By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 09:12 am: Edit

I am interested in purchasing a full Detroit Locker in the rear of my Disco 1. I know that I would have to replace the axles with the heavy-duty ones. Would I have to do anything else? Where is the cheapest place to buy a Detroit Locker? Is the Great Basin Rovers Heavy-duty axle kit any good?

By John on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 09:35 am: Edit

GRB axles cant be out performed, also GBR for the Detroit..Personal user, personal opinion....

By Ron on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 09:42 am: Edit

Cheapest I found was West Coast differential at 400 even. I ended up buying from Leon Rosser on sale for 358 but regular price is 410 or something. But for the extra 50 it might be worth it to you to go from an enthusiast firm (GBR).

Ron

By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 10:28 am: Edit

Ron, are you talking about the Locker or the axles that is $400?

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 10:57 am: Edit

Locker is about $400, axels is about $600.

By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 11:55 am: Edit

Is the Detroit good for street use? I'll spend 97% of my time on-road.

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 12:01 pm: Edit

I have had one in my Disco for over a year now. On pavement, I don't even notice that the Detroit is there, except for some occasional ratcheting noise on tight turns.

By hadaz on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 12:19 pm: Edit

I have a Detroit locker in the rear of my 99 Disco Series I for approximately 42000 miles. No problem what ever and I am still running the stock axles too (Crossing my fingers to keep the luck running). Like Axel wrote you do not notice them except for the occasional ratcheting noise.

By Ron on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 12:26 pm: Edit

No problem what ever and I am still running the stock axles too

It can be done. A d90 ran the 24hours of the hammers on 35s with arbs on the stock axles.

Ron

By RonL on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 01:15 pm: Edit

What type of locker is it?(ez-lock or full center section repairment)

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 01:21 pm: Edit

A Detroit locker replaces the stock carrier. You retain the ring and pinion.

By E Snyder on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:25 pm: Edit

I have a Detroit locker in my D1, recently installed. Seems to work great on the trail, and I have the slight ratcheting noise mentioned above, also. I also get an occasional loud POP, or CRUNCH, though, that sounds as if the locker was engaged and then disengaged with a bang. This happens turning into parking lots, or other street maneuvers. I only notice it on the street. Occasionally on tight turns the locker doesn't disengage or "ratchet" and I can hear the tires dragging on the asphalt. Could someone else who is running a DL let me know if this is normal? I've heard this kind of stuff on older Toyotas with full lockers, but I thought the new DL "soft locker" was supposed to be quieter. Any chance it isn't installed right? Thanks in advance.
PS- I got my set-up, including HD axles, from Bill at GBR. I went with the axle upgrade due to using very aggressive tread on 7.50x16 tires. I haven't talked to Bill yet about my noises.

By Axel Haakonsen (Axel) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:36 pm: Edit

Is it a manual or auto? Sometimes on manuals, the Detroit can be VERY noisy. Pk had this problem in his Disco, and ended up going with dual true-tracks instead.

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:43 pm: Edit

How long has it been in and how aggressive do you drive? Its not normal at all...


Kyle

By Ron on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:48 pm: Edit

Any chance it isn't installed right?

Sure, possible.

I have heard they also get quieter with age and some are louder than others.

Ron

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:51 pm: Edit

Install has nothing to do with it unless its grossly wrong , in which case he would be complaining about gear noise...

Kyle

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 04:57 pm: Edit

What?! A Detroit Locker not working flawlessly? I thought that only the ARBs were allowed to break! This can't be!!!

Well, I'm off to engage my ARB and drive up a wall...



-Blue
sarcastic smartass with a 96 Disco and working ARB

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:04 pm: Edit

I hope your compressor blows up,,,,,


Kyle

By Ron on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:07 pm: Edit

Ok Kyle I thought setting the preload or backlash off could cause this but you know better.

How about your tires being different hieghts

Ron

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:11 pm: Edit

That could do it
Tire pressure will make it complain quite allot...


