Locking Differentials Explained

If you've read any off-road magazine, you've heard the term locking differential. And, you've probably heard people endlessly praise the benefits of lockers off-road and bemoan their drawbacks on-road. The one thing you probably haven't heard is how these mysterious traction-aiding devices work. We poured over diagrams and studied all the internal pieces until we had a full understanding of how these things are put together. Now, we'll break the silence and reveal the inner workings of these technical marvels so you too can understand how lockers work.

In this article, we'll scrutinize the three most popular aftermarket lockers--the Detroit Locker, the ARB Air Locker, and the Lock-Right. 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers in Burbank, California, was kind enough to let us raid their shelves and tear apart an example of the Detroit Locker and ARB Air Locker so we could photograph the insides of each. Both of these lockers are available through 4 Wheel Parts Wholesalers, or the lockers can be ordered directly from the manufacturers.