Detroit Lockers

Introduction

For decades, Tractech's venerable Detroit Locker has been the only choice if you wanted an automatic locker for your 4x4 and there's good reason for that. Once it's installed, it's ready to go and you'll never have to think about it again. It'll just keep working, and working, and working.

Today's fourwheelers are a lucky bunch because there are a wide range of choices when it comes to differential traction aids. From limited slips to manually actuated spools, there is something for everyone's requirement. But for those of us who are into hard-core 'wheeling and maximum reliability, the tried and true Detroit Locker is still the best choice. Although more expensive than the cheaper locker choices, the renowned reliability was an important consideration for me. Unlike the "lunch box lockers" (so named because they can be installed by the avg. home mechanic during lunch hour) that can be installed in a vehicle's existing differential carrier, the Detroit Locker replaces the entire carrier. For axles like the Dana 30 and 35, this is a particularly important feature since the Detroit is significantly stronger than the original carrier. Compare any Detroit Locker carrier to the original factory carrier and you'll easily see that the Detroit is much beefier. And beef = reliability.

For Project YJ, the higher cost of the Detroit Locker was a price worth paying. Since it was getting upgraded to 4.10 ring and pinion gears (which required new carriers anyway), it made sense to upgrade to Detroit Lockers at the same time. The previous lockers, a pair of PowerTrax Lockrights, gave me no problems during the time I had them (I put 100,000 km on the rear Lockright) in my original Jeep axles. However, Project YJ was spending more time on harder trails so I thought it would be a good idea to go with the greater strength of the Detroit Lockers. I wanted the peace of mind that comes with the Detroits: unconditional reliability.