I was asking anyone with experience using an automatic locker in the front axle in the absence of locking hubs. Rear Detroit, fine and proven. ARB setup in my past experience over time was a costly failure I will not repeat. If and when the TJR's factory lockers fail, I'd probably go with an E-locker in the front and Detroit in the rear.
Reverse those and you’ll have a much better performing rig
All I can say is I haven't noticed any loss of control when backing on steep gravelly switchbacks due to the rear Detroit locking up. My experience is that it has been extremely reliable and controllable in all the trail conditions I've experienced with it. I find having this Detroit in the rear and a selectable in the front to be a great combination as do many of the folks I wheel with. As this is primarily a trail rig I don't have anything firsthand to offer regarding on-road driving.
My come t has nothing to to with driving backward or reverse gear.
Have you noticed understeer? Or adding steering and the truck resisting to turn?
I know what my rear axle feels like when it locks and it ain't happenin, at least noticeably so. Maybe because with an auto, lo gear is still too fast for the kind of descents I'm talking about. When this happens I'm usually also braking so maybe this back-torque you mention isn't coming into play?? Not trying to argue with you just sayin what I see/feel out on the trails. There are quite a few folks out this way that run rear Detroits over a lot of tough trails and they love 'em cause they just plain work without any noticeable downside, without any maintenance issues, without failures. YMMV...
