General Tech ARB or Detroit

[Mope]

I am looking for some opinions. I have a decision to make about which setup to go with.
I have found an ARB that would need to be installed in my 3rd, or I have found a full Detroit setup with Yukon gears, and ready to drop in. (my ratio) The Detroit 3rd is slightly more, but is ready to go. The ARB I'd probably want to buy new bearings to install with it. I already run one in the rear, so the wiring is done, and I have a compressor.

This setup would most likely end up in the front of my sami running toyota axles. I really like the on/off of the ARB, but I could end up with the detroit for a decent amount less, after I sell the 3rd I am currently running.

What are your opinions?

 

[SnwMnkys]

I dont mind the detroit in the rear of my Bronco. Hardly ever know its there unless my rear tires hit a patch of slick water and I get sideways

I didnt like the Detroit in the front of my buddys rig, it just didnt seem to want to turn well. I know you can get around this by having twin sticks or unlocking a hub, but thats a pain. So im saving up for an ARB or other selectable locker in the front of mine.

 

[Mope]

Thanks for the input. I was considering putting the arb in the front, and the detroit in the rear. I do like being able to turn it off though. At the same time, it would be nice to have it always ready to go in the rear without having to wait for the noisy compressor to build pressure.

 

[Bart]

I know I'll be the minority , but I prefer the Detroit in the front and the ARB in the rear. If the ARB is on it's like turning a welded axle, very tough on parts, where the Detroit will give the way it's designed to do. I like the selectable in the rear so it doesn't push through turns. Prolly just me, but I've had 3 rigs set up this way and love it.

 

[I Lean]

I like selectables personally....but in my current build I have a selectable in the rear (for nice street manners) and Detroit in the front. My justification for that is having the option for 2 wheel drive, either high or low range--when the front end is unpowered, the Detroit will be completely transparent and ratcheting.

My only worry in this setup is if I break a front shaft or Ujoint, it could very well break the Detroit as well. (that won't be much of a concern for your rear axle)

 

[iamsparticus]

Is this really a question? ARB all the way it may be a little more in the end but it's selectable and the toughest and most well designed on the market. Do the arb in front and back u won't regret it

 

[Silly Willy]

Is this really a question? ARB all the way it may be a little more in the end but it's selectable and the toughest and most well designed on the market. Do the arb in front and back u won't regret it

X2

 

[Jinx]

I like selectables personally....but in my current build I have a selectable in the rear (for nice street manners) and Detroit in the front. My justification for that is having the option for 2 wheel drive, either high or low range--when the front end is unpowered, the Detroit will be completely transparent and ratcheting.

My only worry in this setup is if I break a front shaft or Ujoint, it could very well break the Detroit as well. (that won't be much of a concern for your rear axle)

Carl makes a good point here, with the selectable t case. That is what I do...

I personally have helped repair too many air lines on the trail and strapped too many people out because something stupid wouldn't let their ARB engage, switch, sillinoid, compressor, fittings, etc, so they were open axled, to ever run a ARB on trail rig...

I like my detroits, always there, always dependable. Given, my rig isn't a daily driver.

Just my .02

 

[bradm]

I personally have helped repair too many air lines on the trail and strapped too many people out because something stupid wouldn't let their ARB engage, switch, sillinoid, compressor, fittings, etc, so they were open axled, to ever run a ARB on trail rig...

I like my detroits, always there, always dependable. Given, my rig isn't a daily driver.

I think this is a good point, and what it all boils down to really. USAGE. On a dedicated trail rig, there is far less that can fail on a Detroit than on the ARB. But on a DD/weekend warrior like mine, selectability is king if you ask me. I have ARB's front and rear and would run no other way on a DD. When I do build a full-on dedicated trail rig though, I'll most likely run the Detroits front and rear.

 

[rondo]

In my issue of 4wheel and sport utility mag there is discussion about detroits and ARBs. Seems quite a few well known names in the industry prefer ARB rear Detroit front (especially the editor apparently).
For the life of me i can't imagine what the benefit is. I've never had a Detroit in front but they say the rig turns easily on the trail. I have run them in the rear and I recall they bang and clang a bit but not nearly as bad as the lockrite i used to have.

