Detroit Question - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

Harry Johnson · 03-31-2004, 08:31 AM

I've had a detroit in the back of my TJ for a while now, and am pretty much used to all the great binding/unbinding and random lane changes on the freeway. But I've started to realize that most of my other buddies w/ detroits in the back of their rigs don't get it nearly half as bad as I do. In a friends yota you can hardly tell it's there, and another in a friends 74 bronco, his makes no noise whatsoever. Both of these guys get scared out of their minds when they drive my TJ on the highway telling me that the whole lane change thing just isn't normal.

What's the deal? is it my shorter wheel base? Is it that I've got somthing installed wrong? I've had it for probebly about four years w/ no problems other than not being able to safely eat a big mac and drive at the same time.

ZUK · 03-31-2004, 08:34 AM

A bent rear axle will cause excessive snaps. It will also lead to failure of the Detroit with time. You have a D35?

Rastamon · 03-31-2004, 08:37 AM

i've got a ford 9" in the back of my YJ with a detroit and it is the same way. i am all over the road on the freeway and such. passangers get scared sh!tless. but in my buddies and even in my girlfriend's toyotas who both have detroits it is not nearly noticiable.
also my friend has a D35 with a detroit in his YJ and he has the same problem with it being all over the place on the highway.
i think it is a short wheel base thing that makes it so noticable, IMO.

Harry Johnson · 03-31-2004, 08:42 AM

44 in back. It seems like it's always been this loud since I got it. First time it unbound I had to stop and check that nothing flew off. Talked to some friends at a local drive train shop and they told me the noise was normal and it's very possible that my buddies are just being a bunch of pansies.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else gets the whole swerve-into-the-other-lane-when-the-locker-unbinds sort of thing.

jays68yak · 03-31-2004, 08:45 AM

I have a detriot in my 68 lemans, I get some wicked drivetrain movements. never really tied it to the locker till I was talking to sillyneck last week. he was telling me about the lane changes and shit on the freeway.

Maybe it has something to do with how soft your suspension is?

toyotajoe · 03-31-2004, 12:56 PM

I have a det. in my yota and my thinking is that it has to do with how heavy the truck is. Lighter the truck more the det. wants to unlock. Thats my .02$

scope · 03-31-2004, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Johnson
44 in back. It seems like it's always been this loud since I got it. First time it unbound I had to stop and check that nothing flew off. Talked to some friends at a local drive train shop and they told me the noise was normal and it's very possible that my buddies are just being a bunch of pansies.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else gets the whole swerve-into-the-other-lane-when-the-locker-unbinds sort of thing.

I have had detroits in a dana 44 and now a 14 bolt in my CJ; both acted the same; I believe it is the excessive backlash they build into the locker that gives you that ability to steer with the gas pedal. I use the whole lane when I am on the highway up to and including the outside of the painted line.

302YJ · 03-31-2004, 05:01 PM

i would have to second that it must be the weight difference

Jrod-13 · 03-31-2004, 05:32 PM

I'm going to guess that you have a manual, and they both have auto's?? That can cause erratic lane changes when you shift..

Of course a lincoln locker will take care of all those lane changes.

HYRIDEJEEP · 03-31-2004, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Harry Johnson
44 in back. It seems like it's always been this loud since I got it. First time it unbound I had to stop and check that nothing flew off. Talked to some friends at a local drive train shop and they told me the noise was normal and it's very possible that my buddies are just being a bunch of pansies.
I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else gets the whole swerve-into-the-other-lane-when-the-locker-unbinds sort of thing.

It's normal, & when mine unloads it will throw me all over the road also

4x4junkie · 03-31-2004, 09:47 PM

My 8.8 Detroit does it too. Seems to be the nature of the beast.

oldrivers · 03-31-2004, 11:09 PM

it does this going straight down the highway?? i would say your tires are are not close enough in size, sounds like one tire is
spinning more revolutions per mile than the other, this can cause
the locker to bind and unbind, causing jerking, my superbrute
eaton would do this until i measured the circumference of all four tires putting the two closest in size on the locked axle, it worked
for me,

littlecj5 · 04-01-2004, 06:39 AM

I could be wrong but I think the shorter wheelbase contributes to it as well.

Delta4x4 · 04-01-2004, 09:59 AM

My buddie and I have essentially the same set up. My old detroit was way more aggressive on raod that his was. Detroits tend to have thier own personality. I got tired of the problems on the road, and the 1/4 turn of backlash and put in a full spool.

rabidranger · 04-01-2004, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by oldrivers
it does this going straight down the highway?? i would say your tires are are not close enough in size, sounds like one tire is
spinning more revolutions per mile than the other, this can cause
the locker to bind and unbind, causing jerking, my superbrute
eaton would do this until i measured the circumference of all four tires putting the two closest in size on the locked axle, it worked
for me,

Like oldrivers said, my tires had about 6 psi air diff in them and it made all the difference in the world once I made sure they had the same psi.

Buster · 04-08-2004, 01:39 PM

we have two TJ's with rear detroits and on the highway you cannot tell they are there at all. the ONLY time either of the jerk or twitch is when turning from a stop sign.. once I'm going in a straight line the 5spd doesn't even jerk when when shifting.

P&T Jeeps · 04-08-2004, 04:26 PM

as noted above, a bent housing will wake up a Detroit asap...

Marcj7 · 04-08-2004, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rabidranger

Like oldrivers said, my tires had about 6 psi air diff in them and it made all the difference in the world once I made sure they had the same psi.

Same here. The only time mine acts up going straight ahead is when one tire is under-inflated.

TJ Ken · 04-09-2004, 12:26 AM

What they said...my TJ does the same thing.
It did kinda loosen up after 3 yrs. tho...or maybe I got used to it??
Spool here I come

Wolfe · 04-12-2004, 05:23 AM

My new cj7 has ford 9"diffs with detroit rear and truetrac in front
. Any ideas as to what to expect

Wolfe · 04-13-2004, 02:08 AM

btt

03-31-2004, 08:31 AM	#1 (permalink)
Harry Johnson Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Member # 28880 Location: Spreckels, Ca Posts: 53	Detroit Question I've had a detroit in the back of my TJ for a while now, and am pretty much used to all the great binding/unbinding and random lane changes on the freeway. But I've started to realize that most of my other buddies w/ detroits in the back of their rigs don't get it nearly half as bad as I do. In a friends yota you can hardly tell it's there, and another in a friends 74 bronco, his makes no noise whatsoever. Both of these guys get scared out of their minds when they drive my TJ on the highway telling me that the whole lane change thing just isn't normal. What's the deal? is it my shorter wheel base? Is it that I've got somthing installed wrong? I've had it for probebly about four years w/ no problems other than not being able to safely eat a big mac and drive at the same time.

03-31-2004, 08:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
ZUK Registered User Join Date: Feb 2001 Member # 3301 Location: Chandler,AZ Posts: 1,534	A bent rear axle will cause excessive snaps. It will also lead to failure of the Detroit with time. You have a D35? __________________ http://gearinstalls.com 2001 Taco auto 3.4L stock

03-31-2004, 08:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
Rastamon Registered User Join Date: Apr 2002 Member # 11414 Location: Hilo, Hawaii Posts: 83	i've got a ford 9" in the back of my YJ with a detroit and it is the same way. i am all over the road on the freeway and such. passangers get scared sh!tless. but in my buddies and even in my girlfriend's toyotas who both have detroits it is not nearly noticiable. also my friend has a D35 with a detroit in his YJ and he has the same problem with it being all over the place on the highway. i think it is a short wheel base thing that makes it so noticable, IMO. __________________ Distruction of the soul is vanity...

03-31-2004, 08:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
jays68yak Rock God Join Date: Apr 2003 Member # 19015 Location: Gilroy, CA Posts: 2,412	I have a detriot in my 68 lemans, I get some wicked drivetrain movements. never really tied it to the locker till I was talking to sillyneck last week. he was telling me about the lane changes and shit on the freeway. Maybe it has something to do with how soft your suspension is? __________________ 1970 Chevy Truck cab on a 1979 Jimmy frame-8.1 liter 496 bbc/sm465/np203-jeds doubler-np205/d60/14bff Welded/42 tsls on recentered H1s 1998 Chevy Crew Cab K3500 SAS'd with hpd60, links and fox coilovers, 8.1 liter 496 bbc/4l80e/BWtcase. DD/towrig

