Extra Diff Lockers

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njc110381

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Location
Stroud, Gloucestershire UK
Hey guys. My next plan on my 110 will be to fit extra diff lockers to the front and rear diffs. I'm not really sure what sort to buy, but I want to keep things simple. I know the ARB Air Lockers are popular, and remember a company called Detroit doing some kind of locker too. What I'm interested in is the limited slip diffs that were available when I was into my landys years ago. I don't remember the name of the manufacturers, but they seemed more simple than the air powered ones.

What's available these days, and what are the pros and cons of each type?
 
njc110381 said:
Hey guys. My next plan on my 110 will be to fit extra diff lockers to the front and rear diffs. I'm not really sure what sort to buy, but I want to keep things simple. I know the ARB Air Lockers are popular, and remember a company called Detroit doing some kind of locker too. What I'm interested in is the limited slip diffs that were available when I was into my landys years ago. I don't remember the name of the manufacturers, but they seemed more simple than the air powered ones.

What's available these days, and what are the pros and cons of each type?
Click to expand...

ARB's require a pump and manual activation to get em going.

For fit and forget (no driver input required) you want detroit on the rear and true-tac on the front. Truetacs are limited slip.
 
I've done some reading on the net and I quite like the sound of the Detroit Truetrac as long as they work. I don't like the idea of completely locking a diff due to the strain put on the halfshafts of the wheel with traction (ARB or Detroit locker), so these Truetrac jobbies sound fairly gentle on the drivetrain. How much do you gain from them if you start spinning though? I read somewhere that if you apply light brake pressure it will help the diff give extra power to the wheel with traction?
I could go for the Detroit locker, but I'm worried about the on road handling. Do they put pressure on the tyres and drivetrain when used on a high traction surface like tarmac or is there some kind of release mechanism to allow them to slip in normal driving conditions?
 
I have a detroit Locker fitted in the rear of my 90 in a salisbury axle, it is permenantly locked but will unlock when needed when traction is good.
Imagine the fastest wheel freewheeling faster than the inside driven wheel but it will never ever go slower that the driven wheel.

Jai
 
Thanks for the links guys, very useful. The last one is rather long winded, but I read the links in the links too and I'm a bit more clued up now.

It's said that a Detroit locker is no good for short wheelbase vehicles, under 120" just to make things complicated. Yet a lot of people swear by them in their 110s? I tried to look up Quaife lockers but couldn't find much info. I assume they're a bit like the Truetrac?

At the moment I'm thinking Detroit locker in the rear and Truetrac in the front, but if anyone could shed more light on the Truetracs locking up more with a little gentle braking I'd be tempted to go for Truetracs front and rear as they're softer on the drivetrain!

I'm still a little confused, but much better off than I was earlier! Thanks for the info so far (keep it coming!), it's been very helpful :)
 
I have a truetrac in my racer and its brilliant. Because its not locked all the time itstops the back end kicking out when cornering fast but still provides power to the outer wheel not just the spinning inner wheel. When funds allow i will fit one up front aswell as some stronger shafts to match the rear.
Also you can use standard ep90 which is cheap. unlike some lsd's like kam and quaiffe which need specific oils.
 
The Truetracs do sound good. Do you know why gently braking with your left foot helps to make them give more torque to the wheel with traction (if you've heard of this)? I read about this technique on the net, but it wasn't that clear about what it actually does! I guess it must slow the spinning wheel to allow more torque to be sent to the wheel with grip. What I don't understand is why the brakes don't hinder the progress of the wheel with traction too? :confused:
 
They do, which is why it has to be gentle. Get it right and it can pull you through, get it wrong and you'll stall the engine. I seem to get it wrong more often than I get it right.
It is the principle behind Traction Control, but that only works on the spinning wheel, so shouldn't hinder progress.
 
I keep reading that the Truetrac will never allow one wheel to spin and the other to sit there doing nothing. Does that mean that the wheel with traction will never completely stop, or have I made that up in my head because that's what I want to hear?
 
jai_landrover said:
I have a detroit Locker fitted in the rear of my 90 in a salisbury axle, it is permenantly locked but will unlock when needed when traction is good.
Imagine the fastest wheel freewheeling faster than the inside driven wheel but it will never ever go slower that the driven wheel.

Jai
Click to expand...

What are they like to drive on the road with a Detroit locker in the rear axle? I'd imagine they feel a bit weird because, as far as I understand it, when going around a corner all of the power goes to the inner wheel. Perhaps it's not so noticeable with permanent 4wd but I bet it would be noticeable on a series Land-Rover.
 
I've been thinking exactly that. Surely if the inside wheel does all the driving, when you turn you would start accelerating because the inside wheel really doesn't have to go far on a bend? With a normal diff I assume the power is spread evenly between both wheels, so the inside one will slow down as the outside one speeds up? If the inside one can't slow down, I get the feeling you would get thrown around the corner faster than you would expect? Sounds dodgy to me!
 
Actually mine at the moment is always locked 100% will be sorted by next week. I have been in and driven others with a Detroit locker and yes its weird it feels like you have to put alot more input to get around the corner like understeer. Not quite as bad as mine Mine completly underteers everywhere to the point of it being boring to drive in the snow last time it snowed I went out on a mission to play about in a nice smooth car park well out of the way but ended up so boring I come home didn't loose traction though. I will say that the noise it makes when it re engages is a loud bang but apparently this is normal. I will get my diff out tomorow night after work and sort it, re install it and then have a propper test drive to refresh my memory. Jai
 
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