i have a 14ff and it has a detriot locker in it . on the street it never unlocks going around corners even with my foot off the gas ? is this normal or did i install it wrong. that thay were to ratchet on the street. thanks for info.
CK5
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locker info
- Thread starter sweetk30
- Start date
darkshadow
1 ton status
i think they only unlock when not under power 
locker
only time i could get to kind of ratchet was with flor jack under axle in the air in nutral . tired of it eating my back tires on the street . any sugestions. thanks
only time i could get to kind of ratchet was with flor jack under axle in the air in nutral . tired of it eating my back tires on the street . any sugestions. thanks
I don't really know much about it, but as I understand it, a Detroit makes it so neither axle can go slower than the ring gear. I don't _think_ it "locks" really. When you turn, the outside tire has to go faster, so if you're on the gas I think you end up driving the inside tire and the outside one coasts ahead. If you let off the gas it switches so that the outside tire ends up driving the driveshaft with car momentum since the ring gear is suddenly going slow relative to the outside axle. I believe this makes the clunk noise.
Someone who knows more can correct me. Anyway, I'm not sure how this might help with your problem. Maybe it is installed wrong, or maybe you are mis-reading normal quirks as being totally locked.
Someone who knows more can correct me. Anyway, I'm not sure how this might help with your problem. Maybe it is installed wrong, or maybe you are mis-reading normal quirks as being totally locked.
84_Chevy_K10
Banned
Did you remove the side gear thrust washers when you installed your detroit?
az-k5
1/2 ton status
can you break it loose in the driveway? When it is in the air you should be able to overrun the gears pretty easy. If it doesn't I would think thrust washers too.
i completly cleaned and remover all grease,oil,dirt and checked all parts prior to assembly and found clean empty case removed all open diff guts and put locker in , then tightened screws and re installed ring gear tourqed to spec . then removed factory screw for locker and it opened in the carrier but back in truck , shafts whent in fine and filled with 80-90 gear oil and drove the truck. great mud traction just dost seem to unlock or ratchet as thay say. my tires where brand new frts still like new backs over 1/3 worn less than 5k miles. any more info would be nice thanks so far i will recheck for those washers tho. i have the parts i removed in a bag so ill check .
Sounds normal to me... I've run the same Detroit with both an auto and 4spd, the only time I ever noticed it ratcheting was with the 4spd (even then it was rare). With the auto I never noticed it release.
FYI - my Detroit is old so it is not one of the later "soft" lockers.
FYI - my Detroit is old so it is not one of the later "soft" lockers.
pauly383
Daddy383
I have the EZ locker , different design but same principle , my passenger rear tire wears fastest of all of them . It does not always make ratchet sounds at higher speeds , but in low speed parking lot manuevers you can definately hear it 
both tires worn same and never felt un lock even in parking lot. allways cherped tire on corners and even when free whelling around them. its a th350/205 combo and 4:10 gears with 38x12.5x16.5 tsl tires . i new the first half wers fast on tsl's but that fast ? 
bajaviking
1/2 ton status
I used to run a lockright in my reardiff. and it would unlock when I let off the gas in turns and I believe that is the way a proper functioning Detroit should also work. If it doesn't unlock then what is the point in spending 400 bucks on it, might as well weld the damn thing.
az-k5
1/2 ton status
A detroit should easily unlock under our heavy trucks when there is no throttle input. You need to jack up the rear end and check the locker using the tires. Did you read the directions?? Did you do the pre-drive check list?? It really isn't something that should be overlooked.
If you jack up both rears with the tranny in nuetral you will be able to check. After it is jacked up spin the tires foward, both tires should spin together. Then, while still spinning forward, quickly change directions with one of the tires. The other side should continue turning forward and there will be an audable klunk and a clicking sond. If you canot make this happen then there is something wrong inside the diff.
BTW most TSL tires will be 1/3 worn in 5K, and completely worn by 15K. My MTR's last me around 20K with a detroit (8K with a welded)
If you jack up both rears with the tranny in nuetral you will be able to check. After it is jacked up spin the tires foward, both tires should spin together. Then, while still spinning forward, quickly change directions with one of the tires. The other side should continue turning forward and there will be an audable klunk and a clicking sond. If you canot make this happen then there is something wrong inside the diff.
BTW most TSL tires will be 1/3 worn in 5K, and completely worn by 15K. My MTR's last me around 20K with a detroit (8K with a welded)
