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Getting Rid of my Detroit Locker

Old 06-30-2017, 05:01 AM
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Default Getting Rid of my Detroit Locker

So I've finally grown tired of the quirks in the Detroit Locker in my 6 lug 14bsf in my '84 K10. A lot of it is because the K10 is a manual transmission and it does some weird things as a result. I really don't wheel much anymore and the truck is mostly used on the street. I've got a healthy built 350,NV4500,208, 4.10 gears, and 35" tires.
I've been doing some research on what to replace it with and I've come up with a few options:

1. Detroit TrueTrac. Helical gear limited slip so no clutches to wear out but I'm finding a lot of mixed reviews where it's totally grenaded on people or they only get one wheel peals. It's also only rated for 33" tires where I run 35"s.

2. Eaton E Locker. These came factory in the 9.5 14bsf in the H2 and is a bolt in deal for my axle. The only part that doesn't is the retainer for the stator magnet needs to have the bearing cap drilled and tapped. Plus of course the hole to run the wiring. It works like an open dif until you hit the switch and then an electromagnet pushes pins into one of the side gears locking both sides together. Sounds wonderful right? Well I guess a lot of H2 guys that actually wheel go through these like crazy and they don't hold up well to shock loading. They also unlock and relock when you change direction. So going from forward to reverse like rocking yourself out of a hole could blow it to pieces. They have their downfalls but I guess if I drove with them in mind I'd maybe be okay?

3. Traditional clutch type limited slip. Tried and true concept. If I find it's letting one wheel spin more than the other I can get stiffer springs for it so it locks harder but then it'd wear out faster, though they are rebuild able. If you choose this option let me know which brand you'd recommend. (Auburn/Eaton/etc)


I know ARB is also a great option but I don't want the added complexity of air compressors or the price tag that comes with it.
Old 06-30-2017, 12:55 PM
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If you want to sell the Detroit and it's not some miled out to death POS, I would interested!
Old 06-30-2017, 10:12 PM
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The only people who rag on the trutrac are the ones that don't have them. I've yet to hear an actual owner complain. Never had a single quirk with mine, completely seamless on the street and worked fine at the track with 1000hp.
Old 07-01-2017, 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by GMCtrk
The only people who rag on the trutrac are the ones that don't have them. I've yet to hear an actual owner complain. Never had a single quirk with mine, completely seamless on the street and worked fine at the track with 1000hp.
I take it you launch hard with sticky tires?
What axle is this in? I think that might make a difference as the carrier size and strength can vary a lot.

​​​​​​​
After some more research into the Eaton E Locker I've ruled it out. Too many quirks and questionable reliability.

I've also been considering the G80 GovLock. Sounds crazy to put a G80 in place of a Detroit Locker but it has the characteristics I'm looking for and they can be had very cheap in comparison to everything else. Good idea or bad idea?

Last edited by Chevy305; 07-01-2017 at 07:24 AM.
Old 07-01-2017, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by GMCtrk
The only people who rag on the trutrac are the ones that don't have them. I've yet to hear an actual owner complain. Never had a single quirk with mine, completely seamless on the street and worked fine at the track with 1000hp.
Lol... no... some of us actually drive in 4 seasons... or on slippery surfaces where that gem shows how easily it just becomes an open differential. I mean it works okay in a front diff like I have in my Jimmy because it basically acts open most of the time but otherwise... not so much. The only people that I have seen rag on a trutrac are people actually have run them and found them useless... lol.

Last edited by 1994Vmax; 07-01-2017 at 10:38 AM.
Old 07-01-2017, 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by Chevy305
I take it you launch hard with sticky tires?
What axle is this in? I think that might make a difference as the carrier size and strength can vary a lot.


After some more research into the Eaton E Locker I've ruled it out. Too many quirks and questionable reliability.

I've also been considering the G80 GovLock. Sounds crazy to put a G80 in place of a Detroit Locker but it has the characteristics I'm looking for and they can be had very cheap in comparison to everything else. Good idea or bad idea?
The G80 in the 9.5" takes a lot more abuse... the components of it are physically larger. There is even YouTube videos of guys with volvos that use the 9.5" cutting the governor to make it stay engaged longer. It's downfall is it shock loads itself to engage each and every time which is why it blows up in the first place. It's not designed to engage under power at all.. so if you drive knowing that they last quite a long time. I have the 80000 mile perfect gov lock out of my 04s 9.5" on my bench and am tempted to modify the governor as I literally cannot give it away lol.

https://youtu.be/zXgTWLP_e-I
Old 07-01-2017, 06:01 PM
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Originally Posted by 1994Vmax
The G80 in the 9.5" takes a lot more abuse... the components of it are physically larger. There is even YouTube videos of guys with volvos that use the 9.5" cutting the governor to make it stay engaged longer. It's downfall is it shock loads itself to engage each and every time which is why it blows up in the first place. It's not designed to engage under power at all.. so if you drive knowing that they last quite a long time. I have the 80000 mile perfect gov lock out of my 04s 9.5" on my bench and am tempted to modify the governor as I literally cannot give it away lol.

https://youtu.be/zXgTWLP_e-I
Unfortunately I can't watch YouTube at work so I'll have to watch that video later. But good to know that you can modify the G80. I wonder how it'd hold up to clutch dumps though...

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