Hilux Differentials - Auto or Air?

[Plugg3r]

Hi Guys,

Just asking a question as I drive about 130km round trip a day from work and back in my HiLux and want the luxeries of locking would my best option be to Air Lock the rear and Detroit Lock the front.

Any other suggestions?

The reason I want like this is I don't want to lock the rear with a detroit as the amount of road use it would wear my tires very easy and the noise and such.

The Air Locking would be another option, but it's dearer and not as strong i've been informed as a detroit locker.

[Big Boots]

I have air rear and auto front. Nice combo for road work. Drives like a normal one.

[boof]

I wouldnt bother with a detroit Id go a lokka brand in the front I had the same combo as big boots and agree it worked well

[crack]

wat boof said. ive run the detroit both in the front and rear. detroit worked better in the front then it did in the rear. id either go lokka or an air locker. air locker you have the ability to turn it on and off when you want

[Plugg3r]

Much price difference between the Lokka brand and Detroit brand?
In the front being locked all the time it wont both me as I can just unlock the hubs if i've had enough of it.

But rear will defiantly have an Air.

[Big Boots]

Price difference when I last looked was hundreds of dollars.

Crack, what model was the detroit...ie was it a soft locker or the old style ?

[myexonenine]

I have the Powertrax lock-rite (like the lokka only cheaper, can't judge on durability sorry) in the front and rear, but I would suggest an electric or air locker for the rear as the auto locker in mine can be a pain in car parks, its fine everywhere else and only chirps the tyres if you drive hard around sharp corners. I would have bought an elec/air locker if I could afford, but I could not pass the $400 for a new auto locker.

[Sic Lux]

I'd be saving the coin and going air front and rear have a mate who sold his front airlocker to get a auto locker then only a few months down the track to buy another airlocker for the front as you can just turn it off it won't take you long of jumping out to unlock a hub to crack the shits with it.

[Plugg3r]

Isn't it true though that the Auto Lockers are stronger then Air Lockers.

[boof]

No they are not stronger I would say the both have their strengths and weaknesses. Bing an IFS I will still say that the auto up front is the way to go as you will need it all the time ;)

[Peter @ Aawen4x4]

When it comes to stronger diffs, the Detroits replace the entire diff hemisphere, so apart from leaving your OE Toyota crownwheel and pinion as the weak link, the Detroit is significantly physically stronger than the OE diff! And an Air Locker does change the hemisphere too, unlike the Lokka! But you are talking about a Hilux aren't you? You aren't gonna be pushing out that much power that it's really gonna be a problem! Or are you going to be changing the engine too?

RE putting a Detroit in the rear - while the earlier versions of the Detroit were pretty aggressive in their action, making for a handful if fitted to the rear and used on road, the latest versions of the Detroit (since the mid 90's) won't be any more noticeable to the driver than a good LSD is in normal road driving, and if you drive reasonably normally (and try to drive Well rather than stupidly or dangerously) the inability of the diff to spin one wheel faster than the other usually ends up IMPROVING the rear tyre wear, rather than making it worse! Simple reason, an open diff will send the drive to the wheel with the least traction, and spin it; while a Detroit (or a Lokka for that matter,but they still have a harsher action) simply cannot do that! It will spin wheels if you pour on the power and TRY to make it spin, but again, it is a Hilux you are talking about, isn't it!?

I've owned and run many vehicles with all sorts of Diff Locks, front and rear fittings too, and I've always ended up back with the Detroits, genrly fitted to the rear, 'cos they are just that much better in so many ways. Hilux's in particular do very well out of the more recent Detroit Lockers fitted to the rear - you get the traction benefits ALL the time, bitumen or dirt, wet and dry, climbing or descending, and it is just like fitting a good LSD to the car, but that much more effective again cos it's without any of the wheel spinning issues! Most people with a Detroit in the rear of their Hilux hardly notice it (if at all!) except for the better & longer wear from the tyres and the ability to go Waaayyy further, even in 2WD! And climbing or descending in 4WD is waaayy easier too! Don't just disregard them 'cos of old and misguided fairy tales about them!

While they are more expensive than the Lokka's, they are a significantly stronger diff centre, they do give you significant driveability improvements on vehicles with light rear ends (like the Hilux's), and they often prove to be the ONLY traction aid that people want or need. Most Hilux's that get fitted with a Detroit in the rear diff never get any other traction aids installed, the Detroit is such an improvement and such a smoothly operating unit that many just don't feel the need for any more. That way they can keep the $$ and put them into bigger'n better tyres, suspension, engine mods, etc; ending up with a pretty cost effective modification even tho the initial purchase price was greater.

Talk to Locked Drive Systems about Detroit Lockers and get the real story, not the fables. Check them out at Professionals use Detroit Diff Locks (http://www.locked-drive.com.au/) or call them on 02 9897 7912.

[A1 Mech]

Id be putting an airlocker in the rear at least, An open diff is so much smoother to drive with on road then an auto locker or a tight LSD for that matter. I hav a mate that used to hav detroits front and rear in his 4runner and it was a real handful to drive on the road, around round abouts in the wet was the worst as the slightest bit of acceleration wud cause the locker to engage and out came the tail, reverse parking was interesting to if the locker decided it wanted to stay locked. He ended up replacing the rear centre with a shimmed LSD.

The airlocker is either on or off ther is no unpredictable behaviour by it. If u ever need extra traction on the road with a trailer or boat then just flick the switch thats wat its ther for. Im not sure about the detroit but the airlocker itself is plenty strong enough for most situations, u will more then likely destroy a crownwheel b4 damaging the locker.

They do cost more which is a down side and ther is only really the ARB airlocker or TJM prolocker to choose from at the moment, However I hav heard rumours of sum cheaper air activated lockers maybe being available soon.

[crack]

Price difference when I last looked was hundreds of dollars.

Crack, what model was the detroit...ie was it a soft locker or the old style ?

old style ez locker. it works well just the steering side of things it messes up.