03-31-2004, 12:56 PM	#6 (permalink)
toyotajoe Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Member # 7964 Location: On the trial Posts: 544	I have a det. in my yota and my thinking is that it has to do with how heavy the truck is. Lighter the truck more the det. wants to unlock. Thats my .02$ __________________ 84 toy x cab, twin stick,MC07 #1322,with 4.7,5.29's,det f/r,custom front bumper,37mtrs. Flatbed, half doors and a exocage. Redneck Rockcrawlers TLCA#4563 [SIZE="7"]R.I.P. Noel " DOZER" Chadbourne[/SIZE]

03-31-2004, 08:42 AM	#4 (permalink)
Harry Johnson Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Member # 28880 Location: Spreckels, Ca Posts: 53	44 in back. It seems like it's always been this loud since I got it. First time it unbound I had to stop and check that nothing flew off. Talked to some friends at a local drive train shop and they told me the noise was normal and it's very possible that my buddies are just being a bunch of pansies. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else gets the whole swerve-into-the-other-lane-when-the-locker-unbinds sort of thing.

03-31-2004, 05:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
302YJ Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Member # 24652 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 294	i would have to second that it must be the weight difference __________________ Here, watch this...

03-31-2004, 05:32 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jrod-13 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2003 Member # 17313 Location: Tower, MN Posts: 2,794	I'm going to guess that you have a manual, and they both have auto's?? That can cause erratic lane changes when you shift.. Of course a lincoln locker will take care of all those lane changes. __________________ A recent survay of over 1000 trailer parks in the southeast found the 350 chevy out numbered the mullet by nearly 4:1, draw your own conclusion.

03-31-2004, 09:47 PM	#11 (permalink)
4x4junkie Registered User Join Date: Feb 2002 Member # 10063 Location: So.Calif (San Fernando Valley) Posts: 1,757	My 8.8 Detroit does it too. Seems to be the nature of the beast. __________________ '90 Bronco II, 2.9L, Dual T-case, 5.13s, 35x12.50s [url]http://www.cardomain.com/ride/702959[/url]

03-31-2004, 11:09 PM	#12 (permalink)
oldrivers Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Member # 28570 Posts: 129	it does this going straight down the highway?? i would say your tires are are not close enough in size, sounds like one tire is spinning more revolutions per mile than the other, this can cause the locker to bind and unbind, causing jerking, my superbrute eaton would do this until i measured the circumference of all four tires putting the two closest in size on the locked axle, it worked for me,

04-01-2004, 06:39 AM	#13 (permalink)
littlecj5 Registered User Join Date: Feb 2004 Member # 27828 Location: canada Posts: 10	I could be wrong but I think the shorter wheelbase contributes to it as well.

04-01-2004, 09:59 AM	#14 (permalink)
Delta4x4 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Member # 26739 Location: Bakersfield, CA Posts: 325	My buddie and I have essentially the same set up. My old detroit was way more aggressive on raod that his was. Detroits tend to have thier own personality. I got tired of the problems on the road, and the 1/4 turn of backlash and put in a full spool. __________________ [url]www.norcalbroncos.com[/url]

04-08-2004, 01:39 PM	#16 (permalink)
Buster Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Member # 13195 Location: Coleman, MI Posts: 18	we have two TJ's with rear detroits and on the highway you cannot tell they are there at all. the ONLY time either of the jerk or twitch is when turning from a stop sign.. once I'm going in a straight line the 5spd doesn't even jerk when when shifting.

04-08-2004, 04:26 PM	#17 (permalink)
P&T Jeeps Granite Guru Join Date: Mar 2001 Member # 3916 Location: south Posts: 2,826	as noted above, a bent housing will wake up a Detroit asap... __________________ TJ; ARB'd & ChroMo'd 1-tons; 42" IROK's; Atlas 4.3; 4-linked, 106" WB... The Build

04-09-2004, 12:26 AM	#19 (permalink)
TJ Ken Registered User Join Date: Dec 2001 Member # 8563 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 1,194	What they said...my TJ does the same thing. It did kinda loosen up after 3 yrs. tho...or maybe I got used to it?? Spool here I come

04-12-2004, 05:23 AM	#20 (permalink)
Wolfe Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Member # 13158 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 20	My new cj7 has ford 9"diffs with detroit rear and truetrac in front . Any ideas as to what to expect

04-13-2004, 02:08 AM	#21 (permalink)
Wolfe Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Member # 13158 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 20	btt __________________ 80cj7, 96xj

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