I'm replacing my diff with a Detroit Locker after grinding the heck out of my spider gears on my Trac Loc after a day of runs at the dragway. I've done a lot of research about the diffs so I'm well aware of the handling characteristics it should have. I'm looking for something fun on the street that won't disintegrate at the drag strip. I'm not a finesse driver on the street, more of a kick the tail out when no one's looking type

My first car was a RWD 1989 Volvo 740 turbo wagon in snowy new england so I'm no stranger to correcting snap oversteer & fishtailing.

I'll post my opinions on it here - from what I've read everyone has strong opinions on a locker. The model # is 187C145A

 

I've had a locker in my car since late last year and it's holding up great.

 

I never had one in my car but I do have one in my 78 f150, 9in rear and it works great

 

How did you manage to destroy your posi trac? Your only running 410s and and bolt ons rights? I would just save the money and rebuild the stock unit, but if you have plans of forced induction or nitrous, upgrading couldn't hurt

 

I'm at 70k miles on the original clutch packs. It was bucking pretty bad before it failed - I want something that's will fully lock and not need to keep being rebuilt. I might go FI down the line

 

Rebuild is cheap tho and if you go FI, you'd probably want 373s so your not spinning thru the gears

 

First impression is BAD. really not liking the way this locker is engaging, it takes one full wheel spin to do anything and when it toggles on/off in a turn my foot goes right down on the clutch because something feels messed up.

My first drive is in the rain, and I feel like I have to take all my turns in second gear because first is fighting me.

This may be the fault of my shot clutch, but this locker just feels scary to drive in wet conditions. Getting passed by minivans because I'm taking it so slow!

I'm going to give it a week and see how it is after I get the hang of it. If it can't handle rain, I'll be in big trouble when snow comes. Next week I'm taking it in to the shop to have a clutch put in, I might have to open up the diff too

 

Dysan, do you do a lot of street driving? How does it handle in turns after being broken in? Also do you have the stock 8.8" or did you upgrade the diff size?

 

In my experience with a Detroit locker is its not good with turns, it locks the rear end and both wheels are spinning at the same rotation. A limited slip allows the wheels to spin more freely, a locker is traditionally for off road application.

When you give it the beans, you should hear a snap and it's locked, that's normal

I believe they came in the Shelby gt350 as standard in the 60s not sure though

 

The detroit locker or any locker dif really will lock when torque is applied that's why your getting those rough turns they are meant more for drag racing a lot of guys swap them out for the race weekend but as soon as Sunday comes they are putting their stock dif in or an lsd dif

 

Let us know if it gets any better after a break-in, but I would imagine it'll always be a bit of a bear to drive on the street. The problem with lockers is that there's no gray area between open and locked like you get with an LSD. Lsd's lock up progressively and so are much smoother. A locker just bangs in all the sudden and locks up, which is not good in the middle of a turn.