14 Bolt Full Float G80 Differential Replacement

[ZachT]

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts are on replacements for a G80 locker. I have a 98 C2500HD with the 14 Bolt Full Float w/ the G80, and I know the differential needs replaced. I've been looking at Eaton TrueTrac, Eaton Detroit Locker, and ARB Air Locker, but I don't know enough about differentials. I have a 4wd Tacoma that I'll use in the winter when it's bad, but I'd like to be able to drive the old Chevy when necessary. I mainly plan to use the truck to tow from now on. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[NightRunner]

Well, I've heard great things about the TrueTrac, mixed stuff about the Detroit locker and have no experience with the ARB locker. I know OX makes a cable driven locker and an electrical locker if you're looking to get really fancy and spendy with it ($1000+).

If you want the cheapest route, you could always hit the junkyards and find a used G80 somewhere. But I wouldn't go that route myself.

 

[ZachT]

I don't want to go cheap on this truck, I did that with the fuel pump and paid the price. I would like to keep this truck for a long time. I only know of ARB from guys with Tacomas.

 

[df2x4]

Personally if I were you it would be down to a choice of two carriers, both made by Eaton. A Detroit Locker, or a TrueTrac, depending on how you want to use the truck and want it to behave.

The TrueTrac is an awesome carrier, I have one in my Monte Carlo and love it. It's super smooth and well behaved. It's really for vehicles that are going to be driven primarily on the pavement, though. Reason being is that if you're ever in a situation where one drive wheel has zero traction (like if it's off the ground) then that wheel will be given 100% of the driving force and you'll just free-wheel until you give it some brake pedal to simulate load on that wheel.

The Detroit Locker is a little more violent on pavement, you'll probably hear and/or feel it engage and disengage at low speeds, mainly during cornering. However as the name implies it keeps the drive wheels locked 90% of the time, so you'll never have traction issues if you get one wheel off the ground or on a patch of ice or something.

If you're going to use the truck like a truck, I'd personally go with the Detroit Locker.

 

[ZachT]

How would the TrueTrac work on gravel?

I will really only use this to tow and haul, it's not my daily driver anymore.

 

[NightRunner]

As long as you're not goosing the throttle on gravel, the TrueTrac should behave about the same as it would on pavement to my understanding.

 

[df2x4]

Yup, I'd imagine the TrueTrac would be just fine on gravel as long as you didn't run into a weird situation like I described above.

But yeah, speaking from experience it will throw the rear end out pretty easily on gravel with a little throttle bump.

 

[ZachT]

Hmm sounds like the TrueTrac might be the way to go for me. I think the Detroit might be overboard for what I need.

 

[NightRunner]

For the price, you really can't go wrong with it. I'd like to dump one in my C1500 at some point, but that's miles away from the plan for now

 

[UGLYTRUK]

Interesting