Axle locker options?

[BlueBreadTruck]

Just to vouch for lock-rites, I have had very good luck with them! I have a 89' bronco with them front and rear on 35 baja claws. Broken a ton of axles, and even sheared off all the ring gear bolts, done dry pavement dohnuts and was never able to hurt one. On the bronco one, in 2wd you could definatly feel it was there though...not really a bad thing, but if you were going around a long sweeping corner and stayed on the gas, it would try to straighten the truck out. for me, the rear one was very quiet and you cant even hear it racheting

 

[jam0o0]

in my bronco i've got a detroit no spin in the sterling and an ARB in the front D60. the detroit doesn't do any of the weird things people all complain about. once in bad storm (think 40mph wind and standing water) i got it to act funny on a long curve by modulating the throttle. the ARB is always "out" due to problems with the complexity of getting them air. i usually get it working but i'm always having to get it working.

the ARB and the detroit for the sterling were nearly the same price. the turning radius loss is noticeable but bearable with the detroit. but with the ARB turned on it's really bad.

my IDI has the factory limited slip. it works. it's been maintained and has the right fluid in it. people don't realize that lockers have wear parts. the gears in a detroit are wear parts. so are the springs given enough time. my detroit is new and my ford limited slip is new. they both work. lots of old offroaders kept telling me that detroits acted weird.

 

[MR.T]

... lots of old offroaders kept telling me that detroits acted weird.

I think you nailed the pattern. Like I mentioned before, my DL experience was 24+ years ago, it's not going to be the same product today. Current product experiences are more relevant, and it looks like they've improved a lot.

Your right about wear points too. The person that bought mine had the rear DL wear out a couple years later. Probably a bit early, but both of us put it though some hard use.

 

[MotleyCrueCab]

I have to agree with the most of the comments about Detroits... I had one in a 9in and then a spool... I preferred the spool, the Detroit was unpredictable, at least with the spool I knew what was coming. The lock rites are a little softer, and still work well off road. One Idea for the front, which I have done to several trucks, and am going to do to me 86 is to weld the front. When, off road, just lock in the hubs, when driving in slippery conditions (snowy, icy, muddy roads) just lock in one hub, and if you get stuck lock in the other one. It works quite well, and isn't difficult to get used to.....