Detroit sucks

[BrettM]

i know i have to pay to play and thats part of 4 wheeling .i know this and have no problem with this fact i have done it many times .i never put undo stress on the rear after i heard the axle snap.i never thought that running one shaft in the condition it was in would break the locker but it did .i replaced the shaft and the locker no longer worked on the side that originally broke.i don't want to split the locker open to look at the clutches and have the manufacture tell me they won't warranty it because of this .i'm still waiting on the phone call from the people i ordered it from for the return number.once i get that i will be sending it to them if they replace it great if they don't i won't buy another one.

like i said i only posted this thread to warn others that if they break a shaft to expect the worst .i would have never expected this from a detroit they taught their lockers to be the best but from what i have experienced it seems they aren't what they say.i don't post when i don't know what i'm talking about or if i assume something .i'm running on fact here. i have wheeled for close to 15 years and have beat on parts for most of them .coming to Utah has opened my eyes to new types of terrain and i have been taking it pretty easy since being here.if i thought i pushed the locker past what it was intended i would have no problem paying to have it replaced.but as far as i'm concerned i didn't and it shouldn't have failed the way it did.all i'm asking is that they replace it.if they don't want to they don't want to and all that will do is reinforce my thoughts that they are inferior and i will no longer purchase them for my trucks.

can this thread end now or doesn it have to keep go on like this .

you ARE assuming. until you send your locker to TT and get a reply saying they won't fix it, your are ASSUMING. sure, they're not going to tell you on the phone "we'll replace it no matter what". they probably don't want you to be expecting too much, so they're being honest, or even pessimistic about the situation.

SO WHAT if a few retailers (who would love to sell you a new detroit or other diff) say TT won't warranty it? don't complain about a very well-liked product without rock-hard facts.

 

[XJoachim]

The "small" detroits may fail if you snap an axle, that's correct. If you snap an axle there is a lot of power on this shaft. Now you brake it, because of the locker working how he should all the power is distributed through the locker to the other axle shaft. But the detroit locker by design will see a shock load of about 3 times higher than the load that makes your shaft snap. The axle housing will also flex at the same time. This may damage the detroit, not every time but chances are.

This is one of the reasons why you should "go big". Not only the axles are bigger there is also some more serious beef in the locker that will withstand those forces.

Open up the locker and get them to warranty the broken piece, i'm sure TT will do that but i doubt they will replace the complete locker. You could even buy that spare part and have the locker working for a fraction of a new one. Next thing is replace those axles with some serious beef. :wave:

 

[XJEEPER]

I had a 2 month old Trutrac LS break in Moab a few years back, pulled the ring gear on Rusty Nail and drove home in front wheel drive. TT warrantied the unit.

 

[Loose_Nuts_Enterprises]

You could always pull the drive shaft.

Brett, if you have a full floater, you would need to pull both axles, so there's no load on either side of the detroit.

 

[xtremewlr]

...if this was a mechanical locker it would not have happened,...

A detroit IS a mechanical locker. The so called clutches are just gears with shallow teeth to allow them to unlock from the spider assembly.

 

[CRASH]

The title of your post makes it sound like you believe the locker is an inferior product.

I think you are confusing him with me.....I think Detroits are an inferior product.

CRASH

 

[Wil Badger]

A detroit IS a mechanical locker. The so called clutches are just gears with shallow teeth to allow them to unlock from the spider assembly.

dude i know how it works and whats inside it thanks .by mechanical i meant a cable or air operated .i consider a detroit an automatic locker

 

[XJoachim]

The pic posted is not a "small" locker, seems to me like an exploded view of a 60 unit. The 35 for example looks totally different inside, that's the reason why they break.

Wil, open the locker and look at it, find out what's broken and post a pic of it.

 

[Goatman]

I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out.

Were the unexpected lane changes not enough for you?

How about the popping banging and ratcheting?

Maybe you didn't notice the increased tire wear?

Yes, detroits do indeed suck.

CRASH

Another comment from a totally uneducated and inexperinced wheeler. Detriots rule.........ARB's suck.

So, once in a blue moon someone blows a Detroit when they break an axle, all the rest of the time they work flawlessly.

Many, many, many, many times guys have to stop and tinker with their pesky ARB's.




Obviously, CRASH has ARB's and I have Detroits.

 

[Goatman]

you are a moron. if you break an axle DON'T DRIVE ON IT! you say you have a 60 rear, so I assume that would be the full-floater version, PULL THE SHAFT OUT IMMEDIATELY.

if i wouldn't warranty something abused by the customer, and by abuse I don't mean wheelin it hard, I mean driving with a broken shaft.

Hey Brett....

I really don't like you calling anyone a name......it's totally uncalled for. Would you call him a moron to his face? If not, then don't be an internet weenie and type what you won't say!

Also, I totally disagree about not driving on a broken axle. Unfortunately, this shows a little of your lack of experience. There are occasions when it's necessary to drive out on a broken axle, and there are occasions where it's just more convenient and it won't hurt anything.

