Detroit locker

[Skinny]

That video is not a 100% true, the unlocking mechanism will only work when a small amount of torque is applied. Go around a turn and throttle up, the clutch will engage...this is the fun part


I believe that vid is correct and they will disengage whenever there is a differance between the two axles speeds. If you want to go easy and not wareout the paws then try and let off the throttel when in a tight turn. If you realy want to hear them click with a bang then power up while under a tight turn on pavement. I would not do it to much as you will be replacing the Locker as you will wear out the ramps.

Every mechanical ratcheting locker will fully locker under load whether accelerating or decelerating. The only ratchet under very little to zero torque input.

 

[5moker]

Ok well I opened an old thread. Thanks for the input gripy. Those who are helpful and know what they are talking about, this is what I found. A useless gov lock. The sleeve that carries the centrifugal weights is cracked along with the gov lock assembly where the sleeve is placed. Quick question. if I remove the weights will the rear end just act as an open rear diff? My thoughts Are to remove it till I can get to the cucv bone yard I found in southern AL. Would an auburn style locker be an Idea or should I just wait till I can afford a set of axles from a M1008? Will gearing a set of 08 axles back to the low 3's be possible? I am getting 20-25 mpg out of the 09 now (gps) 20 highway 25 around town. i adjusted the shift control to shift soft and early drive is acquired at 28 mph. I have wanted to lift and go with larger tires but get around fine with the way it is set up, and really don't want to loose the great mpg. Axle swaps tire swaps will play into that I'm sure. If I go with a 14 bolt and dana 60 then I may as well do the lift and 35" inch tires, however I still want to be geared in the low to mid 3's, which appears to be more work than anticipated.

 

[Floridianson]

Every mechanical ratcheting locker will fully locker under load whether accelerating or decelerating. The only ratchet under very little to zero torque input.

I will still stick with Eaton knowing what they are building and talking about.

 

[Skinny]

I will still stick with Eaton knowing what they are building and talking about.

That's fine but riddle me this batman...if you have one wheel off the ground (as noted during the video), how does the Detroit Locker know when to lock compared to an axle shaft speed difference of cornering?

Answer, it doesn't. It will lock all the time regardless of speed difference or direction of rotation whenever torque is applied. Only during coast does it allow for ratcheting and speed difference.

 

[Chaos333]

I have wanted to ask these questions for a long time and this thread seems a good place. Is the gov lock always on or only in 4wd? Does the 4wd low lock both rear wheels like an electronic locker (had one on my FJ) and if not can I install a no spin eaton locker on the rear differential like in the video and is the no spin the same as a differential lock or air locker? Sorry for the stupid question but all these different traction options get really confusing.

 

[Recovry4x4]

The name Detroit Locker is very misleading. Perhaps one would have a better grasp of it's function if it were referred to as a Detroit Unlocker! That's actually what it does!

 

[Floridianson]

Do believe the outside tire can overspeed the ring gear while under power as long as the inside tire is not slipping.

 

[Chaos333]

The name Detroit Locker is very misleading. Perhaps one would have a better grasp of it's function if it were referred to as a Detroit Unlocker! That's actually what it does!

I thought the air lockers locked both tires and that they would spin at the same time. Is that something that you can add along with the Detroit locker or can you only have one?

 

[Skinny]

The name Detroit Locker is very misleading. Perhaps one would have a better grasp of it's function if it were referred to as a Detroit Unlocker! That's actually what it does!

I personally like when it just randomly unlocks one tooth while driving in a straight line. Always keeps the driver awake and serves as a reminder to check tire pressures

 

[Skinny]

I thought the air lockers locked both tires and that they would spin at the same time. Is that something that you can add along with the Detroit locker or can you only have one?

Air or electric locking diffs cause both shafts to turn at case speed when activated all the time. Detroits are mechanical lockers which have no activation.

 

[Skinny]

I have wanted to ask these questions for a long time and this thread seems a good place. Is the gov lock always on or only in 4wd? Does the 4wd low lock both rear wheels like an electronic locker (had one on my FJ) and if not can I install a no spin eaton locker on the rear differential like in the video and is the no spin the same as a differential lock or air locker? Sorry for the stupid question but all these different traction options get really confusing.

Here is the deal with the gov-lok...whenever a difference of axle shaft speed occurs the little centrifugal weight starts to spin. When it reaches a 100rpm difference (if I remembered that correctly) a little pawl locks the side gears together using a set of clutches. The best way to get a gov-lok to work is when you have one tire spinning or in the air, give it a very smooth increase in throttle. Once the speed difference occurs, both tires will spin and hopefully propel you forward. What causes these things to explode or bang into engagement is feeding the throttle to it when you get stuck. All this does is make it want to frappe into a million pieces.

If anyone is unsure of diffs, I would highly recommend reading a Fourwheeler mag, looking at Wikipedia, and searching youtube. There are so many different ones out there but they mostly fall into a few categories:

-open diff
-limited slip (clutch, cone, gear driven/torque biased)
-mechanical locker (full case like Detroit, pocket locker like a LocRite)
-air/electrical/cable activated locker (Toyota E-locker, Eaton E locker, ARB, Ox)

What makes it even more confusing is some of these now have overseas knock offs or are being made under new names. Ten years ago half of these didn't exist but they all are pretty much the same thing.

 

[Floridianson]

Skinny I not going to argue but if you read the manual they tell you how to check for proper install. Go to the test for correct install and there it says to find ground with good traction and drive in a circle and look for scuffing. If the inside wheel does not release there is something wrong. It does not say let up on the fuel it says drive so I gather they mean power at all times. I have a couple USMC dumps and all I can say is mybe it's magic but I have not noticed any problems when I'm in a tight turn power on. Abracadabra www.eaton.com/ecm/groups/public/@pub/.../ct_128312.pdf

 

[phil2968]

...how does the Detroit Locker know when to lock compared to an axle shaft speed difference of cornering?

Answer, it doesn't. It will lock all the time regardless of speed difference or direction of rotation whenever torque is applied. Only during coast does it allow for ratcheting and speed difference.

Detroit lockers are always locked. Sitting in their shipping boxes, in the carrier in your truck sitting in your driveway or driving down the road in a straight line they are spring loaded and locked. That said, what unlocks them is one axle shaft is forced to turn faster the the carrier. This forces the that side to unlock from the carrier. Imagine turning right in an Detroit equipped truck. The left side axle must turn faster has it goes around the corner. This action unlocks that axle. The truck is powered by the slower axle shaft which is turning at carrier speed. If the road is wet or snowy and you add enough power to spin that inner tire when it and the carrier reach the speed of the faster turning axle the locker will lock and with enough power to turn both turns the vehicle will spin both tires and you know what the result will be.
Think this out.
A truck equipped with a Detroit drives down the road with different diameter tires on the drive axle. The side with the smaller tire will be moving the truck. The other with the larger tire will remain unlocked even under applied power.
Clear as mud?
Applied torque to unlock the Detroit depends on where that torque comes from. Applied torque from the pinon, read applied engine power, will always lock the Detroit. If torque is applied by one of the axles, like turning a corner on pavement, will unlock the Detroit.
Did that make sense? Made sense when I was typing it!
Pretty good for typing on a keypad just a little bigger than a business card! Fat thumbs too!

 

[Floridianson]

As I was looking through the manual it does not recommend the No-spin model that we have in the bigger trucks for light weight trucks or any truck that does a lot of sharp turns on hard payment. So to get back on the OP thougth I would say you might be best to go with ARB airlockers.