Auto Lockers

[blmiller Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close blmiller]

Hi guys,

I was absent from the forum for a while as I sold my Prado and bought an old 95 Discovery. In the Disco I put a Detroit in the rear and a Detroit TrueTrac up front. It was unbelievable. Well anyway, Im searching around for a Prado 90 series again and have looked for information on auto lockers for them, but havent really got anything as yet.

Yes I know alot of people say get ARB etc, but after the Detroits, I don't really want to go back. They were problem and hassle free and were great everywhere. I am assuming that the front IFS diff may be the weak point, so maybe an ARB up front but in the rear is there any reason why a Detroit cant go back there?

Cheers guys

Brett

[raydes Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close raydes]

Re: Auto Lockers

Hi the Prado is full-time four wheel drive ,putting a auto locker in the front may be a problem. Should be ok in the rear,,,,http://www.4wdsystems.com.au/index.php?id=29 sell one for the rear, I had one of these in a Forerunner it was really good some say noisy but I never heard mine , Detroit also make one for the Prado rear . You will need to be able to turn the front one off on the road so it looks like ARB air locker for the front.

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Re: Auto Lockers

Personally Air Lockers front and rear is the best option, that's what I went for, I have never had a problem with them either, it all comes down to the installer.
However, if you decide to go for the rear auto locker, you will get alot of understeer, especally in the wet, this is what I experienced with my old trusty 80 series when I had it.
If you go Air Lockers F&R you will actually get better handling as you will have open diffs for on road use, so tyre life gets extended too, (less scrubbing when cornering), this is what I have noticed since putting in the Air Lockers.

[ratsack Member Find all posts View Profile Close ratsack]

Hey guys, thought I'd just bump this thread instead of creating a new one.

Anyway, I have a 90 series Prado (automatic, Petrol, 3.4L V6) and I'm thinking about an auto-locker in the rear as it's around 1/3 the price of E-lockers or air-lockers. But, I've heard that sometimes they can engage on the hi-way or while driving and cause the vehicle to be unstable. Is this true? Is there anything wrong with going for an auto-locker in the rear?

[croozza Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close croozza]

Auto lockers are always engaged, infact, they should be called unlockers, the way they work is when power is applied to the diff, the torque locks up the locker, when you power off they unlock, so when you go around a corner this allows the different wheel speeds from inside and outside. However in practice, this is not always the case, they quite regularly stay locked in, this induces understeer and scrubbing of the front tyres, (mainly the passenger side, due to roundabouts). An auto locker may be cheaper in the first instance, but you do pay for it later in tyre life.

[ratsack Member Find all posts View Profile Close ratsack]

So, you're saying I should just save a bit longer and spend my money on an E-locker?

[letsgoplaces Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close letsgoplaces]

Torrie 72 has one in his rear. I'm sure if you send him a pm with your questions and concerns he will give you some answers.

[ratsack Member Find all posts View Profile Close ratsack]

Torrie 72 has one in his rear. I'm sure if you send him a pm with your questions and concerns he will give you some answers.

Thanks! Have sent him a PM so I'll see what he thinks. More input the better!

[Elz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Elz]

Bump!

Ratsack, just wondering which way you decided to go?

I am trying to make a similar decision and the Detroit rear locker looks decent.
My decision is either eLockers (F+R) or eLocker front and Detroit locker rear.

I'm not even sure if Detroit Lockers are still available for the 90 Series? I've emailed a couple distributors but will have to wait and see unless anyone here knows?

Any other opinions would also be greatly appreciated

Cheers

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

Auto lockers are always engaged, infact, they should be called unlockers, the way they work is when power is applied to the diff, the torque locks up the locker, when you power off they unlock, so when you go around a corner this allows the different wheel speeds from inside and outside. However in practice, this is not always the case, they quite regularly stay locked in, this induces understeer and scrubbing of the front tyres, (mainly the passenger side, due to roundabouts). An auto locker may be cheaper in the first instance, but you do pay for it later in tyre life.

Your explanation of the operation is pretty good.
The research I did, nobody had a problems of it staying locked or scrubbing tyres.
As long as there is sufficient traction it easily unlocks. When there is not pressure driving the wheels at a different speed is when it's locked, so either driving str8, or lack of traction.
Mine has been in for a year & it's great! Cheap, reliable, no elec wires or air lines.

Torrie 72 has one in his rear. I'm sure if you send him a pm with your questions and concerns he will give you some answers.

Yes your right & he loves it too.

Bump!

