Lunchbox Locker in the front 9.25" IFS

Tenhorse said:

3 of my 4 cv boots were ripped. I'm not sure if that's from neglect or the angles.

Click to expand...

OEM or aftermarket CV shafts? If you still have the OEM shafts, I'd look into replacing just the boots.

Tenhorse said:

Flowtech Afterburner
49156-1FLT
What's the other one?

Click to expand...

Both big block long tube applications and, now that I think of it, both discontinued. Banks used to make 454 headers that used the stock cats or not and SS Works used to make them like that for the GMT800 8.1 trucks as well. It's just cleaner to cross over in the front like that.

Interested to year your experience. From what I've read, auto locking a front end IFS can cause some issues, but I have no first hand knowledge.

I'm installing a Powertrax No-Slip locker in my 9.5" rear today.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Tenhorse said:

does anybody else have problems typing replies from a phone?
...continued from the previous reply.. im going to install the front diff and see how i like it. if i do not, is it possible to swap carriers and run my gearset from the front in the rear... and run my govlock up front and this lockright locker in the rear? has anyone run a g80 govlock up front? to reiterate, i have a 9.5sf rear and 9.25" front ifs.
thanks

Click to expand...

I believe the carriers are quite different. I will try to check today to find out. Diff Wizard (part of Randy's Ring and Pinion/Yukon Gear) has tons of info about axle stuff. Summit uses the part numbers in parentheses.

SteamDonkey said:

Interested to year your experience. From what I've read, auto locking a front end IFS can cause some issues, but I have no first hand knowledge.

I'm installing a Powertrax No-Slip locker in my 9.5" rear today.

Sent from my Pixel 3a XL using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

What sorts? In 2wd the driveshaft will spin, but the L&R are still decoupled.

454cid said:

OEM or aftermarket CV shafts? If you still have the OEM shafts, I'd look into replacing just the boots.

Click to expand...

I honestly don't know if the cv axles are original or not. The driver's side ball joints are original. One of the passenger side has been changed. The truck is a 1990 with about 180k on it. The original owner towed a 5th wheel camper with it.
The cv boots have been torn for a couple years. I just haven't had time to change them. The grease is almost entire slung out of the passenger side. It's slung all over everything on that side of the frame.
I got new duralast gold axles from autozone. Lifetime warranty. I didn't realize changing the hub bearings involved driving the wheel studs out. The rotor mounts inside of the 8 lug flange. Looks like I'll be changing rotors because I don't want to have to pull my hub bearings out when the rotors need replaced!
Like I said, I'm replacing everything while I'm in there. It could certainly use the attention.
The passenger's upper shock mount broke off the frame. I need to weld it back together. Luckily I've already gone through the rear suspension. It wasn't nearly as bad.

Tenhorse said:

...I didn't realize changing the hub bearings involved driving the wheel studs out. The rotor mounts inside of the 8 lug flange. Looks like I'll be changing rotors because I don't want to have to pull my hub bearings out when the rotors need replaced!

Click to expand...

Yes, that makes replacing rotors so fun. I had to pull the drivers side twice when I did it last. I was re-using that hub, and even though I cleaned it up really well, I must have gotten a piece of something between the hub and rotor, so runout was too much. Thankfully the second time, after cleaning everything again, runout was within spec.

Coat your mating surfaces with anti-seize so it doesn't rust together, for next time.

Like I said, I'm replacing everything while I'm in there. It could certainly use the attention.
The passenger's upper shock mount broke off the frame. I need to weld it back together. Luckily I've already gone through the rear suspension. It wasn't nearly as bad.

Click to expand...

Wow, from rust?

The problem with parts store axles is the garbage rubber CV they supply with. They'll dry and crack in no time and, in the Corvettes, the boots will swell to the point they contact the suspension at 120+. That and the inferior steel used to produce the meat and potatoes of it all. I rebooted my passenger side axle this past summer. I used a Moog thermoplastic boot and its existence was difficult to ascertain. I'd run it dry for a year or so but it was still like new inside so I greased it, booted it, and sent it. My truck has 280k on it.

Tenhorse said:

does anybody else have problems typing replies from a phone?
...continued from the previous reply.. im going to install the front diff and see how i like it. if i do not, is it possible to swap carriers and run my gearset from the front in the rear... and run my govlock up front and this lockright locker in the rear? has anyone run a g80 govlock up front? to reiterate, i have a 9.5sf rear and 9.25" front ifs.
thanks

Click to expand...

The carriers will interchange but the ring and pinion gears will not.

When you switch out the carriers check the backlash and the tooth pattern before taking them apart. Make sure the pattern and backlash are the same when you put them back together or the R&P's won't last long.

I would probably put the GovLock in the front and use the front carrier in the rear for the LockRight.

My only concerns with the GovLock in the front are weird steering when it locks and perhaps breaking the housing or axle shafts.

I use RED-58204 Heavy Weight Shockproof gear lube. It is 75w90 but has a film strength higher than a 250 weight lube. It will cushion the hit from the lockers.
It can quiet lockers a bit by not allowing metal to contact metal. It actually has tiny little chemical "ball bearings" in the goop!

It looks like tomato soup and smells like bear poop after Taco Bell night so wear gloves!

A Truetrac would be perfect for the front! It would unload like the factory diff but then do its thing when the passenger axle engaged.