Detroit or Grizzly Locker

[sweetk30]

when I swapped my 14ff gov loc to Detroit if there was more than 2-3" snow on blacktop I had to have it in 4wd or the truck went sideways in the rear .

I ran 38x12.50 tsl .

when I swapped it back around 2 years later I loved it again .

this is what lead me to pick a arb locker package for the project STUBBY build.

open in the front is best or selectable . same reasons as the rear.

and I cut my tsl swampers in the center blocks like most guys do and it helped a lot in the snow .

 

[magik235]

I daily drove a Scout in the old days with factory lockers front and rear. I did not have any problems in winter except breaking axles periodically going from ice to blacktop.

 

[dangerdog]

grizzly for sure, customer service available parts and less money. Have one in my 14bolt and it works flawlessly. Yukon told me that the gears are cut different to allow smoother operation then the detroit.

 

[magik235]

I sent Yukon the email below.

Hi: The picture on your web site looks like a Detroit Locker. http://yukongear.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProdID=8159

I am interested in buying a Grizzly. I have a Gov-Lock in my 14 bolt. If I buy a Detroit I will need a carrier as well. Does the Grizzly actually look like the other Grizzly pictures? Will I need to buy a carrier? Thank you.

Their response is below.

The Grizzly does look like the one in the picture, It fits inside the stock carrier. The only reason you would need to get a new carrier is if you are changing your gear ratio or if your factory carrier is unusable. If you have nay other questions please let me know. -Jeff


Then I sent the email below back.


I have GM's Gov-Lok. Will I need to buy an open carrier to make the Grizzly work?


They replied.


Yes, you will need an open carrier. Or you can order the Duragrip if you are looking for a Posi that is closer in feel to the Gov-Lok but much better performance wise. The Grizzly is VERY aggressive and I wouldn’t recommend running it on the street.

Thank you,
Jeff
x5518

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I have Detroits front/rear in my Blazer and had one in the back of my pickup/tow rig, if I got another I'd buy a Grizzly.

Not to say that I've had issues with my Detroits because I haven't, but I feel the Grizzly is better about not breaking if/when you break a shaft, it's cheaper and has a better warranty.

If you have a gov-lok, you either need to buy an ARB/Yukon posi (because they replace the whole carrier) or find an open carrier and they are WAY expensive new. The Detroit/Grizzly ONLY fit in an open carrier.


As for the mechanical vs. selectable debate, in my opinion it comes down to use and the person. I put a Detroit in the back of my Blazer in ~2002 and have had one there ever since, I have no complaints with that at all even in tons of snowy Colorado winters (it's different but not hard to get used to).

I ended up putting a Detroit in the front as well (actually tried to buy an Eaton E-locker ~2005 but they couldn't actually produce a 35 spline D60 locker at the time, even with the right application/part number ). That one I've never been real excited about. I took that on one trip and knew that I needed hydro assist after about 2 minutes. So help from hydraulics fixed that and it's been fine for a really long time, no issues, but being that it's locked pretty much all the time makes my turning radius suck sometimes.

However, my tow rig/84 K30 was a CUCV truck and had a Detroit in the back and I hated it, it got the boot. I'm really not sure why this one seemed so different, but it would hop/buck the truck even in neutral in parking lots and it pushed the truck around a lot when towing. It could be the different weight bias between a long bed and a Blazer (both are manual transmissions) but I loved the rear Detroit in my Blazer and hated the one in the K30. Or maybe I'm just getting old . It's an ARB now and I love it, other than cost, in my opinion that is the absolute best option and I hope to put one in the front of my Blazer next year.

 

[magik235]

if I got another I'd buy a Grizzly.

I see you sell Grizzly lockers. Do you sell the open carrier? I couldn't find it on your site.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

I see you sell Grizzly lockers. Do you sell the open carrier? I couldn't find it on your site.

We do, but they're a bit over $300 if I remember right.

I would strongly consider an ARB, another 14 bolt with an open carrier or search the forums for an open carrier.