Lockers

[flhtom]

i was wondering if anyone knows if the Grizzly/Detroit Locker is atronger or more reliable than the Spartan/Aussie locker.  It's for the rear on a daily driven '84 4runner

[Willard]

Detroit is obviously tride and true. Been out there a long time. I belive Yukon has an awesome warranty for axle breakage due to a failure on there end. I don't know what it is exactly. Never ran an aussie or a spartan, how much do you wheel it and how hard?

[jangelfire]

Weld it

[toyodaaddict]

Yes, the Grizzly or a full Detroit will be stronger than a Aussie or spartan. The Grizzly/Detroit replace the carrier, Aussie/Spartan dont. If you have the money for a Detroit, I would spend the little bit more and get an ARB, especially on a daily driver.

[Snowtoy]

.......I would spend the little bit more and get an ARB, especially on a daily driver.......

X2, can't beat a selectable.

[Dingman.]

Yes, the Grizzly or a full Detroit will be stronger than a Aussie or spartan. The Grizzly/Detroit replace the carrier, Aussie/Spartan dont. If you have the money for a Detroit, I would spend the little bit more and get an ARB, especially on a daily driver.

X3 arb lockers are my favorite!  loved having them, will buy another once i can afford it

[Willard]

Totally agree on the ARB. I'm sure he is aware of the option for selectible. Alot of people don't have 1200 laying around to get one. I know the only reason I got one for my rig was because I got it brand new off pirate for 600 lol. Selectible of any kind is the best option if you can afford it. An affordable rear for me was the Tru Trac and has been great so far. The new style Tru Trac 

[jangelfire]

Tru trac is junk.i have one forsale if anyone thinks they need it.ofcourse selectable is the way to go, i want a shiiter made of gold too! Welded rear works fine for a daily driver

[Willard]

Tru trac is junk.i have one forsale if anyone thinks they need it.ofcourse selectable is the way to go, i want a shiiter made of gold too! Welded rear works fine for a daily driver

My Tru Trac works great. Welded rear would be horrible on a daily driver. Unless your rig has rear locking hubs. I ran a spool in the rear at first and it's sitting on the shelf because I can't afford the tires lol 

[Dingman.]

Tru trac is junk.i have one forsale if anyone thinks they need it.ofcourse selectable is the way to go, i want a shiiter made of gold too! Welded rear works fine for a daily driver

Post that true track up for sale I bet someone would buy it!   I will never trust a welded rear on a daily driver.  In the back of my mind i will always worry about the welds breaking.  I have ran spools before and had no issues other than annoying tire squealing in parking lots, and the increased tire wear.



EDIT:
I did not weld this diff, but this was a royal pain in the ass to pull out of the housing.  One of the few welded diffs i broke which is why i won't trust them

[jangelfire]

The welds wont break or crack when done correctly.heres how i did mine.



I used a 3/8" plate and heated the carrier up with a torch before i hogged it in there.axle shaft will break before the carrier.ill bet on that

[Willard]

That thing grenaded lol. I'm not getting in a pissing match over welded diffs. I have welded a few for friends and they were trailer rigs. Unless you drive on a gravel road or dirt roads to work or wherever you will be driving get a selectible or what you can afford my friend. I don't think the original poster has replied lol 

[jangelfire]

Turn wide! Lol

[flhtom]

Thanks for the ideas and info; i'm still up in the air on what locker to run in the rear: i've got an aussie locker in front, but want the max in reliability and longevity for the rear locker; i'm thinking save up for an ARB. I want to be able to negotiate the Rubicon, Fordyce, and local Big Bear trails. Thanks for replies!

[toe]

 

[H8PVMNT]

The most important thing about lockers, welded rears, spool or traction devises is having them.  Just make sure you do something that gets all 4 tires turning.

That is my advise based on years of experience.

[blackdiamond]

I have had a Detroit in my rear differential since about 2002 or 2003.  It was never my one an only car, but my 85 truck/89 4Runner were daily driven until about 2011.  I don't really mind the mechanical locker on the street and have never had a single issue off road which is why I personally prefer them to a selectable locker.

I have an Aussie in the front and ran a True Track in the front before that.  Both performed well for me.

[Rocksurfer]

Don't care for Air Lockers seem to let you down when you need them most, just think about being in the middle of Dusy-Ershim, pushing that switch and nothing happens, been there done that! I'm all in on a welded diff or spool.

[flhtom]

Thanks for more thoughts, on this all-important subject! I'm thinking on a mini-spool for the rear, simply because once you weld up the spiders, that carrier is done! Do you think the rear tires (36" TSL radials) will wear too fast on the street?

[daniresch]

Thanks for more thoughts, on this all-important subject! I'm thinking on a mini-spool for the rear, simply because once you weld up the spiders, that carrier is done! Do you think the rear tires (36" TSL radials) will wear too fast on the street?

Yes, your tires will melt on the street every time your turn lol. Is this a wheeler only or daily driver?

[flhtom]

It's a DD. Is the Detroit any longer lived than the "lunchbox" lockers. I want something that won't break every couple years. I have an Aussie locker in the front -maybe weld the front, and put the aussie in the rear?

[daniresch]

IMO Save your money, do it right the first time.
For a DD I would only buy an ARB for the rear axle. Or a e-locker. Or keep it open.

[Snowtoy]

Do you think the rear tires (36" TSL radials) will wear too fast on the street?

Depends on how many miles you put on your rig each year, or how often you want to buy new tires.  From a quick search it looks like about 25-35k miles seems to be the average.

"Lunch Box" applies to all drop in lockers, any auto-locker used on a DD is going to where everything faster, how significant the where is, kind of depends on your perspective, some claim it isn't an issue, others say they will never run one again.

