Talk:Locking differential

Wheel speed

So with AWD lock on every tire will spin at the same speed, right? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 70.250.209.39 (talk) 20:11, 19 June 2007 (UTC)

No, the average of the rear wheels will be the same as the average of the front wheels. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.241.129.245 (talk) 06:02, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Removal of problematic statement

"Steering difficulties can be mostly eliminated by selecting modern lockers which are better engineered than earlier versions which were notorious for steering difficulties." - I'm going to delete this statement because I don't think it's true. Can anyone offer why they think this would be true? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 124.241.129.245 (talk) 06:02, 29 September 2007 (UTC)

Argument about terms

Uberjeep actually quoted something from this website on his jeepforum account thinking it is fact when in reality you can pout whatever you want on here and it doesnt matter. Truthfully a detroit locker is a locker in a detroit sports locker room and has nothing at all to do with jeeps. —Preceding unsigned comment was added to the article itself by 138.162.8.57 (talk) in this edit. It was reverted as vandalism, but then moved here as essentially talk-page-worthy in nature, with the etiquette breach attributed to unfamiliarity with using Wikipedia rather than to vandalistic intent.

Actually it would be useful to know more about the name "Detroit Locker". It seems like it probably began life as an OEM brand name for assemblies sold to the automakers. Apparently Eaton owns the brand now, according to eaton.com ("The legendary Detroit Locker began the revolution in performance differentials and still leads the industry today as an Eaton brand."). I always wondered if the "Detroit" in it originally came from the Detroit Diesel division being its maker. Or maybe just some other auto-parts maker acting as supplier to the Big Three. As for whether it was ever OEM equipment on Jeep brand vehicles, well, fill us in. If you have any solid info on it (which your comment implies you do), you should consider adding it to this article. It would be useful. I do know for sure that AMC (maker of Jeep for many years) bought OEM parts from many companies, including GM itself. But I don't know anything about Detroit Locker in particular. — ¾-10 01:06, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Detroit Locker - ancient history

The Detroit Locker was initially called a “Thornton NoSPIN Differential.” Ray Thornton patented it in 1941 as device for use in six wheel (tandem drive) truck applications. The NoSPIN was manufactured by the Detroit Automotive Product Corporation and was used on American military vehicles during World War II. ... In 2005, powertrain giant Eaton Corp. purchased Detroit Locker’s parent company and greatly expanded the offerings. https://www.onallcylinders.com/2013/12/19/detroit-locker-history-anatomy-faqs-toughest-differential-town/ Greglocock (talk) 23:36, 17 November 2018 (UTC)

In 1979 DAPC was renamed Tractech. The Detroit Locker nickname was in common use by the 60s. Chevy Nova 1968-1974: How to Build and Modify By Wayne Scraba P37 Greglocock (talk) 23:45, 17 November 2018 (UTC)

Off road vehicles

the opening implies that locking diffs are essentially for off road vehicles, although it doesn't specifically say that. But since the great majority of commercial trucks come with locking diffs which are used for on road low traction situations that doesn't seem very accurate. They certainly aren't "off road vehicles", although you might use them when pulling into a muddy construction site access road. It's still a road. And they use them when it snows and other limited traction situations. They also have interaxle locks that lock both rear axles to the prop shaft while leaving the diffs open, which is similar but not identical to a center diff lock. It's basically a center diff lock but the two driven axles have a third unpowered steering axle out in front, and the driveline is laid out differently. ~2026-36437-47 (talk) 04:30, 27 July 2026 (UTC)