Wow! This is fun. My Old traction lock in the 9" was wearing out and my friend gave me a good deal on a rebuilt Detroit Locker. We installed it with the same 3.70 gears. Those things dont screw around do they? Took alittle getting used to when slowly turning left or right (Chirping inside tire if too much power applied)) and the little shimmy it does when engaging and disengaging at speed(Made more noticable because it's a 5-Speed) during shifts. Verdict: I friggin love it! The car hooks on the launch and seems not to suffer when on the power in high speed curves. And of course the two black stripes it leaves when ever I want it to. Ok alittle annoying when idling through a parking lot in first gear and the car lurches alittle in a turn like most manual cars do and it causes it to lock up and jerk the car suddenly back witch unlocks it, witch causes it to lurch forward thus relocking it....Repeat untill smart enough to push in clutch or car dies. Any one have a Detroit here? Any thoughts?
I have one in mine and have no problems with it. Sharp turns at low speeds usually causes tire chirpping. Its like music!!
I've had a locker in mine for over 6 years....one of the best things I've done to the car. Just watch the wet roads...especially in the turns
Absolutafookinmente That's a spanglish word. It's one of the first things I knew was absolutely going in mine. Probably 3.7's. The difference between it and a spool is that you aren't going to end up in a wall. We gonna race down Top Gun Raceway next summer?
I have a Detriot in mine. It is a strip car only, but I wouldn't have a problem running it on the street. I don't have the lurching you are talking about. I have a C4 trans. Just the ratchet noise. I couldn't count the times someone has stopped me and told me that something sounds bad wrong with the car because of the noise it makes. I think the lurching is more the manual trans. I get that same thing with my 5.0 mustang and the track lock clutches have been burned out a long time ago. Cleaver
Yea my friend has a 66 Stang with an AOD and a Detroit Locker. It does the same things just to a lesser degree. Definitly more auto trans friendly at low speed during turns. Still fun though. I kept the traction lock unit so I could use it for something else. I figure I'll horse trade it for an 8" traction lock if I get lucky. Then the Pinto will be posi too
I have a Detroit Locker, I learned a valuable lesson this year, A rear swaybar and a Locker don't play well together. I found out the hard way. When I had the Trac-Lok in my car the rear bar was no problem, but with the Locker, the car was more twitchy under power exiting the corners. I got into the gas too much, and around it went. After pulling the fender back away from the left front tire, and pushing the quarter panel out to make it look more presentable, I took the end links out of the rear bar, and the made a world of difference. The car was more stable and seemed to plant better allowing more power to be applied exiting corners. I have talked to vintage racers that run a Locker in their early Mustangs, and they have experienced the same thing, and run with no rear bar. To quote a guy that has '66 Shelby Mustang, and has a Locker in it, "My car is evil with a rear sway bar" his words of his car. I do love the Detroit Locker, but I don't have too much shimmying or chirping, but have noticed the lurching while turning at slow speeds in parking lots, I just may not be able to hear chirping over the exhaust . I just thought I'd throw my two cents in there.
Locker Both the Maverick and early Mustangs have a natural tendency to be Loose ( tail happy )- when you begin adding horsepower and stiffening the suspension for corner carving . The addition of a rear sway bar will make things even worse especially when you add a detroit locker differential for your everyday driving. The Detroit locker is much better suited to race applications - both drag and road race. The locker wil pop , growl , bang, lurch, and unload at times when you don`t expect it..... no problem when you`re flat out in a race car, but If you drive your car mostly on the street, I think the Trutrac or Traclok when set up correctly is a much better choice . The action is smoother and quieter. As far as the Mini spool goes - be careful on the street - The drag stip is about the only place I would trust one unless you enjoy spinning around in circles or off-roading when you least expect it.
I've got a nine inch Det. locker in mine and had the various noises ya'll are talking about. I pumped out about a pint of oil and added a pint of posi additive and havn't heard a peep out of it since. I think it hooks up pretty good
If you have slide a links,southside lift bars,or the such you don't need a rear sway bar. I had one on my car and took it as it did nothing but make the rearend more prone to come around.
