Detroit Locker up front? D60

[Madgyver]

i got a line on a new unit for cheap. Was planning to go with a selectable unit but the price for this Eaton Detroit Locker (4.56 carrier break) is very tempting.

 

[Broncobowsher]

Go for it

 

[TAC71]

I run lockers front and rear and absolutely love the way it works.
I say go for it.

 

[Nothing Special]

Depends on the use. I had LockRights in both axles of an F-150 for part of one winter. The handling characteristics of a front locker on a snowy freeway could literally get you killed. So if snowy freeways were an issue in Honolulu I'd say no

Since they aren't, it still depends. An automatic locker in the front has a strong return-to-center when you get on the gas. When turning it will unlock, only sending power to the inside tire. If you are on the gas that will give you very significant torque steer trying to pull the wheels back to straight. I found that pretty annoying, but if you value the performance of a locker enough I'm sure you'll find it livable.

However if it's just a question of a few hundred bucks I'd probably suggest you hold out for what you really want. You can save a little money now, but if it always eats at you that you didn't get what you want, that'd be a drag. And it'll cost a lot more to go with a Detroit now and swap it to a selectable later.

 

[Yeller]

I think for you intended use go for it. The only draw back as stated above is winter weather driving on the street, I doubt that is an issue for you. Really the only time I drive mine in the snow is at trail speeds or am on unplowed roads pulling people out, up driveways and such, not cruising around town or down the highway. For the price I'd snatch it up in a heart beat.

 

[Madgyver]

I'm here at this point.
Budget build is a priority.
Weld diff = free
Selectable locker Air = $1,100+
Eaton Detroit Locker = $450. (4.56 up) New, seller bought wrong one.

No snowy freeways in Hawaii.
Most trails needs access permission, Discreet wheeling = no posting wheeling pics on social media...

Still broke in the bank, more so now with Covid19 slowdowns..

 

[KyleQ]

Take it form me, I was welded for about 8 years and last year I switched to another axle with a Detroit in it. NEVER going back, worth it. It steers and moves and acts so much better.

 

[Yeller]

Take it form me, I was welded for about 8 years and last year I switched to another axle with a Detroit in it. NEVER going back, worth it. It steers and moves and acts so much better.

Exactly. I have the rear welded in my buggy and it’s put me on my lid a few times from it pushing without any give. Unless your doing full throttle high velocity hill killing then selectable, welded or spools are required, for everything else selectable or automatic.

 

[Rustytruck]

I would save the money and buy a trutrac for the front. yes a good buy but really needed? your more likely to encounter muddy road rather than bolder hopping. I would not want the locker up front.

 

[Madgyver]

I would save the money and buy a trutrac for the front. yes a good buy but really needed? your more likely to encounter muddy road rather than bolder hopping. I would not want the locker up front.

isn"t the trutrac just a cheaper version of the detroit locker? Functions are almost identical?

 

[Yeller]

isn"t the trutrac just a cheaper version of the detroit locker? Functions are almost identical?

True track is a limited slip.

 

[KyleQ]

True track is a limited slip.

torque biasing, not limited slip.

Detroit's are seamless when power isn't applied allowing nice and smooth steering and locked characteristics when power is applied. For ultimate off road capability a Detroit is where it's at.

My next ride will have one or an ARB for offroad might or a trutrac for pavement duty as they are totally invisible.

 

[Nothing Special]

isn"t the trutrac just a cheaper version of the detroit locker? Functions are almost identical?

As Yeller and KyleQ have said, no, they're not even close.

The Detroit (and all other automatic lockers) lock both sides to the ring gear, so if one wheel loses traction the other keeps going the same speed as the ring gear. It will unlock the outside tire when you turn, allowing the outside tire to freewheel faster so you don't scuff tires in turns. When this happens the diff only drives the inside tire. (This is where the handling quirks come from.)