The issue of the broken Detroit is a characteristic of Detroits.......it has nothing to do with driving out on it. The locker was broken with the backlash (sudden unloading) of the axle snapping, driving on it made no difference at all. This line of criticism is useless and unfortunately shows a certain lack of understanding.

Detroits are great......they work extremely well......they are very strong......they have the best handling characteristics of any automatic locker. They have one Achillies heel......they sometimes will break when an axle shaft breaks. To me, this is well worth the risk. If I broke one I would be pissed at the situation, but not at Detroit. Stuff occasionally breaks.......that's the price we pay to play. I have Detroits, and while I haven't broken a rear axle I've broken the front a number of times.....two stubs, two hubs, and two CTM's....and the Detroit is fine.

 

[Wil Badger]

thanks Goatman .like i have stated .i like Detroits, i like they way they work and the way the handle .i just don't like the fact that it broke in this manner.my only real problem with Detroit at this point is that ok it broke and as i see it ,it shouldn't have and i just want them to fix it or replace it.if this is what i have to deal with when i break a shaft which is a common occurance as i see it with 4 wheeling then i don't want one and will just run a spool when i up grade to a bigger axle .

can a moderator please lock this thread or just plain old delete it.it has gotton out of hand and is not what intended when i posted .i was simply looking to tell people what to expect if they run one and break an axle .but it would seem some poeple are just plain old to up tight on the subject

 

[Goatman]

Wil, just let it go and don't post any more. Between all the useless comments and discusion there is some good information. Now it's just about the subject and not about you.

 

[Gil BullyKatz]

Warn shafts...

 

[CRASH]

Once, in his youth, Crash HAD a Detroit.

Then young Crash started driving back and forth to Reno during winter.

He learned all about white knuckle driving, and how to clean his soiled undies.

Then Crash got a selectable locker.

In all seriousness, a Detroit is fine for a rig with an auto trans, but with a stick, it's just too violent for use on icy roads where gentleness is called for.

CRASH

Another comment from a totally uneducated and inexperinced wheeler. Detriots rule.........ARB's suck.

So, once in a blue moon someone blows a Detroit when they break an axle, all the rest of the time they work flawlessly.

Many, many, many, many times guys have to stop and tinker with their pesky ARB's.




Obviously, CRASH has ARB's and I have Detroits.

 

[Kejtar]

Once, in his youth, Crash HAD a Detroit.

Then young Crash started driving back and forth to Reno during winter.

He learned all about white knuckle driving, and how to clean his soiled undies.

Then Crash got a selectable locker.

In all seriousness, a Detroit is fine for a rig with an auto trans, but with a stick, it's just too violent for use on icy roads where gentleness is called for.

CRASH

Not that I'm saying detroit is the best or worst, but I will have to disagree with your statemnt that detroit is too violent with a stick. I have a detroit in my xj and I don't feel it on the road any more then I did the no slip or the traclok.
No I have not driven it on icy roads to Reno, but I did drive it up to big bear couple times in snow and ice and I can't say that it felt any different.

 

[FarmerMatt]

I couldn't decide so I've got both... ARB & Detroit. Haven't broken either...

Matt

 

[DrMoab]

Once, in his youth, Crash HAD a Detroit.
Then young Crash started driving back and forth to Reno during winter.
He learned all about white knuckle driving, and how to clean his soiled undies.

Hehe...I do not drive mine in the snow any more then I have to. And I have a auto. Thats what the ZJ is for....Nice FULL TIME 4wd. Maybe wimpy for hardcore use but ohh how nice it is in the snow! :laugh3:

BTW I also have both....An ARB and a Detroit. I have broke them both....What camp does this put me in?

 

[FarmerMatt]

Either you're the most hard core wheeler & we should all bow before you....

Or

You drive worse than CRASH & try to make up for that inadequacy with the skinny pedal, but nobody drive worse than CRASH so this can't be the case.

Matt

 

[DrMoab]

Either you're the most hard core wheeler & we should all bow before you....

Or

You drive worse than CRASH & try to make up for that inadequacy with the skinny pedal, but nobody drive worse than CRASH so this can't be the case.

Matt

:laugh3: You...my friend are wrong on both accounts. Actually the D30 break was not wheeling related. The stupid bolts came out and broke off as they hit the carrier bearing. Found out its a common D30 ARB problem.
I think the detroit broke because the D44 came out of an old cherokee that had been competed in. I think it was problebly broke before I got it but didnt actually fail for awhile.
I was driving home on the highway from a camping trip when it broke.

 

[XJoachim]

Once, in his youth, Crash HAD a Detroit.

Then young Crash started driving back and forth to Reno during winter.

He learned all about white knuckle driving, and how to clean his soiled undies.

Then Crash got a selectable locker.

In all seriousness, a Detroit is fine for a rig with an auto trans, but with a stick, it's just too violent for use on icy roads where gentleness is called for.

CRASH

Crash, i don't know you personnalyy and i don't know anything about your driving experience. I've driven a lot of winters with lockers in the rear without ever using 4 WD. There also were stick operated cars. I never had a problem with the locker in icy and snowy conditions. Maybe because i'm used to cars without the electronical goodies and i'm nearly as old as dust like eagle :laugh3: