G80 rebuild or...?

[juddspaintballs]

99 Suburban K1500 with the 6.5. I have a 14 bolt SF rear end with 8 lug hubs. I also have the G80 option according to my glove box. My rear end does not lock up at all, and it made that very well known to me this past weekend when I was pulling my dad's 01 Blazer up the hill of my snow covered driveway after he slid off since his 4x4 failed. I was able to eventually pull him back to the hard surface and tug him up the hill in 4-Lo, but for a few seconds I only had the right wheel spinning on the rear before it ate through the snow and got down to asphalt. I want my rear end to be capable of locking.

Here's the dilemma. I've never messed with rear differentials so I know very little. I also don't want to spend a fortune upgrading this vehicle since it's got over 270k on it and I'm looking at buying a pickup truck and building it from the ground up (including a motor and trans swap). For the time being, the Suburban is my wife's vehicle for grocery getting and kid toting. We get plenty of snow here in WV and we don't leave pavement often with it other than the occasional drive through the yard. They don't often plow our roads and they never use salt, so hardpack snow on the road is common. From what I understand, the safest locker to have for our style driving is a repaired G80 or a selectable locker like an ARB.

Here's the catch: I could really use new rear shoes, wheel cylinders, and axle brake lines. Would it be better to have someone fix my G80 and me fix the other stuff or should I do some other type of locker with me fixing the other stuff or should I go for a 14 bolt FF axle swap (preferably with disc brakes) and some kind of locker? As far as I know, I think I have 4.10 gears but I don't know how to confirm that.

 

[tanman_2006]

Just find a 14FF w/ G80 and hope for the best. Only use straight 80/90 or equivalent gear lube, no friction modifier.

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

you don't need a friction modifier with a G80, but it won't hurt to run it. most all synthetic gear lubes contain friction modifiers in them nowadays. As for your G80, you can rebuild it yourself with just some basic tools. You have to pull the brakes off so you can slide the axles out, but it can be done with the carrier in the truck. Last one I did I lucked out and found a EATON TRAC-LOC on EBAY for $180 and put in it. They are much more reliable than a GOV-LOC, but they do require both tires be on the ground to work.

 

[juddspaintballs]

If I'm going through the trouble of changing axles, I'm going to KNOW that the locker works before I do it.

There's an outfit on ebay rebuilding G80's for $300. Worthwhile?

 

[THEFERMANATOR]

If I'm going through the trouble of changing axles, I'm going to KNOW that the locker works before I do it.

There's an outfit on ebay rebuilding G80's for $300. Worthwhile?

No, you used to be able to buy all of the parts for $80, and can do it yourself in a few hours. As long as it is just the 2 shafts that have stripped there teeth off, I don't think you have to do anything more than pull the diff cover and rotate it around until you can access the 2 shafts. The 9.5" axle seems to have alot of GOV-LOC problems, but they are easy to repair.

 

[tanman_2006]

My 95s 6 lug hasn't worked in 100k, no junk in the oil so I never worried

Source Unknown

 

[juddspaintballs]

so where do I get a rebuild kit at?

 

[Jorge6.5]

How about dropping in a powertrax lok right? They are priced fair and from what ive heard, they perform very well.

 

[juddspaintballs]

I'd need to install an open differential first, and then install the lock right to the tune of over $400 for the lock right. They also say on their website that it shouldn't be used on daily driver vehicles. I'm not completely against changing out to an open differential, but if I do that I might as well just spend the money on a Eaton E-locker for about $750 and have a great street performer for daily driving with the capability of a fully locked differential when I want it.