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Auburn / Truetrac FRONT LOCKER QUESTIONS

I'm less concerned with the extra $100 and more concerned with dependability in the middle of nowhere. I spent enough time on the towstrap this year that I don't need to compound things with more equipment failures. This is not a trailer queen, 1000-mile trips are the norm.
 
Blue85 said:
There have been some threads about front G80 over the years, with a few guys actually doing it. IIRC, none of them liked it.
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I would think GM probably experimented using a gov-loc in the front,and it didn't pan out well--if it did,they probably would have offered one as an option,seeing they already had a million of them..
 
A Gov-Lock is not ideal due to the windup before the locking action happens. Not predictable. While the best option would be a full selectable for $$$, the Tru-trac gives the best ability of any limited slip. But then again, I'm torque-biased. (pun totally intended btw)
 
ZooMad75 said:
A Gov-Lock is not ideal due to the windup before the locking action happens. Not predictable. While the best option would be a full selectable for $$$, the Tru-trac gives the best ability of any limited slip. But then again, I'm torque-biased. (pun totally intended btw)
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That is what I'm looking for. I don't want full lock (like a Detroit). I don't want an open carrier. I want to have my cake and eat it too. ;)
 
Something I wanted to try if I was to run a 10 bolt front is to grab a posi unit from a mid 90s full size car, Caprice, Buick roadmaster and the likes. Some have the same 10 bolt rear, with the 30 splines so would work in a rear or front as long as 30 spline. Might have to mess a spacer or figure out gears, but would be a cheap way to get both fronts working. And since it's a posi, has bias so one wheel would spin in extreme cases, but not tight enough to start breaking stuff. Prolly find em cheap and easy in a junkyard. buddy had a bunch of these at one point.
 
b454rat said:
Something I wanted to try if I was to run a 10 bolt front is to grab a posi unit from a mid 90s full size car, Caprice, Buick roadmaster and the likes. Some have the same 10 bolt rear, with the 30 splines so would work in a rear or front as long as 30 spline. Might have to mess a spacer or figure out gears, but would be a cheap way to get both fronts working. And since it's a posi, has bias so one wheel would spin in extreme cases, but not tight enough to start breaking stuff. Prolly find em cheap and easy in a junkyard. buddy had a bunch of these at one point.
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Isn't that the same as the Eaton posi that I have in the other truck?
 
sweetk30 said:
love my 14ff gov-loc units for street and decent trail use . have run 1 with built 400sbc and 38" swampers no problems .

as to gov-loc in the front no way in he!! would i waste my time with that install .
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I thought about finding a gov-loc at work for the rear. If I ever did anything for the front it would be a selectable locker.
 
I'm not sure what they are. I want to say Auburn, but I don't know much about factory and aftermarket posi's. Know little bout Dana stuff lol....
 
After the g80 gov bomb, GM used Eaton limited slip differential
 
On my '90 K5 it came from the factory with the G80 Gov-lock rear. After it grenaded (to be fair, it was stolen and beat on before being stripped....being covered in mud and both bumpers dented in by trees proves that) I replaced the rear with a TrueTrac. Later on I installed an Eaton Posi in the front. Keep in mind this was in the '90s when 33's and front and rear limited slips were hardcore on a daily driver.

Anyway, the K5 eventually became a weekend trail toy with the 33's and then moving up to 35's. With some brake dragging it would keep all 4 tires pulling if you weren't really flexed out, like a tire in the air. I played around with it putting one front up on a gravel pile and at a certain point you could no longer apply enough brake to get the back to lock in. You also couldn't get both fronts to pull if you had one tire up against a big ledge. Basically for mild to moderate wheeling it was much, much better than open diffs but in really technical stuff like rock crawling they didn't work that great. The next step was a welded 14FF rear and kept the Eaton front 10-bolt after converting to 8 lug, and kept the same 35" tires. Overall trail performance was noticeable better with the true locker in the rear, even with the loss of ground clearance from the 14FF. As stated about I was able to break several front axle u-joints with the limited slip by dragging the brakes, and always when I had the tires cranked. After learning my lesson to not drag the brakes and floor it with the wheels turned I ran for years with no issues.
 
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