Detroit Lockers

[Colibri]

Great minds think alike it seems! I've been thinking of throwing a set of lockouts on the middle axle for mileage and hopefully to ease up steering a bit. Btw I'm a big fan of your truck sir, very well done and inspirational to me

 

[rustystud]

Couldn't you just buy a pair of lockout hubs and free up the binding of the detroit lockers from the rear? Not sure where you would put both of them. One on alternating sides of each rear axle (middle axle driver side, rear axle pass side)? Or for gas mileage both on the middle axle?

Putting a set of "lock-out" hubs on the middle axle would be a great idea if you have the money. It would give you the nicer road manners of a factory deuce with better mileage, and off-road give you the aggressive traction you would need for extreme wheeling if you had the "Detroit Locker" set-up.

 

[bachman502]

Colibri, are you implying that you regret installing the Detroits in the rear axles? I was going to do the same thing. ARB a little pricey for the two rears.

 

[Eliteweapons]

Colibri, are you implying that you regret installing the Detroits in the rear axles? I was going to do the same thing. ARB a little pricey for the two rears.

My $0.02 on the options.
My truck already has a locker in axle#3 and I considered putting an Air Arb in the middle and a minispool in the front. I don't need the other lockers but just considering the upgrade when time and money allows. I already have locking hubs up front so that wouldn't be an issue. This would give the same driveability I currently have with the ability to lock all wheels in when I wanted to. The bigger question is would it make sense to put another set of lockout hubs on the rear axles and use a minispool in axle#2 for driveability and or fuel mileage?

 

[Colibri]

No, I'm definitely happy they're there. But as always one modification leads to another when you move away from stock. I'll be adding lockout hubs to the middle and front axles now to try and get some road manners back. I'm in central Texas so I don't generally have to worry about snow or icy roads, but if I did, I wouldn't want to drive it as is on icy roads with two lockers out back and the stock ndt tires. I'll report back once the lockouts are in, but I anticipate they'll make steering easier.

 

[bachman502]

There's no way I would buy detroits, and then turn around and buy a custom axle shaft and hub for rear axle. That's just adding an extra exspense to the truck to run a Detroit locker. Might as well do an arb if your going to go through all that.

 

[Colibri]

That's a very good point, buying a pair of arb's is probably about the same money as a pair of detroits plus a set of lockouts and axle shafts for the middle axle. I couldn't find anyone who had actually installed a pair of rear detroits and reported about their road behavior before I bought my deuce so it was a gamble on my part. I have arb's in other vehicles and have always been happy with them, I just wanted to try something different as I've never had Detroit lockers before. Their simplicity was very appealing and I'm glad I got them, but the road manners are pretty bad. I'll be doing an arb up front, but that has always been my plan for that.

 

[rustystud]

That's a very good point, buying a pair of arb's is probably about the same money as a pair of detroits plus a set of lockouts and axle shafts for the middle axle. I couldn't find anyone who had actually installed a pair of rear detroits and reported about their road behavior before I bought my deuce so it was a gamble on my part. I have arb's in other vehicles and have always been happy with them, I just wanted to try something different as I've never had Detroit lockers before. Their simplicity was very appealing and I'm glad I got them, but the road manners are pretty bad. I'll be doing an arb up front, but that has always been my plan for that.

Having installed "Detroit Lockers" in customers vehicles and then having to deal with their complaints later I totally agree about their "road manners" . In my opinion, they fit a particular application of extreme off-roading only. For most people that occasionally go out in the "boonies" and play or even work, the "Detriot Locker" is not the way to go. Yes the "ARB" air-lockers are more expensive up front, but after you replace the axles due to breakage and buy "lock out hubs" you spent way more money then the "ARB's" would have cost.

 

[m-35tom]

you should still be able to buy complete rockwell air lockers for the M-621 and they have larger axle shafts as well. there are plenty of them in norway.

 

[winfred]

you should still be able to buy complete rockwell air lockers for the M-621 and they have larger axle shafts as well. there are plenty of they in norway.

 

[rustystud]

you should still be able to buy complete rockwell air lockers for the M-621 and they have larger axle shafts as well. there are plenty of they in norway.

Are you talking about the "axle shift" differentials ? Those are the strongest of all lockers in my opinion. Our "Breda" bus had those and they can take an extremely harsh beating before even thinking about breaking. I would love to get three axles for my deuce, but the cost of shipping would be a killer !


I know this is not the M-621 axle but it shows the same shift mechanism on the axle shaft.