Detroit Lockers or Aussie Lockers

[B52BUFF]

I have narrowed it down to these two types.  What are the opinions on these?  I am installing Dana 35 chromoly (30 spline) rear axles and plan on installing a locker also.  I had contemplated putting in a lunchbox locker but was under the impression that Detroits were better.  I was also told to look into Aussie Lockers and did so.  The Aussies are cheaper but what would be better in the long run? 

[gearhead1985B]

aussie if you break a shaft a dertoit may  eat its self if you are on the throttle when it happens and the nice thing about an aussie you can install it in less than an hour

yes the way a detroit works is better only allowing one wheel to accelerate faster

an aussie will allow one wheel to move faster or slower which ever is easier

since both are not selectable lockers i say go cheap go aussie

[calvynandhobbs]

Since you are not planning on regearing right now I would go Aussie. If you were going to regear and already have a lot of labor expense going into it the Detroit would be good at that time. I went Detroit in the rear of my TJ because I was getting the axle regeared and the Detroit replaces the entire carrier so it is stronger than the stock carrier and then a lunchbox. I think the guy in the white YJ killed his Aussie today. After that last circle his rear axle was just clicking as the wheels turned. He said he was going to take it apart when he got home, but he's running a D35 with 35s and his tire wasn't coming out the side so he thinks he killed the Aussie.

[B52BUFF]

Wha do you mean by "Re-Gear"?  What are you regearing?

[calvynandhobbs]

Wha do you mean by "Re-Gear"?  What are you regearing?

Regearing is when you change the gear ratio in the axle differentials. TJs come stock with either 3.07 or 3.73 gears if I remember right while Rubicon editions come stock with 4.10 gears. The factory installs gears that they feel are the best compromise between gas mileage and performance. The problem with installing oversized tires is that the Jeep will become very sluggish at acceleration and may cause you to downshift a lot on hills on the highway. To get the original performance back from what the factory had installed you need to regear the axles to meet the needs of the oversized tires. Here's a chart that shows some gear ratios to performance. I'm currently running 33" tires with 4.56 gears, but will be upgrading to 35" tires in the future. According to the chart I'm running the in the best overall performance category with my set up.


http://www.offroaders.com/tech/gear-ratio-chart.htm

[kirksjeep]

If your TJ is a DD, go with a selectable locker of you have the choice.  You can run an aussie in the D30 with no problems in a daily driver, but the rear is a lot different handeling.  My YJ jumped a lane comming out of Home Depot yesterday and it was due to the rear locker. 

[calvynandhobbs]

Kirk is very correct in that anything with an auto-locking mechanism like the Aussie or Detroit requires special handling when installed in the rear. Going around corners and giving too much gas can cause lane jumps and the person next you to give you funny looks. It takes time to get used to. I'm still feeling my Detroit out right now and only coasting through corners until I find its grabbing point.

[Flex]

I say if ur gonna put a locker in a turd (aka A Dana 35) that will only increase the time that is going to take to break the turd in half i would go with an aussie, just do to the fact its not smart to spend a bunch of money on an axle ur just going to come to the realization sucks and then want to get something bigger like a dana 44 that u could just bolt right in as long as it comes out of another TJ.

[BlacXJeep]

agreed chuckster, do not try to polish the turd. cheapest best route, would be getting some junkyard 4.10 axles and putting autolockers like an aussie in. True story. avoid buying gears if you can, they are a pain to install. And you would most likely have to bring it to a shop, and if you buy an expensive locker now, it will be useless when you go to buy bigger tires, because you wont be able to turn your tires with baby gears. Your jeep would be a dog. lockers have certain gear ratio  cutoffs, were they change the carrier in your axle. if you have 3.07 gears right now, even 33s will be tough to turn. I have 33s with 3.55s with an automatic, and its just ok. I also am not running any lockers and I wheel just fine. just my .02.

[Flex]

agreed chuckster, do not try to polish the turd. cheapest best route, would be getting some junkyard 4.10 axles and putting autolockers like an aussie in. True story. avoid buying gears if you can, they are a pain to install. And you would most likely have to bring it to a shop, and if you buy an expensive locker now, it will be useless when you go to buy bigger tires, because you wont be able to turn your tires with baby gears. Your jeep would be a dog. lockers have certain gear ratio  cutoffs, were they change the carrier in your axle. if you have 3.07 gears right now, even 33s will be tough to turn. I have 33s with 3.55s with an automatic, and its just ok. I also am not running any lockers and I wheel just fine. just my .02.

Yea u can deff. wheel just fine with no lockers, guess im not one to talk, but if u just find someone that u have good communication with and u can trust the safety of ur rig to there is not alot u can't do with not a whole lot of extra parts. If u dont believe me ask the guys that saw duece run the valley on the back loop at BTC.