14 bolt gm Detroit lockers

[moats31]

I'm wanting to put these on my 79 k10 chassis. Will I have to do anything special considering there 1 ton axels? Just wanna ask before I purchase them.


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[moats31]

The front is a Dana 44. Both the front and rear have 4.11 gears.  Is it a good find?


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[rich weyand]

From Eaton, who makes the Detroit locker: Can the Detroit Locker be used in the front axles?
Yes they can, but you must have lock out hubs and they MUST be unlocked for on- road driving because of steering issues.

So a Detroit locker on the front axle is for trail only.  Never lock the hubs on the street with a Detroit locker on the front.

[moats31]

Thanks. And it has lock out hubs.


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[Irish_Alley]

imo detroit are kind of primitive. in the rear is one thing but up front i would want a air locker if i had the cash. that way if you get snow you can just go with one wheel, if you hit some mud you can lock it down.

[moats31]

I thought about that too but this won't be driven in the winter! 


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[pholliday1]

I've run a Detroit front and rear for over 20 years with no issues. With that being said the previous posts have really hit on some good points. Your average Joe has no business with a Detroit in the front axle, which explains the limitations that Auto manufactures today that are selling vehicles with front lockers. Up until a few years ago you couldn't even purchase a new rig with a locker in it up front. That's how dangerous they can be. Vehicles today that do have a front locker will typically only work in 4lo or under a certain speed. You really have to adjust your driving style with a front locker and not drive hard through corners, its more of a "roll through". Your 14 bolt full floater is about the cheapest ( and easiest) axle to put a Detroit in due to the fact that it retains the original differential. Basically you pull the differential take out the spider gears and insert the "full time guts". If under steer is a huge problem you can always just unlock one hub. Even with this method your steering in 4wd isn't completely "normal". As to putting a Detroit in your Dana 44  I would advise against that and stick with a Lock-Right or other similar brand and only if your current front diff is an open diff and not a limited slip because then a Lock Right won't work.

[thirsty]

With just a rear locker you should think about it before you do it. Are they going in a daily driver or a toy? What is your commute like? Do you have snow in your area? Is the wife or offspring gonna be behind the wheel?

The reason I say this is that I just got a new daily driver with a locker. The last six miles of my commute is mostly uphill grade on an untreated paved road that is rough. Even though it gets plowed occasionally it is still slick (we have had snow there since the beginning of Nov.). In 2wd you have to be on your game with a locker. My ZR2 is an auto and when it downshifts on ice you better be paying attention. It's not that I never had a locker or rigs that suck in the snow either and I know I could run 4wd and take it out of overdrive. The thing is...for my daily driver, if I could change one thing about it I would take the locker out of that one considering where I drive. I'm gonna leave it as is for this winter and then if I still don't think it is worth having then I will look into an open diff.

On a side note: I drove up that road this morning with 6" of fresh snow at 5 degrees F. and had a blast in 4hi at 40-50 mph. Conditions were just right.

[moats31]

I'm the only one driving it. I want it to be road legal but yet still have the fun on the weekends to pull or mud. But most deff not a daily driver!! I won't be driving it on the road in four wheel. I had an 86 with welded Spiders in the front. And it was horrible!


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[moats31]

The axels I'm looking at already have them detroits in it!


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[moats31]

How do I measure my ring gear?


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[dvdswan]

14 bolt ring gear is 10.5"

dana 44 front ring gear is 8.75"

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bible/index.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/

[moats31]

14 bolt ring gear is 10.5"

dana 44 front ring gear is 8.75"

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bible/index.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/

thanks



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[Irish_Alley]

14 bolt ring gear is 10.5"

dana 44 front ring gear is 8.75"

http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/bible/index.html
http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/

thanks



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dont know if you saw it but the sf 14 bolt is 9.5" so make sure you get the right one

[moats31]

How would I know if it's an sf 14 bolt!



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