A welded front is not a good idea, even on the trail it will be all but impossible to turn, w/o getting out and unlocking a hub, or running hydro assist.  Lockers, of any kind, once engaged want to push you in a straight line, which is why selectable tend to be the most desirable, since you only engage them when you need to.

I want to be able to negotiate the Rubicon, Fordyce, and local Big Bear trails.

With these trails being your goal, do you have dual cases or a single case w/lower gears?  If you don't have either, that would be a better mod than lockers, you can always stack a rock or take an easier line, however you can't do much to lower your speed w/stock cases.

[blackdiamond]

It's a DD. Is the Detroit any longer lived than the "lunchbox" lockers. I want something that won't break every couple years. I have an Aussie locker in the front -maybe weld the front, and put the aussie in the rear?

Detroit lockers are pretty bullet proof in the rear.  I run the Detroit rear and it's been in my 85 truck and now 89 4Runner since about 2002 without any issues.  The only issue that I am aware of it that they can be a secondary failure in the front after a birfield breaks.

I think the Aussie would probably be ok in the rear, but I can't say from personal experience and I'm sure it would have the classic lunchbox clicking in the corners.

[SmalltownClancy]

I have run the aussie and just removed my 90 5 speed after being locked in rear for over 4 years from dd status. I don't regret my investment (under $300) for the improvement it gave.  That's not to say that I wouldn't rather run an arb. but for the price I would thumb wrestle anybody who says different and that is as valid as any argument I could engage in

[flhtom]

Thanks for replies, guys. I decided to run the cone-type detroit locker in the rear. The Aussie locker in front, doesn't have any clicking, because i run 85-140 gear lube; you don't even know it's there, unless locked up. The cone type Detroit locker is known to last up to 100,000 miles before needing any attention, whereas the plate type (old style posi) wears out the clutch plates in approx. 30k miles. So i just need to  find one (can't afford an ARB; that would be tits). I'm hoping the cone type Detroit won't have any handling issues on ice or snow, and not have any clicking, jerking or shuddering when locking up the rear diff.

[SqWADoosh]

Thanks for replies, guys. I decided to run the cone-type detroit locker in the rear. The Aussie locker in front, doesn't have any clicking, because i run 85-140 gear lube; you don't even know it's there, unless locked up. The cone type Detroit locker is known to last up to 100,000 miles before needing any attention, whereas the plate type (old style posi) wears out the clutch plates in approx. 30k miles. So i just need to  find one (can't afford an ARB; that would be tits). I'm hoping the cone type Detroit won't have any handling issues on ice or snow, and not have any clicking, jerking or shuddering when locking up the rear diff.

Awww yeah gotta love that Lucas HD 85-140. Best gear oil out there. 

[blackdiamond]

Awww yeah gotta love that Lucas HD 85-140. Best gear oil out there. 

Gear oil that heavy is intended for heavy duty applications like towing and such. I am not convinced that it has any real benefit for anything as light duty as our 4Runners. Quieting noise is a byproduct of any thick fluid an not necessarily an indication of improved lubrication. It shouldn't hurt anything other than possibly a little economy.

The Lucus Stabilizer product that used to be sold in autoparts stores using the gears was so thick, basically pure petroleum, that it would actually foam in actual use. BITOG had a video test of it in a clear covered differential.  They were relying on the "it got quieter" attribute but foaming is the worst possible thing in lubrication. The video alone was enough to steer me toward other brands.

I think most Lucus products are solid, but that one particular one was unecessary as an additive in a quality gear oil and detrimental if used too liberally.

[SqWADoosh]

Gear oil that heavy is intended for heavy duty applications like towing and such. I am not convinced that it has any real benefit for anything as light duty as our 4Runners. Quieting noise is a byproduct of any thick fluid an not necessarily an indication of improved lubrication. It shouldn't hurt anything other than possibly a little economy.

The Lucus Stabilizer product that used to be sold in autoparts stores using the gears was so thick, basically pure petroleum, that it would actually foam in actual use. BITOG had a video test of it in a clear covered differential.  They were relying on the "it got quieter" attribute but foaming is the worst possible thing in lubrication. The video alone was enough to steer me toward other brands.

I think most Lucus products are solid, but that one particular one was unecessary as an additive in a quality gear oil and detrimental if used too liberally.

It was recommended to me by Chase at East Coast Gear Supply. I think he knows a lot more about diffs than you or me. I'm not referring to the additive by the way I'm referring to 85w-140 Lucas Gear oil: http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-18964355-lucas-85w140-non-synthetic-gear-oil-quart.html I am very hard on my truck (as you know), and I have nothing but good things to say about this oil. My diffs are quiet, and when I did my last drain and replace the oil still looked great.

[blackdiamond]

It was recommended to me by Chase at East Coast Gear Supply. I think he knows a lot more about diffs than you or me. I'm not referring to the additive by the way I'm referring to 85w-140 Lucas Gear oil: http://eastcoastgearsupply.com/i-18964355-lucas-85w140-non-synthetic-gear-oil-quart.html I am very hard on my truck (as you know), and I have nothing but good things to say about this oil. My diffs are quiet, and when I did my last drain and replace the oil still looked great.

I have no doubt that the gear oil is a good product and I would expect it to look anything but perfect in our applications. I would expect the same thing from a conventional gear oil. Mine has always drained looking new. The only difference I have noted in changing gear oils was when I went from conventional to Royal Purple and the exterior temperature of the differential was significantly reduced during highway driving as measure by hand. I am currently running a blend.

I mentioned the Lucas additive because I consider it to be a snake oil product and I have a hard time supporting a company that sells snake oil products when there are other options. 

Have you seen how water reacts to synthetic gear oils compared to conventional?  I did some mixing at home and was surprised at the difference. I actually struggle with the decision to go blend in my diffs where water has the potential to get in.