Ratsack, just wondering which way you decided to go?

I am trying to make a similar decision and the Detroit rear locker looks decent.
My decision is either eLockers (F+R) or eLocker front and Detroit locker rear.

I'm not even sure if Detroit Lockers are still available for the 90 Series? I've emailed a couple distributors but will have to wait and see unless anyone here knows?

Any other opinions would also be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Hey,

I think a Detroit or auto lokka for rear & elocker for front is good.
Arb air lockers are still an option, 5 year warranty & you get the use of the air compressor too.

[scottkz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close scottkz]

Your explanation of the operation is pretty good.
The research I did, nobody had a problems of it staying locked or scrubbing tyres.
As long as there is sufficient traction it easily unlocks. When there is not pressure driving the wheels at a different speed is when it's locked, so either driving str8, or lack of traction.
Mine has been in for a year & it's great! Cheap, reliable, no elec wires or air lines.


Yes your right & he loves it too.



Hey,

I think a Detroit or auto lokka for rear & elocker for front is good.
Arb air lockers are still an option, 5 year warranty & you get the use of the air compressor too.

Do you have a auto lokka in the front? And you say it works with torque? My prado is part time 4wd now but still has the front shaft spinning all the time.... i wonder how this would with no torque going to front shaft (driving around town)

[Elz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Elz]

Hey,

I think a Detroit or auto lokka for rear & elocker for front is good.
Arb air lockers are still an option, 5 year warranty & you get the use of the air compressor too.

Where did you source your Detroit rear Locker from ####? I did read somewhere that the 120 uses the same rear diff as the 90 series. If you have a part number as well that would be awesome.

I think your right, I reckon I would prefer to go with the rear Detroit and the front eLocker. Seems like a great balance.

Yea, ARB is an option if I can't source the others. I'd prefer to go electric as it is a simpler system and less chance of damaging anything under the vehicle on rogue sticks etc.

Plus I already carry a compressor for tyre pressures so its not a bonus for me.

[Anth120playdo Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Anth120playdo]

I have the auto lokka in the rear. You can't put one in the front.

What unlocks an auto lokka is any any need for one to move at a different speed to the other.
With the vehicle raised 2 people can unlock it by moving the wheels in the opposite direction, this is infact the "unlock test"
If you are to apply a heap of power & torque to the driveline/lokka, & it was more than what you traction is, then that is the only way it can stay locked. Some eg; stop on a wet road, turn full lock, floor it! May work. Drive really fast round a bend, so The inside rear Is light contact & floor it, that may work. But in normal driving it won't stay locked. There is other auto lockers that when you power on they lock up, but the lokka on a Prado at least does not do that.

So i have the auto lokka not a detroit, but detroit are a good idea imo.
I used to carry a compressor, but the Arb onboard is a must have item IMO, i won it & glad I did.
I'm not trying to talk you from an e-locker to Arb, but as far as damage from sticks, both the same, air line or elec Wire either way if it gets damaged your out. Ask about the warranty process of an e-locker eg; if it was getting fitted at o.l, I'm told they put your old centre back in, while the locker gets sent back to harrop or eaton whatever to see if its covered.....probably wont have issues at all anyway.
For me I found you could get Arb for about the same money, 5 year warranty no sending sh!t anywhere as its all Arb, & a compressor as a bonus.
It was a hard decision but so far so good. Perfect operation of the whole system.

[Elz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Elz]

Yea I agree, the rear auto lockers sound great. Just purely mechanical and nothing outside of the diff to get damaged. Also doesn't rely on a compressor to activate which only adds to the reliability.

I will have to see if I can get a quote for the auto Lokka to compare with a Detroit price. Where did you source yours?

I will defiantly ask about the ELocker warranty process when I speak to them. Your right the ARB warranty is good, still an option at this stage. Heaps of people running ARB so they are quality.

I did read a 4WD action article reviewing and testing a bunch of different lockers. They gave good marks to both the ARB and the Elocker.
It seems like both would do a great job. The decision might come down to price at this stage.

[Elz Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Elz]

Well the Lokka is around $300 cheaper (just supply) than the Detroit Locker.

Still trying to work out which would be the better option. I'm leaning towards the Lokka, from all the old Pradopoint threads Iv read, it sounds like a very good choice on a budget.

I think il go for the rear locker first, if I decide that I need that extra bit of traction on the tough tracks, I will then make the front locker decision.

All the info on this forum is fantastic!It really makes a big difference reading everyone's experiences and feedback.