Kyle

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:26 pm: Edit

If my compressor blows up, will it make a ratcheting sound? hardy har har - just kiddin - I love pushin your buttons, man

you really have a screw loose if you run different tire sizes on these full-time 4X4 rigs - and different pressure can easily make a tire an inch larger or smaller in diameter...bad bad bad. Another reason that a real spare tire that's identical to the other 4 is important.

By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:30 pm: Edit

I have the 5-speed gearbox in my Disco, this can be a problem for me.

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:33 pm: Edit

You like pushing buttons alright,,,, thats why you got the ARB...

Kyle

By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:33 pm: Edit

Did PK have the newer soft locker?

By Blue Gill (Bluegill) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:41 pm: Edit

good one, Kyle! I'll refrain from POPPING in more stupid posts since I have nothing of technical value to offer. Good luck CRUNCHING solutions to the DL issue...

Think I'll go RATCHET the top off of a Corona and start the weekend...have a good one guys.

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:53 pm: Edit

Yes PK did but I suspect that it was bad and not the manual that was doing it. I have installed many completely silent detroits .

Kyle

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 05:54 pm: Edit

Bill , ,,,dont quit your day job,,,,,,I hope Mr Peanut takes a big piss in your Corona.....

Kyle

By Peanut on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 06:33 pm: Edit

I don't do that sort of work, I like to piss on things that piss me off...like Toyota Land Cruisers,Jeeps and Fishers peanuts(those bastards!). Corona is the ultimate piss maker, it really shoots right at your bladder, that Canadian crap takes way longer.

By Peanut on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 07:06 pm: Edit

By canuck on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 08:29 pm: Edit

what canadian crap?

By Peanut on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 09:05 pm: Edit

What are you talking "aboot"?

By david b. on Friday, June 08, 2001 - 10:22 pm: Edit

That's some funny stuff Peanut. Now back to the discussion. How will the Detroit work in snowy/ icy conditions? I will also have a TT up in the front(stock axle).

By E Snyder on Saturday, June 09, 2001 - 12:02 pm: Edit

Back to the locker. I have an auto gearbox, tire heights are all the same and pressures are correct. I worry about the pre-load part of the installation. Not sure my mechanic picked up on that. He has installed lockers before, but maybe the "soft locker" is different? If it is doing stuff it shouldn't, I guess I should get it fixed soon, before I damage it. I think I may have it taken out and put back in. It sounds like from you all that it shouldn't be carrying on like it does. Thanks for the thoughts.

By Alex on Sunday, June 10, 2001 - 05:45 pm: Edit

Mine makes occasional scary noises too; once every few hundred miles I get a pretty loud clang out of it. Other then that and the normal ratcheting noises, its silent. My 3d members were built by Bill Davis at GBR, so I would think they were installed correctly.

By E Snyder on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 07:39 pm: Edit

Alex- When you get the clang, can you also feel the truck sort of jump or shudder? Mine feels like it just sometimes doesn't want to disengage smoothly, and occasionally binds up and then pops loose. Sound like yours? If it is, I'll quit worrying about it! Thanks.

By Kyle Van Tassel (Kyle) on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 08:05 pm: Edit

Its very common for them to do it when first put in. That should all but dissapear completely after a couple thousand miles though. Its actually the opposite of what you think it is that makes the noise. Its actually set up too loose , not to tight and it has nothing to do with the install of the Detroit in the third member....

Kyle

By Alex on Monday, June 11, 2001 - 11:41 pm: Edit

E Snyder - yeah, it kinda feels like that.

The DL has about a thousand miles on it. Hopefully the harshness will go away.

By E Snyder on Tuesday, June 12, 2001 - 05:33 pm: Edit

Thanks guys, I feel better. It does seem to be less frequent now. As always, Discoweb is a great resource. I hope to set up a gallery soon here and you can check out the truck we've been discussing.