Lokka Differentials?

[Smokey228]

Hey guys,

Im looking at buying a Lokka diff for the celica, they want 499 + 20$ shipping, which is a great price, provided they do everything they claim.

I asked aswell, they will do group buys, he said straight up 449 inc shipping on 10, but i imagine i could get it down to around 399 if i pushed hard enough...

But what im trying to work out is, who has used these diffs before, and are they all they are talked up to be?

How do they go with hard driving and big launches?
Are they noisy?
Do they open easily when turning without load? And lock instantly when applying load?

What are the pro's and con's?

+rep for good info

I seen bigwad bringing em up everywehre, so i imagine he'll be in here shortly!

Cheers,
Jase

[YLD-16L]

I looked into these when deciding on a centre, there is HEAPS of discussion on various sites/forums that discuss these centres. Most are 4WD forums though.

Just google a bit and you'll get plenty of users who have written about them.

After being in a 4WD with one I found it wasn't going to suit my needs so went with another option.

[Smokey228]

I did heaps of searching, have been for quite some time. But like you said, are all from 4wd guys. Kinda wanna see from a street car perspective...

quoted from the CT member who knows his stuff re: Lokkas

A Detroit Locker is a basically a mechanical LSD, its designed to open-wheel around corners and general cruising, and will only lock both axles when load is applied (ie accelerate). The Detroit's are generally quite noisy, as the teeth ratchet around corners making a loud clunking noise that kinda sounds like a rooted CV joint. Genuine detroits are also very expensive, for a borg warner diff its somewhere round $1500 supplied, 9 inchs are cheaper only $900. The only dangerous bit being that they can lock up under light loads, so if you accelerate through a corner it may kick out on you, drive with care. A spool is abit more reliable as you know what its going to do.

You can get cheaper alternative brands like the 4WD System's LOKKA, which claims its abit quieter than the Detroit. Would be fine for your application, but its not as strong as a genuine Detroit if its for a drag car. From memory the Lokka is only $500ish supplied, take a look here:
http://www.4wdsystems.com.au/html/lokka.htm

I read on a Aussie 4wd site, that these are virtually a identical rip off of a deteroit locker, or close enough at least...

And in reading the above, sounds asthough, for our application (atleast most of ours) these should work fine...

But now i wanna see what ppl, who have used them, think...

Cheers,
Jase

[IN 05 NT]

hornsby diffs highly recomend these!, speak to them, they have done a few in track cars.

[YLD-16L]

Go for a drive in a car with one in it if possible, everything I read sounded great.

I probably would have got one if I wasn't keen on track days and hillclimbs etc. Drags and general fanging around I could have happily lived with one.

SL666 on this forum has one and is happy with it, PM him for first hand long term experience.

[TooF]

what was your impression on them in terms of hvaing it in the 4wd ? i was considering a stickier diff in my hilux 4x4 to replace the rear LSD.

what did you consider the issues with them that steered you away from them.

my application is in the truck which sees a decent bit of time off road and i bought it so it was good in the dirt but its far from a mud pig that never sees the street as it is my daily and the mr2 is my weekender

[YLD-16L]

what was your impression on them in terms of hvaing it in the 4wd ? i was considering a stickier diff in my hilux 4x4 to replace the rear LSD.

what did you consider the issues with them that steered you away from them.

my application is in the truck which sees a decent bit of time off road and i bought it so it was good in the dirt but its far from a mud pig that never sees the street as it is my daily and the mr2 is my weekender

Seemed like it would be great in a 4WD offroad, especially for the price (note though we only drove on the street).

I didn't like the action of it through sweeping corners on/off throttle (i.e. big roundabouts on the test drive). You could either stay on power and it would be locked or get off the throttle and coast and it would be unlocked, it was the transition that I wasn't a fan of. My mate said best thing he found was to just pop the clutch around corners so it disengaged and ran open.

The ratcheting noise wasn't a concern, you just know that it's part of that type of diff.

The later model detroit lockers have a clutch system as well to dull the engagement of the locking mechanism I believe.

