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arb vs. detroit vs. ox?

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tankntwankies

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im lookin at gettin lockers and i wanted to get some opinions on which is best. It is my daily driver so i like being able to turn it on and off like arb and ox but i want it to be bad ass on the trails... all opinions are appreciated
 
Front or rear? What axle? What kind of wheeling? ....?

I personally like automatic lockers like the Detroit. I have a Detroit locker in my rear axle and a lockright in the front. It works well for me. I couldn't be happier with the setup. Every time I have been offroad with someone with selectable lockers they always are forgetting to turn them on.

Harley
 
Detroits front and back here. I love them. As long as you have selectable lockouts up front and a case that is 2wd capable, then go detroit. I have never been unhappy with mine.
 
I chose to install ARB, the reason for this is I do a lot of wheeling on hard packed snowmobile trails in the winter that are up and down hills and tight corners. I have driven trucks with Detroit's in them, they seem to have a very bad trait of locking up on icy corners when you least expect it. It scares the s(it out of you. Just my 2 cents.
 
broc944 said:
I chose to install ARB, the reason for this is I do a lot of wheeling on hard packed snowmobile trails in the winter that are up and down hills and tight corners. I have driven trucks with Detroit's in them, they seem to have a very bad trait of locking up on icy corners when you least expect it. It scares the s(it out of you. Just my 2 cents.
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They do. Its kinda fun if you know its comming....scares the **** out of your passengers. If you drive with a detroit for about a week or two.....youll get used to this and it doesnt happen unless you try to make it happen. It will also do this if your turning onto a busy street in the rain and have to get on it hard....it locks....and you slide around. gives you that :bow: :haha: :doah: :D :confused: :wink1: :p: :eek1: feeling all at once...
-Harrison
 
87BrnRsd said:
They do. Its kinda fun if you know its comming....scares the **** out of your passengers. If you drive with a detroit for about a week or two.....youll get used to this and it doesnt happen unless you try to make it happen. It will also do this if your turning onto a busy street in the rain and have to get on it hard....it locks....and you slide around. gives you that :bow: :haha: :doah: :D :confused: :wink1: :p: :eek1: feeling all at once...
-Harrison
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That's EXACTLY the way it makes you feel. Good call.
 
For a selectable locker I would go with the ox. But I do love my detroits, front and rear in my truck and yes they take some getting used to and have some undesirable traits on hardpacked snow. Bonus with the ox is you get a cool diff cover :D
 
ARB. Got the first one in '98 or so, in the 10-bolt rear. Worked great for mild/medium trail riding in the desert, and the truck always sees a lot of highway miles; never broke anything. Moved the 10b ARB to the front once I got my D60 rear in '03, also with ARB. Compressor is still the same that came with the first locker. Occasional issues have been on the electrical side (loose contacts, corroded fuse). Overall, I've been very pleased with ARBs and wouldn't hesitate to buy them again.

Actually, I did. My wife's FJ40 has front and rear ARBs, as well.

And as for 'forgetting to turn it on', in my book it means that someone wasn't paying attention to the trail, or the particular obstacle.

Harley, it actually was funny to see the reaction to the ARB business when we were out in FJ with Marv, Paul, Jay, and Mikey this winter. It seemed to me that somehow everyone (except Paul who had seen me drive earlier) was a little surprised the darn things actually work... It takes a little more communication with your spotter in order to keep the front 10bolt alive (how much are the wheels turned? how much of a bump is needed? do I need the front locked or not?), but overall the ARBs were worth the investment for me. I drive the truck for long distances, and like the transparent operation of open or spool.

Can't comment on other selectable lockers as I haven't owned one. But in general: were the $$$ for ARBs worth it to me? Absolutely! Are the $$$ for ARBs worth it for someone else? I don't know, and - as I'm not in the business of selling ARBs - I actually don't really care. I just thought I'd share my positive experiences with ARBs.
 
tankntwankies said:
im lookin at gettin lockers and i wanted to get some opinions on which is best. It is my daily driver so i like being able to turn it on and off like arb and ox but i want it to be bad ass on the trails... all opinions are appreciated
Click to expand...

I have yet to see an ox that actually works.
 
I like the ARB. If you drive on snow, detroit is no fun. I used to have a detroit in my DD, going 50mph and it start snowing, those mild corners on the freeway let it loose every time, unless you take your foot off the gas the whole way through the corner, and are holding up traffic because by the end of the corner your going 25mph.
Detroit is unbeatable for trail usage. Dry pavment with a detroit is annoying but not hurting anything and tolerable. Detroit and snow do not mix well. I used to drive up north snomobling with a detroit equipped truck....sucked ass...i could drive my 2wd c10 better in the snow & ice than the detroit.
Being able to shut it off is a must if you drive on snow.
I'm sure there ar thsoe that will tell you it's just fine on snow once you get used to it, well, not in my opinion, snow trails you could get used to, driving on a snow covered freeway with it is just not an option. Any distance on the snow and the only thing your getting used to is going very slow or being very afriad it's going to come around at any time.
If it's your daily driver, and you live in a snow area...i'd go with a selectable locker. If you live in the south the detroit is perhaps your best choice.
 
tomseviltwin said:
I have yet to see an ox that actually works.
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I have. But it was in a YJ, so D30 & D35. His were from the early batch and he liked them a lot.

How about the e-locker?
 
73k5blazer said:
I like the ARB. If you drive on snow, detroit is no fun. I used to have a detroit in my DD, going 50mph and it start snowing, those mild corners on the freeway let it loose every time, unless you take your foot off the gas the whole way through the corner, and are holding up traffic because by the end of the corner your going 25mph.
Detroit is unbeatable for trail usage. Dry pavment with a detroit is annoying but not hurting anything and tolerable. Detroit and snow do not mix well. I used to drive up north snomobling with a detroit equipped truck....sucked ass...i could drive my 2wd c10 better in the snow & ice than the detroit.
Being able to shut it off is a must if you drive on snow.
I'm sure there ar thsoe that will tell you it's just fine on snow once you get used to it, well, not in my opinion, snow trails you could get used to, driving on a snow covered freeway with it is just not an option. Any distance on the snow and the only thing your getting used to is going very slow or being very afriad it's going to come around at any time.
If it's your daily driver, and you live in a snow area...i'd go with a selectable locker. If you live in the south the detroit is perhaps your best choice.
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You explained this so much better then I could have.:bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:
 
We dont even know where this guy lives. He may live in texas and never even see snow. Or he may live where there is a ton. I dont drive mine in the snow much, but yes, the detroit effect is exaggerated in the snow. Even if he lives where it snows a lot, go with an arb rear so you can turn it off and have onboard air, and save $300 and detroit the front.....thats just my suggestion. But i do know, I have heard of many more problems with arb's than with detroits....but i dont run one so...... If he lives where there isnt snow, I would say detroits front and rear all the way.:saweet:
-Harrison
 
I say detroit rear and ARB front.

ARBs are good stuff and reliable but a detroit is basically bullet proof in fullsize axle applications so it gets my vote for the rear.
 
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