Locker or LSD how to tell?

nrspence

New member
Hey i was hoping to get a little feed back on a question i have. Im looking at buying a 1979 fullsize bronco, the owner of the bronco told me the bronco has detroit lockers front and rear. He did not install the lockers, the lockers were installed by a previous owner. My question is, i have my doubts that the bronco really has detroit lockers front and rear. I actually think it has detroit trutracs. Is their a way to tell if the bronco has a locker or a LSD without opening up the differential? Thanks
Nate R Spence
 

cowboy4x4

Explorer
If you had a detroit locker on the front you Would know it. It would be next to impossible to drive on the street ie; not wanting to turn left or right because they are locked.
 

nrspence

New member
If you had a detroit locker on the front you Would know it. It would be next to impossible to drive on the street ie; not wanting to turn left or right because they are locked.

Ya the road manners is all i could think of. I have never owned a vehicle with auto lockers, just ARB's front and rear and with both ARB's locked in turning was next to impossible on slick rock.
 

alexrex20

Explorer
Does your Bronco have manual hubs? I'm sure if you did, you would've tried testing with them locked. With locked hubs, a front Detroit would male it next to impossible to drive in tight parking lot maneuvers, but ONLY when you're giving it gas. They unlock while coasting, like a lunchbox locker.
 

Metcalf

Expedition Leader
The front is pretty easy to identify thought the fill plug if you get a flashlight. The Detroit case is pretty distinctive.

An autolocker isn't the end of the world in front. Its pretty invisible with the hubs locked in 2wd. In 4wd you will know it is there and cornering on high traction surfaces will cause binding. In the ice with full time lockers you will need to learn to drive with the throttle a bit. To me, its not nearly as bad as most people make it sound.

One of the best solutions for most situations is to modify the interlock in the transfer case ( np205 only, not 203 ) to allow seperate front and rear control with a twin stick shifter. This will let you do things like 2low, front wheel drive, etc.
 

nrspence

New member
The front is pretty easy to identify thought the fill plug if you get a flashlight. The Detroit case is pretty distinctive.

An autolocker isn't the end of the world in front. Its pretty invisible with the hubs locked in 2wd. In 4wd you will know it is there and cornering on high traction surfaces will cause binding. In the ice with full time lockers you will need to learn to drive with the throttle a bit. To me, its not nearly as bad as most people make it sound.

One of the best solutions for most situations is to modify the interlock in the transfer case ( np205 only, not 203 ) to allow seperate front and rear control with a twin stick shifter. This will let you do things like 2low, front wheel drive, etc.

I do not think i could tell the difference between the locker or limited slip carrier by just looking through the fill plug. I have not been over to drive the truck yet, but i should be able to tell from just driving it on pavement in four wheel drive if it has a true detroit or a detroit truetrac limit slip. Ya a twin stick in on the NP205 would be nice.
 

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