Dertoit locker experience

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BigB82789

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Sep 23, 2007
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Those with lockers who pull/race/DD. How is the street ability? I hear the car guys say if you throttle into it in a corner it will chirp the inside tire and on slick surfaces can be a little hairy. What about these heavy trucks?

Another question. Does my ring gear just bolt onto it and then I put everything in the same way it came out ( with the exception that this is a locker instead of the factory LS).

Thanks.
 
Get one you will never regret it. I didn't find to be too much of a hassle on slick pvmt, or the "chirping" around a corner.

As far as the install I am sure someone will tell if I am wrong, BUT I believe that the locker installs in an open carrier, which is a seperate purchse, but I am not sure.

Rick
 
I do not recommend them.
If you break an axle pulling it will most likely whip out the locker and the other shaft.
For a street driven truck an ARB is a Much better choice.
 
My locker was a whole carrier. We just put new bearings on it and bolted the ring gear up. With a little bit of work it went in. I have not had a problem out of it.It will pop loud when the sides line back up. Fun in the rain if you aint careful. Blacktop parkin lots especially fun:evil.
 
The big shim needed a little sandin(couple of thous) to get in there. that was all I meant by a little work.
 
2 yrs on a detroit daily driven. You get used to the sudden jerks/clunks/pop's afer a few months!LOL

Wouldn't go back to spider gears for NOTHING!

However Johnboy is right.....if you break and axle you can almost kiss that detroit goodbye. Good friend of mine David Dudgeon from KY went through 2 or 3 last year in his '01 3500 Cab & Chassis pulling truck. However, he runs 6 goodyear wrangler MT/R's...and doesn't know the meaning of the word "easy"LOL
 
If it was me swaping it out I would take a backlash reading and maybe run a pattern on it pull it apart, swap my ring gear onto the new carrier then put it back together and cheak to make sure I had the same backlash and if you wanted to be real anal check for the same pattern. and I've had a detriot in the back of my truck for 4 years now and its not bad at all it will chirp the tires when I go around a corner and the truck hits second but that about it.
 
I drive mine on the street. I hardly notice it back there, except for the occasional chirp going around a corner.
 
I've got about 90K on the one in my truck, when I have an issue with it I'll let you'll know.

Jim
 
just weld the carrier cheaper and same as a locker
 
Ive got a Detroit in my 01, I just bolted on the ring gear, shimmed it up for backlash and the new bearings and away I went. Im going on 4 years with it and no issues... although I still get weird looks when the tire chirps on a turn but as far as rain or snow its great... just be cautious and youll be fine!:st:

Ian
 
I think my bigger tires make a difference...but, trying to park on pavement sucks! It wants to go straight and "push" the front. I have the Detroit and like it...but wish I had the ARB. Its great in the sand and mud though.
 
I ran a Detroit for a while until I broke it. Could hardly tell it was there on the street other than when it had rained or snowed out... that is about 4 days a year here though :hehe:

I put the open diff back in and for the first few days I was doing one wheel peels all over the place. I was used to being able to stand on the pedal with the Detroit I guess.




I'd like to mention that in the past couple years the quality of Detroit lockers has gone WAY down the tube. They USED to be "unbreakable" The customer service is total CRAP as well.

I run ARB lockers in the Jeep and they are VERY helpful. I blew an axle shaft and it took out the 5 year old locker. They told me to send it in and they'd fix it for the cost of parts. Ended up that the whole thing was junk, but they sold me a brand new locker for about 50% of the actual price. That is customer service!
 
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I ran one in my 2000 and loved it! Like they say you get used to the clunks, and all the dirty looks from people from squealing the tires. I had 35x16 Boggers on mine and when it rained...:eek:.... it was sketchy, but controllable. Just don't let someone else use the truck when it rains and you will be fine.
 
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