Can a Detroit Locker handle 35's on Dana 30?
 

I'm running 35 inch tires on Dana30 up front (8.25 in the rear), geared to 4.56 on the stock 27 spline with np231 tc.

I tend to do more poorly serviced fire roads, exploring in the desert, but I do some crawling as well. Going over obstacles I tend to be a creeper rather than a gunner.

I'd like to add at least a front locker to the rig, and given my druthers, I go for an OX, but at almost $1k for just the front, I'm not sure I'm willing to pony up the dough right now.

I know that many people have issues running such big tires on a lunchbox locker (i.e. blowing up the carrier in the diff), so if I don't go with a selectable, can a Detroit locker handle the torque of 35 inch tires?

Will the Detroit even engage if I am creeping instead of gunning?

Its hard to say but if your easy on the skinny pedal it might live,If you have a lead foot somethings gonna give.

how much it can handle will depend on alot of factors but a stock dana 30 will need some work just to run 35 safely adding a locker on stock suff might cause it to break sooner. I had 35s on my dana 30 for almost a year it started rip its self apart and it was open.

I have a Detroit Locker in my D30 with 4.56's and 33x12:50's zero issues, in fact I do plan on going to 35's and not worried about it. My driving is very much like yours on trails with a little crawling and easy on the skinny peddle. As for locking up at very low speed (crawling) yes my Detroit's do, hope that answers your questions except about the current use of 35's.

It all depends on how bad you beat on it even with a 30 or 31" tire you could tear one up if you beat it hard enough.

I push mine fairly hard on Yukon 4.56's i set up, Lokka locker, Chromo's, and 35's.

It'll be ok as long as you don't drive like a rock bouncer.

A Detroit will always be engaged no matter what. Look at a Yukon Grizzly as well.

ive got a buddy who runs 35" MTR's with a powertrax up front and he's only blown one shaft and he wheels the piss out of it,

I run the Aussie drop in on 35s with stock shafts. I dont beat on it but I dont exactly baby it either. Seems to hold up so far

The carrier on a d30 is weak. So switching to a Detroit would be a definite improvement. I grenaded a stock carrier with 31" tires. Went to 33's and a spartan in the front and broke a couple shafts that's it. Running 35's now and am not worried at all. Driver makes all the difference. All axles can break. Drive understanding what have and you should be fine.

want to share with the class the specifics of how you broke that carrier?

riding the brakes and the gas pedal at the same time was it? :innocent:

How long have you had this setup?

:Thud:

Yes I was doing things wrong. Most of my like I have had to learn like this. LOL

Since I put the 35's on it about a year ago, I ran 34" LTB's prior to that and never had an issue. Running Yukon premium 4.88s