Electrically engaged lockers
- Thread starter Hickey
- Start date
Kiel
Formerly WJ ZUK
Back from the dead:
Just for the record, the crosspin of the D60 Eaton E-lockers proved strong enough, but other areas were lacking. I'll now vote for ARB's as the best option in a selectable locker.
selectable lockers are so 2005
Kiel
Formerly WJ ZUK
As in?
The issue I repeatedly had was the retaining ring for the electromagnet. (Eaton calls it a "stator") It'd fail, which let the stator move away from the carrier, thus no longer locking the diff. (and ripping the wires out of it, making it junk)
A new stator and new retaining ring would fix it temporarily, until it failed the next time.
Mbryson has my old one, and had it machined for a heavier/thicker snap ring....that will probably fix the problem.
The other problem I had with them is not a strength issue, just a design flaw for me. They use differentiation to lock--it takes 1/4 to 1/2 a turn of one wheel before the locker will engage fully. That may not be a big deal sometimes, but in competition where a half inch makes the difference between taking out a cone or cleaning an obstacle, that little bit of slip can be a killer. I was also worried about breaking the locker when I'd romp on the gas knowing it'd get some wheelspin going before locking, but I never broke it that way.
Overall I'd say they're a decent design and seem built strongly enough, just need a bit of refinement. I've always been surprised Eaton didn't figure out those refinements before releasing the locker, but here we are.
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
Like an ARB??????? Gimme the skinny, I need to collect cans for summer's front locker dangit!!!
Like an ARB??????? Gimme the skinny, I need to collect cans for summer's front locker dangit!!!
If you want a selectable locker, ARB hands down.
Tacoma
Et incurventur ante non
- Location
- far enough away
Word. ARB it is.
DaveB
Long Jeep Fan
- Location
- Holladay, Utah
I have Eaton Elockers front and rear in my Scrambler and they have worked fine for me.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
About the only thing I push is ARB and Detroit. Detroit for a trail rig, and ARB for daily driver/trail rig/tow vehicle.
- Location
- Bountiful, land of rocks
All the time, since we started.....
I have both and I will say this RUN fast from the Detroit Electrac... if you plan on any rock crawling stay away from it. The detroit electrac is a good product by no means get me wrong by this post, but its obvious it is not intended by any means for offroad use, it would be great in a stock application where a locker might be beneficial, or for lite wheeling, race car, etc.
The biggest problem is the external plastic actuator, I hit the guard sheared off a bolt and shattered the actuator on radiator rapids, this was only my third time wheeling with this locker. Minus the actuator in LS mode I made it through Moab Rim Trail. I can utilize the spring and block off plate to make it either LS or full lock for trails at the time being, but soon I will replace it with another Eaton for the rear to go with the one in the front.
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I looked at this and I am not sure I am impressed, it contains clutches and acts like an LS similar to the electrac, but the electrac does not use clutches instead cone shaped gears.
I think Eaton or an ARB is probably the better route.
I am curious as to how the ected holds up and to what extent the clutches play a part in the full lock mode, if the clutches go does this mean you have no locking capabilities either?
I have not found any sound data other than marketing hype on the ected yet.
waynehartwig
www.jeeperman.com
- Location
- Mead, WA
Correct. I understand it that there is a ramping method and that when engaged, the clutches get super tight. It's still a LSD, regardless if 'locked' or 'open'.