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Detroit Locker or Other???

4K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  TANK'S 250 
#1 ·
I'm installing lower gears in my truck next week, '03 F250 6.0L 4x4. I finally made up my mind to spend the money on a better differential. I have the factory Limited Grip right now and I can break it loose by hand when the truck is jacked up...

I'm leaning to the Detroit Locker right now for its strength and simplicity. I've heard the True Trac can fail under the stress of a built diesel and big tires. I'm about 400 rwhp right now and running 35s and will probably get 37s next.

My truck is a daily driver, occasional highway trips between home and school. I take it hunting and offroad it occasionally and line up with a ricer when they need to be taught a lesson. Please let me know your thoughts on why or why not to go with the Locker.
 
#2 ·
a detroit can also fail under the stress of a built diesel and big tires. but that is up to a view of perspective, my idea of a built diesel is at the 500+hp and big tires of 38's or larger. i wouldnt worry about a true-trac failing, i am running run in the rear. i do 4wheel occasionally and sled pull with it on 37" ssr's. i have absolutely no complaints, i wish charles would start posting again, he has been pretty happy with his. lockers are made for serious purpose built drag cars and 4x4's. thats just my .02
 
#4 · (Edited)
i went through wat your doing now, like in 100% exact i had 35s switched to 37s go with the trutrac i have one in my truck and love it. the thing is a monster if you have any questions regarding it let me no.and 2 wheel peel no problem deff. go with the trutrac
 
#8 ·
I have had the Auburn limited slip, the detroit locker and the Tru-trac in my truck. The Tru-trac is the only one I would recommend. We have three trucks in our pulling circuit using the Tru-tac and none have broken. I have broken 3 droit lockers in one year and have never been able to break a Tru-trac.
 
#9 ·
The Detroit and Truetac are both made by Eaton correct? Seems odd to bust up a Detroit yet the Truetrac is still whole since the Detroit has had such a good rep with 4x crawlers.
 
#10 ·
There is a locking and unlocking that happens the teeth in the detroit locker. The if you pop an axle shaft it will break those teeth every time. In the tru-trac it will just unlock and you will stop but the locker won't break. In my best opinion the only time the Locker is better than the Tru-trac is when you get into a situation where one tire comes off the ground, then the tru-trac will unlock and you will be stuck. I have not encountered this yet but my truck is not a heavy off roader. I can park my truck on the edge of the road with one tire in the gravel and one on the pavement and it will spin both tires on a hard launch.
 
#12 ·
I with you on this one. Thanks Jeremy for the input. I'm looking to upgrade my diffs this year also and am trying to figure out if I want a detroit locker in the back and truetrac in the front of truetracs in both ends :shrug: I do take my truck in the bush a fair bit so that is why I would like the locker in the rear but I'm not sure yet which way to go.
Tyler
 
#13 ·
I would say selectable, that way you have best of both worlds. My experience is with detroits, has been when you are turning, and the locker is ratcheting, you give it throttle, and the locker locks up and unloads, that torque has got to go somewhere, which ends up eating your locker. With a limited slip, it is designed to slip, so if you apply to much torque to it, they will just slip. I know the rock crawlers like the detroits, but I don't care what they may think, the gassers don't put even half the torque out that even a mildly built diesel put's out. They are less than half the weight. They don't put near half the stress on a diff than we do. So I say go with a selectable, you can lock it up when you need it, and it is an open diff the rest of the time.

just my .02

Scott:ford:
 
#15 ·
I would say selectable, that way you have best of both worlds. My experience is with detroits, has been when you are turning, and the locker is ratcheting, you give it throttle, and the locker locks up and unloads, that torque has got to go somewhere, which ends up eating your locker. With a limited slip, it is designed to slip, so if you apply to much torque to it, they will just slip. I know the rock crawlers like the detroits, but I don't care what they may think, the gassers don't put even half the torque out that even a mildly built diesel put's out. They are less than half the weight. They don't put near half the stress on a diff than we do. So I say go with a selectable, you can lock it up when you need it, and it is an open diff the rest of the time.

just my .02

Scott:ford:
Surprisingly,...many of the big rockcrawler guys are switching to ARB's
 
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