.. hell we have one in the rear of a buddies gf's truck and  EVERYONE  including her that drives that truck hates it so we are gonna pull it and stick a welded diff in.. and this is for a DD!   weld the rear and stick a tru trac in the front or an aussie.. cool thing about an aussie  or even a lockright s when you break it you are out 14 bucks for the pin and spring kit..  sounds like a good deal to me!.

[Bob Garrett]

Don't have any experience with the Detroit, so I can't offer any opinions on them. I have been running Aussies front & rear for the last year. Overall, I have been happy with them so far. The front can be hard to steer at times, but I have a twin stick and run in 2wd whenever I can. The occasional tire chirp and jerking in turns on pavement is a little annoying, but since it's only an occasional dd, I can live with it.

I am considering swapping the front out to an ARB tho, when I regear.

Bob

[E-9]

I have broken three detroit lockers. They do cost more to repair than replace. I like the sound of the Aussie.

[sege]

My buddy went from an Aussie to a Detroit up front.  He has a much tougher time making turns now with the Detroit versus the Aussie he had.  Just like WT said, it doesn't wanna unlock a lotta times.  And if a shaft or birf blows, you'll probably grenade either one, so I'd say go with the Aussie...    

[79coyotefrg]

from what i have seen  the aussie will open befor it breaks,  when the detroit just breaks everything

[E-9]

I have no problem with the way the Detroit works. If you break a 4340 axle up front, left or right, the recoil will take the Detroit out. The real problem I have is Detroit's customer service, it doesn't exist. I broke the last one early Oct, which they did warranty, I recieved the replacement 3 days ago.

[blackdiamond]

cool thing about an aussie  or even a lockright s when you break it you are out 14 bucks for the pin and spring kit..  sounds like a good deal to me!.

The Aussie Locker isn't designed like the Lockright with pins as "fuses."  I doubt the Aussie will break, but it isn't quite the same design.

[IronClad]

sorry to burst your bubble dude.. but it does use pins  and i dont care who ya are  they are fuses.

http://gearinstalls.com/bill.htm




all a aussie locker is is a lock right..  its just done a little better.

[blackdiamond]

sorry to burst your bubble dude.. but it does use pins  and i dont care who ya are  they are fuses.

all a aussie locker is is a lock right..  its just done a little better.

I know that Aussies are very similar to Lockrights,EZs and the other lunchbox lockers, I was just working from a quote that was posted by Torque Masters on pirate.

"Powertrax/Lock Right have for many years touted their "Shear Pins". They state that their pins are designed to shear/break when the locker gets in a certain position within the case. The so called "benefit" is that the pins break and not the locker. Aussie Locker takes a different design approach and designs our locker so that if it is properly installed, the locker will not get in the position that causes pins to break, therefore "No Shear Pins" in the Aussie Locker...our pins are designed to last the life of the locker."

I know that there are pins in an Aussie (I have one), but I don't think that the intended function is the same.  It may be all smoke and mirrors 

[IronClad]

if they expect those 4 little pins to hold up  then they are smokin crack.   there is truely no difference between and aussie locker and a lockright. BESIDES that the pins LOOK different. otherwise  its the saaammmeee thing.  allll smoke and mirrors