Anyone locked up? Where's the locker threads?

[Knightspirit]

I am looking into a rear locker - and don't see any threads on here - kinda weird. Anyone running ARB, Detroit or Eaton? I see that Lucky 8 can send a preinstalled ARB or Detroit - but no E-lock. The Detroit would be easiest - but am a little skeptical of the operation in normal driving. Anyone using one? I'm not doing the Rubicon here - I am driving a D1 with 2" lift and 32" tires, mostly overland stuff like White Rim trail in Moab etc.

Planning a trip to Death Valley in October and looking to not get stuck!

 

[jymmiejamz]

I would go with a Detroit in the rear and some LOF rear shafts. They’re not crazy HD, but affordable and stronger than stock. The Detroit is totally fine on road, but they do occasionally unload which sounds like an axle shaft breaking. It happens every few months in mine

 

[lunchbox]

I’m on air lockers f/r, as are a few of my buddies. They are expensive. And you’ll need air and lines. You’ll want HD axles with them. I’ve ridden in trucks with older Detroits. They were sketchy in slick, off camber stuff. They engage and slide. I’ve heard they don’t do that as much these days. I don’t know what they changed. they are simple and reliable though. I’ve always liked the idea of dual TT’s on overland type trucks.

 

[LRDONE]

I have ashcroft's ATB in the front. Noticeable off road and unnoticeable on road. I know a locker would be superior but theres not a lot of reason to have one around my neck of the woods. I plan to put one in the rear as well. Shoot, if I put one in the center diff it'd be a Quattro.

 

[Blueboy]

Have used ARB air lockers in a ‘93 LWB fully loaded for camping with 10 spline axles without any issues. Rock crawling wasn’t part of the program. Live in snow / ice road conditions so selectable locker was better than a Detroit. My ‘96 D1 has 24 spline rear axles so guessing yours does as well. Without going nuts on the go peddle no need for HD upgrade.

 

[bri]

You are going to have to search and start reading. There are probably hundreds of posts and dozens of threads.

I ran dual ARB with GBR HD Axles and CV on my D1. I would not hesitate to do that again. It looks like they are now gbrservice, and you'd have to call them about the product. I'd likely do Ashcroft Axles and CVs today.

It is very convenient to get the thirds pre-installed with the diff. GBR did that one for me. I installed the other, and since I had never done it before, messing the gears was a PITA.

The axles I ran would not fit alloy wheels, not sure what is available now. Since I did both diffs at the same time, I switched to 4.11 gears. I was running 255/85R16 BFG MT.

I did quite a few difficult trails in CO and UT without breakage.

 

[p m]

I am looking into a rear locker - and don't see any threads on here - kinda weird. Anyone running ARB, Detroit or Eaton? I see that Lucky 8 can send a preinstalled ARB or Detroit - but no E-lock. The Detroit would be easiest - but am a little skeptical of the operation in normal driving. Anyone using one? I'm not doing the Rubicon here - I am driving a D1 with 2" lift and 32" tires, mostly overland stuff like White Rim trail in Moab etc.

Planning a trip to Death Valley in October and looking to not get stuck!

Short of some extreme trails like Isham Canyon, you can drive most of DV with barely a rear TrueTrac.

 

[lunchbox]

I built my truck to be this giant rock crawler thing. Big axles, lockers, blah, blah…. If I could do it all over, I’d go with 33’s and dual True Tracks. No air lines or compressor to deal with. Easy on axle shafts. They feel great on the highway too. This is perfect…

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wow, this looks exactly like the same commercial warehouse area in Huntington Beach, California where we had an office for 13 years, near Bolsa Chica...I have the same LR Discovery with SD RR and 2"OME SL, small world.....definitely miss surfing in HB and living there.....many good memories! I...

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[ukoffroad]

I had ARBs in my classic, my D2 has a Detroit rear and an LSD front. Pulls to center a bit on the road, otherwise meh.

 

[ERover82]

There are tons of threads on lockers, but most of them are from way back when solid axles Rovers were new, or cheap. I'd just put ATBs or Truetracs in and focus on driving well. The one piece rear shafts are nice in that they reduce overall backlash. Air lockers are for rock crawling which is the 4x4 equivalent of gay bikers revving engines at stoplights. Vroom vroom

 

[jymmiejamz]

I definitely like the idea of selectable lockers, but in practice there are too many failure points. I'm pretty confident that every trip I've been on with a big group where multiple people have air lockers, someone is having issues. A Detroit just works.

One other annectdotal point with ATB vs Trutrac... The Trutrac seems much more aggressive with regard to the return to center/understeer in turns compared to the ATB. I have a ATB in the front of my 110 and my wife has F+R ATBs in her D1 now.

 

[Howski]

Selectable lockers are great but there is lots of piece of mind in a Detroit just knowing it’s there and will work without issue. Sure, there are drawbacks on off camber slick stuff but being out west you’ll have less of that I’d imagine. Had a Detroit Locker/TT in my D2 and it was a great setup, though I think TT in the front contributed to early failure of my PS pump. Ran stock axles for several years without breaking one. While I was mindful it was a weak link I didn’t baby it and kept a spare set of axles with me

 

[robertf]

vrook vroom
Ill never install a non selectable locker

 

[Blueboy]

vrook vroom
Ill never install a non selectable locker

Agreed.

 

[ERover82]

You guys are right, air lockers aren't just for rock crawling. They'd have to work reliably first.

 

[1of40]

15+ years, 170K miles with a Detroit/TT set up on BFG 33's with stock axles/CVs. No trailer, No breaks, No problems.

 

[p m]

15+ years, 170K miles with a Detroit/TT set up on BFG 33's with stock axles/CVs. No trailer, No breaks, No problems.

Good for you! I thought I wouldn't be breaking axles with TT/TT and short 32s, but... I sure did.

 

[Knightspirit]

Thanks for all of the replies! I checked with Lucky 8 and their kits are custom order and take 6 weeks. I was thinking of just getting a Detroit locker for the rear. Now that I have read others experiences though - I am thinking I could go with two ATB or Truetracs (front and rear) since I have snow and ice where I live and it would be an install and forget it process. Maybe that and the LOF axles would be a good midrange way to go...

I guess these still require the gear backlash adjustment - I see there is a kit for the Truetrac but not the ATB at Lucky 8. Either way - I don't think this will happen before my trip, but am planning on getting it done at some point!

 

[p m]

Any of these require backlash adjustment. It is easy, especially if you can clamp the 3rd member in a vise instead of fiddling with it on the floor.

 

[bri]

You guys are right, air lockers aren't just for rock crawling. They'd have to work reliably first.

What makes an air locker not reliable?