[smitty1]

what was your impression on them in terms of hvaing it in the 4wd ? i was considering a stickier diff in my hilux 4x4 to replace the rear LSD.

what did you consider the issues with them that steered you away from them.

my application is in the truck which sees a decent bit of time off road and i bought it so it was good in the dirt but its far from a mud pig that never sees the street as it is my daily and the mr2 is my weekender

One of the guys here has a pair in his 4x4 Hilux, and he swairs by them for off road, and just a bit noisy on road. He also travels about 500kms a week to work and back with it and hasn't had a problem yet. (been in for about 8 months)

[TooF]

how does he find the front locking diff in terms of making tight turns ie: your half way down a trail and there is a tree big enough to build the first fleet out of across the trail and you have to do a 15 point turn to turn around?

also can he drive it in H2 but with the front hubs locked in place on blacktop or does it bind up too much ? i tend to drive mine about 50% of the time with the front locked up just ebcasue its on and off dirt and if im going to be back on dirt soon i dont tend to stop when i hti blacktop and unlock them simply shift from h4 to h2.

plus its reccomended to periodically drive it with the front locked up if its not getting used in 4 often just to keep the front drivetrain moving and lucribated.

[cri_ag]

i have a Richmond Lockright in my f-series in my sprinter, which is identical in design to the lokka, my research told me that the lokka was considered a lesser alternative to the Richmond, as it wasn't as strong. i have no idea if this is true or not, but i heard it from a couple of different places.they were both the same price so i went Richmond.

im happy with mine. it locks as soon as the power gets put on and releases on the slow speed/light load stuff. they are pricks to drive if you dont make allowances for them. for instance if you coast around a corner in gear on very light throttle they will lock and unlock constantly and jerk and rattle the car around. my solution is just to throw the clutch in and roll through the corner. i love mine, but you do have to make allowances for it.

every time the gas goes on you have two wheels driving 100%, thats the bit that got me.

[cri_ag]

double post.

[smitty1]

how does he find the front locking diff in terms of making tight turns ie: your half way down a trail and there is a tree big enough to build the first fleet out of across the trail and you have to do a 15 point turn to turn around?

also can he drive it in H2 but with the front hubs locked in place on blacktop or does it bind up too much ? i tend to drive mine about 50% of the time with the front locked up just ebcasue its on and off dirt and if im going to be back on dirt soon i dont tend to stop when i hti blacktop and unlock them simply shift from h4 to h2.

plus its reccomended to periodically drive it with the front locked up if its not getting used in 4 often just to keep the front drivetrain moving and lucribated.

I won't see him again until Monday, but I will find out off him then.

[TooF]

no worries thanks mate.

[MA61 Turbo A]

Hi, if you are talking about the lokka lockright.....i have 1 of these in my ma61,

Hard driving and big launches: nothing beats a diff that will drive both wheels instantly, because these diffs work on load if you back off going around a corner they unlock/ratchet, soon as you put any drive back into them it locks and you know about it. They are something that you will have to learn how to drive.

Are they noisey : yes....only when unlocked/ratcheting, there is a very distinct ticking noise, highlight on very. You know when its unlocked

Pro's and cons : its a locker, i wanted it for the unpredictabile predictability, to be able to drive both wheels without doubt, + ma61 with 225 + rwkw = fun. The only downside is if you drive with it loaded up all the time you will go through tyres, lots and lots.

Ive had 1 in my car for 3 years, im not going to complain but they serve a pourpose, if they do what you want, then thats what you need.

Hope this helps.

Brad

[smitty1]

how does he find the front locking diff in terms of making tight turns ie: your half way down a trail and there is a tree big enough to build the first fleet out of across the trail and you have to do a 15 point turn to turn around?

also can he drive it in H2 but with the front hubs locked in place on blacktop or does it bind up too much ? i tend to drive mine about 50% of the time with the front locked up just ebcasue its on and off dirt and if im going to be back on dirt soon i dont tend to stop when i hti blacktop and unlock them simply shift from h4 to h2.

plus its reccomended to periodically drive it with the front locked up if its not getting used in 4 often just to keep the front drivetrain moving and lucribated.

I spoke to him this morning.

He has no trouble with the front locker, when crawling along, he has no trouble steering, it is only if he tries to act the fool by giving it a boot full that it tries to rip the steering wheel out of his hands. On light throttle he finds it OK.

He has manual hubs installed on his 98 hilux, and he never has them in on road. He said that you need to change your driving style on the road to suit them, but after a while it becomes second nature. If you give it too much around a corner in the dry it is a bit snatchy, and when going around tight roundabouts the clicking is a bit embarrising. In the wet you need to be careful.