For me, on my daily driver Nissan I prefer selectable lockers front and rear, mainly for snow and ice reasons. For my crawler i now use spools but it only sees the trail. If i drove it on the road i'd probably run detroits front and rear. But I rarely wheel it in snow because it tends to drive itself right off to the low end of the road if there's the slightest slope.

i've been on a very anti- ARB rant lately because of all the issues i've had with mine. My compressor is 9 years old. For the first 3?years or so i had no issues with it at all as I recall but unlike fine wine my ARB at least didn't get better with age.

 

[Dirty Harry]

In my issue of 4wheel and sport utility mag there is discussion about detroits and ARBs. Seems quite a few well known names in the industry prefer ARB rear Detroit front (especially the editor apparently).
For the life of me i can't imagine what the benefit is.

I agree. I have ARBs in my daily driver 4Runner because it sees a lot of street miles. I had a minor issue with the compressor leaking, but otherwise they have worked well for me. If I already had one ARB, I would run both since you already have the compressor and air lines to worry about.

In my trail truck I run Detroits front and rear. Don't have to worry about compressor, solenoids, air lines, and all of the other things that could go wrong with Air Lockers.

 

[turbohaulic]

I'll never lock the front with out a selectable again. It's not terrible but its just very nice to unlock the front so you don't have to srong arm on slick rock or pavement. I drive my truck daily and the aussie in the rear doesn't bother me at all, I barely know its there. Get the selectable in the front and you'll never look back

 

[Mope]

I sure appreciate all the insight on this. It's nice to hear peoples experiences, and preferences.
I was able to work out a little better deal on the ARB, and as of today it's on its way to my house. I should get it in a couple days.
I do daily drive this thing, and my wife does sometimes as well. The good street manners of the ARB are hard to beat.
If it was trail only, I think I'd do something like a detroit.

Again thanks everyone for the input!

 

[jsudar]

a bit of a hijack here, but do the detroits really unlock and ratchet that often? A friend had one in the rear of his early bronco and it seemed like it only unlocked like once a month. I'm also trying to decide on new lockers (I hate my welded diffs) but I didn't think a detroit would be any less noticeable than my lincoln locker.

 

[I Lean]

a bit of a hijack here, but do the detroits really unlock and ratchet that often? A friend had one in the rear of his early bronco and it seemed like it only unlocked like once a month. I'm also trying to decide on new lockers (I hate my welded diffs) but I didn't think a detroit would be any less noticeable than my lincoln locker.

I have one in the rear of my 4runner, and I rarely notice it being there--which means it ratchets when it's supposed to. I think the longer wheelbase helps a lot...

 

[jevyguy]

a bit of a hijack here, but do the detroits really unlock and ratchet that often? A friend had one in the rear of his early bronco and it seemed like it only unlocked like once a month. I'm also trying to decide on new lockers (I hate my welded diffs) but I didn't think a detroit would be any less noticeable than my lincoln locker.

You will notice a big difference. They ratchet much more then you would ever think.
Detroits rock!

 

[Mope]

The detroit would be my 2nd choice. The people I have talked too really like them, and that's what had me considering it.

 

[jsudar]

The detroits are certainly cheaper, so think I'll give it a shot.

 

[Shawn]

ARB for street. A selectable lock for the winters we (I) have is a good thing.

Detroit for offroad. I broke a shaft once in my front 60 and it took out the locker... in Moab.... $700.00 later...

Now I run alloys so if I brake a shaft I will feel better about replacing the detroit.

 

[Mope]

ARB for street. A selectable lock for the winters we (I) have is a good thing.

Detroit for offroad. I broke a shaft once in my front 60 and it took out the locker... in Moab.... $700.00 later...

Now I run alloys so if I brake a shaft I will feel better about replacing the detroit.

^ That can be an expensive justification system!! lol