Locker question

Just stole a rear Rockjock60 that has a Detroit locker in it. My current 44 has an Eaton E-locker that is (obviously) selectable. I know very little about Detroits except that this one is not selectable. I've heard stories about how this thing stays locked until you make a turn and that if you make a quick u-turn it could cause the tires to chirp as it doesnt unlock fast enough, or something like that. Is this really something I'd want to have in a daily driver or should I be looking for something I can manualy unlock/lock?
(And yes I said stole. For the price, it was a steal)

We are Jeep..Resistance is futile..

In short wheel base vehicles they can be very quirky. I drove a TJ with one and did not like it at all on the road. JMHO but I will always go with selectable lockers on a DD.

I have a cheap lock right locker in the front which isn't selectable and when it was new, yea it sucked driving around town but once it got broke in, I can't hardly ever tell now unless I'm in 4wd.

My main concern is the thing freaking my wife out, I'll never hear the end of it. I guess premature tire wear could be a minor issue at a grand a piece too,lol.

We are Jeep..Resistance is futile..

Just run for couple weeks with it and see how it acts. May not even be able to tell. Long as she doesn't have a heavy foot like my wife it'll be ok I'm sure. I will also add in that they are awesome going forward in 4wd and kinda suck turning in 4wd.

Agree with above -- try it out and see what you think. Even have your wife try it out in an empty parking lot, do some u-turns, etc.

A selectable would definitely be better for street driving. If you don't like it, put a selectable in.

I had a detroit locker in my ram before I got a Jeep. In order to not lock up the rear, I had to basically coast while making turns. It was definitely fun in the dirt and the rain.

I have had two different rigs that had detroits, I run one in the back of my Tj that sits on 40's. Not my dd, but I do drive it to the trails and around town from time to time..

You definitely need to respect it... It can be unpredictable, meaning that occasionally, while just cruising down the road at a constant speed, it'll engage and feel like you got rear-ended by a civic... Doesn't bother me, because I know it's normal now... I know a guy who got rid of it in his rig because it kicked like that on an icy bridge and sent him into a 360... I have never had anything that dramatic happen in my rigs..

Your driving habits with a Detroit in the rear MUST be different than an open diff...

You need to let off the gas for it to disengage (around corners), this means if you are on the gas around a corner it will lock up and chirp the tires or if you are really on it, it will break loose! (Fun)
However, in my Tj, if I get on it in a corner, but not enough to break the tires loose, it engages, and really pushes the truck straight, and therefore lifts my front inside tire off the ground!!

That being said, as long as you drive it correctly, you shouldn't have a problem...

Detroits are about the strongest locker you can get, and are awesome in low range.

Pm me for my phone number if you want a better description, I'll be happy to talk you through any questions you might have.


05 Tj, long arm, one ton, lockers, winches, 39.5" Iroks

David1tontj said:

Pm me for my phone number if you want a better description, I'll be happy to talk you through any questions you might have.

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I don't see how you could describe it any better than that! :yup:

StrizzyChris said:

I don't see how you could describe it any better than that! :yup:

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Ya, pretty much talked me out of ever getting one for DD use.

How do they do offroad compared to an ARB or Eaton? Seems like it would be fine in the rear, but not too good in front.

I wasn't trying to talk people out of them for dd use... Just putting it all out there..

If it is driven correctly and respected, it can be almost un-noticeable, but you cannot just jump in and drive it like any other car..

Offroad wise- they are great; mine locks solid even when idling in low range...

I have an ez locker (works the same as a Detroit, just smaller and goes inside your open carrier (in place of your spider gears) instead of replacing the entire carrier like a Detroit) in the front of my Tj, and though it is not ideal, I don't find it nearly as hard to turn as everyone told me it would be. I will continue to run it forever or until it breaks.. I like it a lot!


Also a side note that nobody has mentioned... Lockers, especially front lockers, are TERRIBLE for driving on the street in snowy or icy conditions!!! The rear is manageable, but the front locker is almost just dangerous... I prefer to just keep her in 2 wheel drive and slip rather than engage the front with that locker..

.....wonder if that scares anyone


05 Tj, long arm, one ton, lockers, winches, 39.5" Iroks