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Should I go with a Detroit?

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914 views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  scram  
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#1 ·
My spider gears are going bad in my model 20 rearend, and I need to change my gear ratio from 2.73 to something better. I am planning on going with 4.10 gears, should I use the detroit locker in my rearend? I don't have time to go offroad that much, but the guy at Randy's said that if I wanted to replace the spider gears and the carrier that I have now with the same thing then I would have to find it in a junkyard because dana discontinued it. I would rather go with new parts. He said he would reccomend going with the detroit locker. My other option he gave me was to get a Dana posi (I think) and it was only $60 cheaper than the detroit. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Thanks,
Andy

 
#2 ·
IMHO, I would try to find the carrier/spider gears from a junkyard or online, what you need was very common in narrow-track CJ's in the late 70's. The lock-rite locker is much cheaper - granted it is not as strong as the Detroit - but most people are comfortable with the lock-rites on 33" tires and below, and you have the 258 engine, not a 400 HP gigunda monster.

-Mel

http://www.in2jeeps.com
Image
 
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#3 ·
You said that you don't go off-road very much, so a Detroit would be overkill. If anything, go with a limited-slip of some kind. They're much smoother ON the road.

'86 CJ-7, 360, TFI, 727, OEM Dana 44 rear w/Truetrac, Dana 30 w/Powertrax No-Slip, 4" Superlift, 4:11s, Warn HS9500i
 
#4 ·
Thats got to be BS. I JUST saw a new one for a 4:10 set a couple weeks ago. In the box. New carrier and spiders. Sorry, I don't have a clue where he got it, but I know I saw it with my own 2 eyes.

Image

http://home1.gte.net/rythem/davescj7.htm
"Get your finger outta there"
 
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#5 ·
YEA buy the sounds if you dont really offroad I wouldnt spend the money on the full detroit i would go with i lesser $ Locker. I have ran Both and both work well. Like he said just dont over do it on power and tire size and youll be fine. Good luck. SCRAM

The moment you are born you start to die so buy A Jeep and play hard!!!!!

It's All Out or Nothing At All!!!!!!!
 
#6 ·
Sorry, I guess I shoulda added......
Like Mel said, go with a used set out of a yard. There are good ones out there. Just check them out first.

Image

http://home1.gte.net/rythem/davescj7.htm
"Get your finger outta there"
 
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#7 ·
I have an AMC 20 narrow track with 3.54 gears in it sitting behind my house. I can use the spider's out of it right? How do I tell if they are good enough to use? I'd still like to get some kind of traction device. Whats the difference between the detroit lock-rite and the dana track-lock's? Thanks for the help.

Andy

 
#9 ·
A) I believe you should be able to use your carrier from behind your house.

B) Lock-right is a brand - Detroit is a brand also, the Detroit version of the lock-right is a soft-locker.

Get out your 4wd Hardware catalog, look on the AMC 20 page, they probably list a carrier in there, too. Look up lockers, you will see the lock-right in there. If you don't have a catalog, you can look online. www.4wd.com

-Mel

http://www.in2jeeps.com
Image
 
#14 ·
Hey, I have SCRAM's old AMC 2.73 Trac-Lok (with R&P and carrier) here at the house, I bet he even forgot he dropped it off. Works fine, he just put 4.56's and a Detroit in the Scrambler before he sold it. It's not changing the ratio at all, but would save some serious $$$ over anything new, it's in great shape, and it's a LSD. I spoke with him on the phone and he said you could have it for the price of shipping. If you change the rear ratio, you'll need new front gears as well, which will run more money. Just a suggestion.

JEEPN
Winter Harbor, Maine
'81 CJ-8 Scrambled, It's a Jeep, Chevy, IHC kinda thing!
'88.5 Zuki, 5" Calmini, Locked, Swamped, Rolled, and just generally broken in right!
 
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#15 ·
Thanks for the offer but I'm ready to get rid of these 2.73's! Can I just get a carrier from a 3.73 or up (numerically) from the junkyard and put a lock-rite on the rear for my spider gears? Does anybody know where I can get a new carrier for the rear? I just talked to somebody at Leon Rosser and they told me to think about putting a lock-rite on the front too. Should I think about doing that while I'm in there with everything else? Thanks, Andy

 
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#16 ·
On the lock rights or EZ lockers....

One of the main advantages of them, and why they are very popular, is that you don't have to re set-up your gears to install them. If you need a new carrier you will have to have the gear set-up and that is why the recommendation for the full Detroit.

I see people selling their dana 30 and amc 20 quite often for not too much money. Otherwise, you will be at least setting up the rear and if you change gears, you will have to have both set-up.

-raymo
4.6 Stroker Scrambler
 
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#17 ·
if ya havent seen the ez locker in the mags its because they call it the Quic loc locker now i just got one and it said detroit ez locker on the box but for some reason in the mags they changed the name. drivetrain warehouse is where i buy my parts like that. There is a ez locker in my old scrambler and it is holding up fine so i bought another one. I have seen both and they seeem to be identical. LOC_RITE and EZ LOCKER. Dont really c why would break more than the other but he7y i am no expert. The good thing is that drivetrain warehouse has i no questions asked lifetime warenty. SO breakage worrys are eased there lol. SCRAM

The moment you are born you start to die so buy A Jeep and play hard!!!!!

It's All Out or Nothing At All!!!!!!!
 
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