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Detroit Locker

splicer

Well-Known Member
Local time
11:27 AM
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
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Location
Plattsville, Ontario, Canada
Today, at the track, I managed to blow the Auburn posi unit in my 8 3/4....after only 45 runs and maybe 1500 miles of road driving....

Thinking of going with a Detroit Locker....

Any of you guys running a Detroit Locker and for how long?...How do you like it ??

Thanks
Splicer
 
I have a D/L in my SRT-10 Truck. It takes some getting used too. It will lock and unlock at some scary times and sound like a rifle shot when it does this. Mine is a Dana 60 and the D/L is supposed to be practically unbreakable.
 
if a full time racer why not a spool?i run a spool on the street but i am a bit on the crazy side.:grin:
 
I run a Detroit Locker in my 63 street/strip car and I like it. Been in there for about 4 years with no trouble. You can feel it kick back in sometimes but its no big deal to me. Ron
 
Mine's been in for 9 years with no issues other than some clunking on turns.IMO Spools are supposed to be hard on tires and axles if used frequently on the street. The rear wheels are trying to turn at two different speeds on turns so something has to give...........
 
Mine's been in for 9 years with no issues other than some clunking on turns.IMO Spools are supposed to be hard on tires and axles if used frequently on the street. The rear wheels are trying to turn at two different speeds on turns so something has to give...........
ya i know.i just gas it and pitch the car sideways for every turn.sure it costs alot in tires,but i am always smiling!!:grin:
 
Switch out the 8 3/4 while your at it and put a dana with ford end bearings in then your done. Detroit locker is made here also not chinese crap.
 
I've been wondering the same thing. I'm building my '69 Sat RR clone for street. I might take it to the track just to see what that's like but it's definitely a street car. What should I get locker, differential, or just leave it single trac. She's a 440 with 906 heads a little port work, hughes cam 528 lift, victor intake, 750 dbl pumper w 2" spacer, 727 few goodies for hard shifting TCI saturday night special converter 3:23's.
 
I've been thinking about this very thing with regard to my 66 Belvedere. I plan to go Dana 60 at some point, and get more involved in NSS racing, but would like to drive it on the street on occasion. Seems the locker is the plan! Otherwise a spool and just gas it in the turns and smile like 67!
 
I had one in my 9 1/4 for a short while. Didn't like it. Got lots of movies of very wierd burnouts where one side would unlock, than lock, then unlock. Very strange. Also, on launch, sometimes both sides would not initially lock. I believe it hurt my 60 foot times. I pulled it out and had it checked and it's ok. IMO, not a good diff for the strip. I went back to my clutch style posi unit ( had it built extra tight ). It usually good for about 100 runs or so. A spool would have been my choice, but they don't make one for the 9 1/4. Also, if you plan on driving one on the street, be prepared for a lot of clunking noise and directional pull under accel around corners. Sometimes it can cause additional steering input to keep the car going in the direction you intended - open / spool / open / spool / open /spool would be the best way to explain it.
 
Hmmmmm, interesting observation on your part and that makes me rethink the use of the locker.
 
Well...the locker is in and tested with no issues on the street....haven't got to the strip yet.
I haven't heard any noise out of it and it is definitely locking both axles when I get on it(2 nice black strips...)
I'll report how it behaves at the strip..

Splicer
 
I had one in my 69 RR back in the day... It went click click click when I turned.
I didn't notice any issues at the track,,,, but I wasn't dealing with a 700+ hp engine in it either.
 
One thing to remember is dont nail it before your car is straight coming out of a turn. If you hit it before the car gets straight then only one wheel will be locked. If you wait until the car is straight then the other wheel will lock back up. Ron
 
good idea going with a D/L rather than a spool. I hear that spools during or shortly after a surprise rain shower are a disaster around bends.
 
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