Wondering how loud a locker is in our cars for either a 12 bolt or 9 inch?Is it real agravating on the street?

 

I have one in my 8.8" on 31 spline. You can only get a locker for our cars in a 8.8" or 9". 12 bolts don't have them. Noise wise, it's not that bad once you put a few miles on it unless you make a sharp turn. Then it will raise hell and sound like the rearend is falling apart. Street wise, it's not that bad once you learn how to drive it. If you have a M6, such as I do, you will have to release the clutch on a sharp turn or the car will buck and shake the **** out of you. With TCS and/or ABS, it will mess with it. After driving around, my ABS and TCS light will come on.

Overall, I love my "full" detroit locker. Just had to learn how to drive it tho

 

Now- the bucking & shaking the **** out of you isn't bad for it right? Just annoying for the person driving? I'm thinking about putting a locker behind a TH400...so no clutch to let out- although the converter will let it slip a little...

 

I don't mind mine. The literature from Moser says more gear=more backlash. I have 4.57's so I have a bit. It pops when you back up, go around tight turns, and a bit when you shift if you aren't smooth. I agree with Xerxes, minor adjustments to your driving style hide the popping pretty well. In a straight line at 60 to 70 mph mine is darn quite. I'll take the popping over the howl of a 12 bolt any day. Been there and done that.

Bruce

 

The bucking will only happen if you are in a sharp turn and keep the clutch engaged. The bucking is kind of like that of after a big cam install and you still have stock gears. I'm sure most will know what I mean by that. lol It will be annoying until you learn how to drive it. No big deal.

On an A4, I have no idea. I would think that the converter would prevent it though.

 

My 31 spline Tractech makes no noise at all. Fireball's 35 spline popped and creaked like my grandmas legs.

 

LOL@PSJ

I have found mine to be very livable, doesn't bug me at all

 

If you were to buy a 9" with a locker and decided you didn't like it, can you have that taken out or do you have to buy a new rearend again?

 

Yes, you can take the locker out and replace it with something else if need be

 

Sorry not to bright on rearend lockers but what do you mean replace it with something else? What else would you put in?

 

Replace the center section with a posi. One of the advantages of a 9" is that you can change the center section out with hand tools.

That is an advantage if you want to run different gears for 1/8 or 1/4 mile or street. Only problem is the center sections are not cheap.

 

Where do you find the center sections at?

 

You can buy center sections from Moser. I think they are around $1000-$1100...depending on what you want. Posi/limited slip, spool, and lockers can be installed in a 8.8" or 9". Only a posi/limited slip or spool can be installed in a 12 bolt for the time being.

 

I am running a used center section that originally had:

Strange nodular case
31 spline auburn posi
3.50 gear

I now have:

31 spline 'soft' locker
4.11 gears

 

I have a 31 spline Detroit Locker coming for my 8.8 build up in my Mach. I'm going with 4.30s, 31 spline Superior axles, and the Locker. I'll let you know how a brand new locker is on the street. I've heard it can engage while you're driving straight down the street and shoot you into another lane . I'll have to drive at night for a while so I don't dart into someone in the lane next to me, haha. I got the original Tractech Detroit Locker.

 

There are a variety of 9" center sections around. If you decided to use the locker center section just for racing- then swap out to a more moderately geared/posi unit when you are just driving around (gotta love a 9") you can find a much cheaper alternative by getting a less heavy duty unit.

Just an idea- there are plenty of guys who run 4.56 spools at the track- then swap to 3.70 posi to drive around with...

 

Mine does that, but not that bad. It throws my car to the right a little. Kinda fun after you get use to it. People that ride with me get freaked out tho

 

Is it like a posi that unlocks 1 wheel and kicks you over?I'm sick of smoking posi units and really don't like driving a spool around.

 

The Detroit Locker is pretty rough, and will kick you out to the side some when it locks back in from a turn. Powertrax makes a locker, which is what I used for awhile, that is pretty smooth, and less noisy than the Detroit.

 

So is a locker worth it if you drive it often in the summer on the street?