The TrueTrac and Torsen (and I guess some others now as well?) are torque biasing limited slip diffs. Like an open diff they will allow one tire to go faster than the ring gear as long as the other tire goes the same amount slower. This avoids scuffing. But unlike an open diff which always has a 50/50 torque split, it will send more torque to the tire that's not spinning. How much more is a function of the tooth angles in the diff, but I've heard that TrueTracs are either 3.5 times as much (78% of the torque) for rear axle applications or 2.5 times as much (71% of the torque) for front axle applications.

Automatic lockers like the Detroit are brutes. They provide brute strength positive performance with brutal handling. As I and others said above, for people that want the brute strength (and aren't going to use it on snowy freeways), the brutal manners can be lived with (and personally I would rather live with a Detroit in the rear than a TractionLok, but that's a different discussion).

The TrueTrac is nowhere near as positive. If you lift a tire it will support 0 torque and the TrueTrac will send 3.5 x 0 = 0 torque to the other tire. But as long as both tires get some traction (which is usually the case everywhere but rocks and ice) they work quite well. And their manners are MUCH better than a Detroit. I haven't used one in a front axle, but in the rear you can't tell it's there until you spin both tires (instead of just one) and the back end comes around. That's a risk with any traction-aiding differential. And while the TrueTrac has that handling problem, all other traction aiding diffs have that and more.

 

[Nothing Special]

.... Detroit's are seamless when power isn't applied allowing nice and smooth steering and locked characteristics when power is applied....

Contrary to what you read a lot, Detroits do not lock when power is applied. They unlock any time one tire wants to go faster than the ring gear. It doesn't matter how hard you are on the power, if you are going around a corner and one tire wants to go faster than the ring gear the Detroit will unlock and will allow it.

The reason people think Detroits lock under power is that when you are applying power in a corner it unlocks the outside tire so it only drives the inside tire. This makes it very easy to spin the inside tire. When the inside tire catches up to the outside tire the Detroit will lock up again. But it didn't lock because you were on the power, it locked because you being on the power made the ring gear go faster (as the inside tire spun) to the point where the outside tire wasn't trying to go faster than the ring gear anymore.

So the bottom line isn't much different from what you said. It's free and invisible when coasting and it will positively drive both tires when needed. But it's not like you can't get on the power in corners on pavement without locking it up. It's just that you have to be careful not to spin your inside tire when you are in one wheel drive in a corner.

 

[Yeller]

Contrary to what you read a lot, Detroits do not lock when power is applied. They unlock any time one tire wants to go faster than the ring gear. It doesn't matter how hard you are on the power, if you are going around a corner and one tire wants to go faster than the ring gear the Detroit will unlock and will allow it.

The reason people think Detroits lock under power is that when you are applying power in a corner it unlocks the outside tire so it only drives the inside tire. This makes it very easy to spin the inside tire. When the inside tire catches up to the outside tire the Detroit will lock up again. But it didn't lock because you were on the power, it locked because you being on the power made the ring gear go faster (as the inside tire spun) to the point where the outside tire wasn't trying to go faster than the ring gear anymore.

So the bottom line isn't much different from what you said. It's free and invisible when coasting and it will positively drive both tires when needed. But it's not like you can't get on the power in corners on pavement without locking it up. It's just that you have to be careful not to spin your inside tire when you are in one wheel drive in a corner.

This holds very true until you start doing a lot of high velocity/high RPM hill killing then they potentially unlock making a dead wheel like an axle is broken, nothing is broke it’s just malfunctioning. Had it personally happen on showtime hill at hot springs and cutting dough nuts in the snow.

 

[Madgyver]

I got it and it was a sweeter deal.. Now to find 4.56 reverse cut gears for 4.56 carrier & up. it seems that most gears that I find in 4.56 are thick gears for 4.11 carrier and lower.

Anyone know where I can get a set of D60 reverse cut gears in 4.56 for the 4.56 carrier & up?

 

[Yeller]

I would call East Coast Gear Supply. They don’t list one but I know they have or can get it, they have a lot of products that are not on their website.

 

[Seventee]

Or call Randy's Ring and Pinion. They are on the west coast so if they can get you a set, shipping might be more reasonable.

 

[Madgyver]

Thanks guys. looking at lower gear sets that are available.