Electrically engaged lockers

[Hickey]

School me on the electric lockers available for Dana 44 axle.
Eaton E-locker? Detroit Electrac? Or do I have that backwards? Which one is better? What is the availability? Price? Flaws?

 

[mbryson]

School me on the electric lockers available for Dana 44 axle.
Eaton E-locker? Detroit Electrac? Or do I have that backwards? Which one is better? What is the availability? Price? Flaws?

The Eaton is pretty sweet. It's kind of like an electrical ARB (without all the moving parts) but a little simpler design. Not quite available (at least the 60 model), but supposedly soon. More than a Detroit, less than an ARB.

The Electrac is actuated more like an OX locker. The widget is an arm that moves a collar (think transfer case) to lock. They have limited slip and locked mode (whatever that's worth?? ). The biggest weakness to me is the funky cover that looks like it'd get bashed up. They have a gaurd and claim it's the coolest, but for the same price of an ARB, I'm buying an ARB over an Electrac.

 

[Shawn]

Good topic Hickster,

Anyone here on the board carring these?
Kurt?

I'm looking at 2 ARB's but would like to hear more input on the electric.

 

[Caleb]

You also have the T-Locker...it was originally supposed to be available in air or electric, but now that I think about it I think it was only released in air...but you can get it in 30 or 33 spline

I'm going eaton when they become available and I have the money...

 

[bobdog]

The cutout drawings of the Eaton that I have seen make it look like a weak design to me. They appear to show a single cross shaft carrier. Is that the case?

 

[Hickey]

So every design but the Eaton use a funky cover and shift arm/lever.

 

[Caleb]

So every design but the Eaton use a funky cover and shift arm/lever.

thats my big thing...they all have a big bulbous cover, except the eaton for elec and arb for air...

 

[cruiseroutfit]

Good topic Hickster,

Anyone here on the board carring these?
Kurt?....

I should be able to get them as soon as they are available... my distributor carries Eaton and Detroit, but so far even their latest literature dont address either...

 

[I Lean]

The exploded views in the instructions for my D60 Eatons show a single cross shaft. (2-pinion carrier) I'll be incredibly surprised if I'm able to break it, but we'll see.

I have, however, seen a D44 Detroit Electrac break. It wasn't under what I would consider an abnormal amount of abuse, and it broke before the shafts did....

 

[Hickey]

The exploded views in the instructions for my D60 Eatons show a single cross shaft. (2-pinion carrier) I'll be incredibly surprised if I'm able to break it, but we'll see.

I have, however, seen a D44 Detroit Electrac break. It wasn't under what I would consider an abnormal amount of abuse, and it broke before the shafts did....

Would you care to tell the circumstances?

 

[I Lean]

I should be able to get them as soon as they are available... my distributor carries Eaton and Detroit, but so far even their latest literature dont address either...

Last I talked to Randy's, they had some Eaton lockers in stock. 30 spline D60 ones, but they had SOMETHING.

I kinda thought the 44's were more available than the 60's?

Hickster, you shoulda jumped on those two "one-time-only" D44 E-lockers a few weeks ago!

 

[I Lean]

Would you care to tell the circumstances?

Front D44 under an XJ, crawling up a crack. Two tires on one side fell into the crack, and when he tried to crawl back up, the front end made a horrible "ratcheting" sound. Sounded just like when a Lock Right goes bad.

 

[Hickey]

Hickster, you shoulda jumped on those two "one-time-only" D44 E-lockers a few weeks ago!

I don't think I even saw that one. What was the damage to the front locker in the Cherokee?

 

[I Lean]

I don't think I even saw that one. What was the damage to the front locker in the Cherokee?

It done broked. (no clue what the internals did, never saw it apart)

 

[Hickey]

It done broked. )

Cool. I thought maybe it just got lazy.

 

[Milner]

I kinda like the Tibus design, just wish Tera had not got involved. It still uses a shift fork and ugly cover setup. It would not be a huge problem to switch it to a cable or eletric solinode.
I say wait and see how they all hold up before you buy any of them....

 

[yellowbronco]

I've got an Electrac in my D44, haven't had any problems yet. The new cover isn't much different than stock other than the solenoid that protrudes out the side. They provide a guard for the solenoid but I didn't need it because my hydro-steer mount provides more than adequate protection I think it's a pretty cool setup.

 

[Hickey]

I've got an Electrac in my D44, haven't had any problems yet. The new cover isn't much different than stock other than the solenoid that protrudes out the side. They provide a guard for the solenoid but I didn't need it because my hydro-steer mount provides more than adequate protection I think it's a pretty cool setup.

How much was the locker?

 

[RockMonkey]

I know of more than one person who ahs broken the Detroit Electrac. I wouldn't buy one... Also, with the Detroit, when it is unlocked, it is still a limited slip differential. That may be good for some people. For me, when I have it unlocked, I want it unlocked, completely open, so I can use cutting brakes. I have a pair of 35 spline Eaton Electrics to go in my buggy, and can't wait to test them out. If anyone can make an electric locker that works, it is Eaton. They've been in the differential business practically since the differential was invented.

 

[bobdog]

The exploded views in the instructions for my D60 Eatons show a single cross shaft. QUOTE]

That is enough for me not to even consider the Eaton. Cross shafts do break and I have broken one. Looking at the thing I cant see how it would even aproach the strength of a detroit or a ARB. When Eaton came out with the gov lock they probably claimed it was a strong design. Failures will not show up right away, but as the cross shaft holes in the carrier walow out they will give it up.