For those not in tune with the advantages of an Eaton Detroit Locker differential, an open differential in the axle of your car or truck can allow most, if not all, of the power to go to the wheel with the least traction, and performance in slippery road or rough-terrain situations can be degraded.

The advantages of an Eaton Detroit Locker are that it can lock both axle shafts when the vehicle is driving in a straight line so that 100-percent of the available torque is delivered to the both wheels, but it unlocks when the vehicle is turning to allow for wheel differentiation (the outside and inside wheels can turn at different speeds). It is designed to improve traction on- and off-road.

The oldest product in the Eaton automotive performance differential line, the Detroit Locker was originally developed in the 1920s, but today there are applications ranging from cars to huge mining equipment, and everything in between. Ideal applications for the Detroit Locker include severe activity such as drag racing and off-road rock crawling.

The video above from Eaton shows just how the Detroit Locker differential works, and discusses its virtues and applications. You get an “inside” view of the Detroit Locker’s parts in an animated segment, and there is also an exploded view of the locking differential that displays all of its internal parts.

This is a perfect video for the novice as well as the experienced, as it shows the actions of the Detroit Locker in a simple, easy-to-understand manner. For more information on the Detroit Locker or any of the Eaton automotive performance differentials, check out the Eaton website or call (800) 386-1911.