who's running an Auto locker

who's running an auto locker in there 2nd gens? I don't care about the ARB being superior. i know it is but I'm not looking for an air locker at the moment. I'm curious on personal experience of using one in the rear. it sounds like from other forums auto locker is actually a pretty good compared to a spool for obvious reasons. again. i don't care about the ARB locker or the Zip locker.

 

personaly i wouldnt run an auto locker / lunchbox style locker in much of anything. Save up buy the arb in the long run it will be much better.

I def would not run one in a DD either... the way the power is transferred could mean for some interesting spinouts.

 

The only issue would be if I was trying to power slide with an auto locker. A spool that would definitley happen

 

An ARB will happen at some point but not the near future. The scout community and 4Runner and *gulp* dare I say jeep guys love them even on DDs. I need a locker but no funds for a full ARB system and I'll want to regear at the same time as the ARB.

 

I've run detroits, Aussies and no-slip lockers in different trucks.

Personally I love them, but only with an auto trans. The inherent backlash and understeer/oversteer makes them a bitch with a manual trans. You'll also get lock up sometimes when engine braking with manual trans.

With an auto, they are very predictable. Your driving style will change. Handling will change. You'll get use to feeling how much power you can apply on dry or wet pavement before it will lock and both tires will spin. With some practice it will be smooth and a passenger wouldn't notice. But like I said you will have to change driving habits.

On snow and ice it's easy. They will both spin under throttle so plan kicking the back end around a bit and be comfortable with counter steering. They can be a blast if you're into that.

If anyone else drives your truck normally I wouldn't recommend it. I did not like my wife driving with any of them as her driving skills aren't that great.

If comparing to a spool, an auto locker is way better and more streetable, and very capable off road.

 

thats the kind of response i was looking for

luckily here it doesn't snow or ice over which i know is a pretty bit issue with the non selectables. I'm looking at the detroit because nobody else makes an auto locker for the 8.4 rear end. did you have any problems with cornering? marlin crawler has a notice on there site for cornering and applying power.

 

Under heavy throttle it will lock and understeer on dry pavement. Essentially when you're inputting more torque than traction available the diff locks. When you let off it steers like normal. So you do adjust your line depending on whether or not you're on the throttle. On wet pavement, traction is lower and it will lock with less torque input and tend to oversteer.

If you accelerate hard from a side street, turning into another road, you'll likely be locked and scrub the inner tire with some tire squeal. Part of the "adjustment" can be accelerating in a straight line, then letting off a bit while turning, back on when straightening up.

It's different and not for everyone. Like I said I like it, some do, some don't. Some hate it and think it's unsafe. Some just find it annoying. If there was a lunch box locker available for cheap I'd say try it, but if you spend a grand having a Detroit installed and hate, you'll be upset.

My .02 though, if you're buying a Detroit you'll be paying a decent amount plus the install. Compared to a lunchbox locker it's still going to be expensive.

If you can, try to find someone with one locally and ride with him...?

Are you off roading a LOT?

 

I off-road about 4 days a week because I'm less than a mile from some really good trails. I was going to install it myself. I've got experience installing limited slips and new gears so I assume it wouldn't be too different. The driving style difference your describing is a lot less than I had imagined. I was thinking radical differences and more popping and noises.

 

Oh if you're good with differentials no big deal.

So the inherent back lash is what I was talking about. Detroit says its normal to be able to rotate the driveline up to 1/4 turn with no movement of the tires. So aggressively stomping on the throttle after coasting is harsh. Direction changes can be harsh. I found that it wasn't bad if I backed up, left the truck in neutral for a second, stopped completely with foot on the brake and then put it in drive it wasn't noisy. Generally speaking if you understand what is going on you can prevent the harshness. Like using a more gentle lead in to the throttle if you're coasting.

The auto lockers do have one bad habit. Constant highway driving with a load will sometimes keep the diff locked for a long time. And the axle shafts can twist slightly and bind up. At some point the locker will have to unload. I'd say every 6 months or so I'd be driving down the highway and BAM! Could have sworn someone hit me. Lol. This is sort of a Detroit charactistic I think, my Aussies were smoother.

 

i wish aussie made a locker for the 8.4 or id be all over it. it kind of scares me that it can go 1/4th of a turn and the tires don't turn. i don't do much highway driving but I'm worried about being stuck on a rock and having to back up and then bump it over a rock

 

Just hold the brakes firm when you change directions in that scenario. If you pop it into neutral and wait a second it takes the tension off the drive line.