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Trutrac for 14 bolt FF- where to buy?

monster man

monster man

1/2 ton status
Joined
Oct 20, 2003
Posts
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Location
Reno, NV
hello all, I just picked up a 3/4 ton Chevy with 14 bolt FF (1978), but it's got the dreaded Gov-Loc, ie no Detroit without major work. But I can't find anybody that sells the Truetrac for this axle. Tractech lists a part #. Anybody done this and where did you purchase it from. And how is it holding up?

Thanks!
 
It will be cheaper to find an open carrier and put in a detroit. A trutrac is not a drop in.
 
Just click on the "Contact Us" link at the Tractech website and send them a message. I'm sure that they would be happy to tell you where to buy one. :cool1: I've chatted with them via email a few times and found them to be very helpful.
 
trailblazr81 said:
Go with the No-Spin!!! Otherwise known as just the "Detroit Locker"!!! Buy another case, or find a complete rear in a junkyard. Do whatever it takes to get a Detroit!!!!! :saweet:

Or just give Randy's Ring And Pinion a call. Ive ordered from there before.
http://www.ringpinion.com/default.asp
Click to expand...
yep, tru trac suck. i got one in the frnt of my k5 and and it kept lettin the one tire spin and i had to get pulled outta the rutt. go with a detroit, it'll probably be cheaper too.
 
thanks guys. The fact that you said the TrueTrac wasn't a drop in might have sealed the deal. I'm throwing 38.5 Boggers on there, so was dead set on a Detroit. It was my uncle's truck and I got it for $600, what I thought was a great deal. Body's beat but it gives it that fresh off the rocks look :D My 1/2 ton would have cost an arm and a leg to upgrade (besides it's fine with 33's), but this already had the FF rear, NP205, SM465 and a 396 out of an Impala.

Looks like I'll be swapping the rears, maybe put this 14 in my 1/2 ton. Can I replace the Gov-Loc with an open carrier easily? Is there anything that is stronger than a Gov-Loc that is quick, CHEAP, and easy to swap in? I am on a shoestring budget.

To confirm- the detroit goes into the 14 bolt just like a big lunchbox locker?

And finally, when the Gov-Loc blows does it leave me stranded, or does it just fail to work as a locker, but works as an open diff?


Thanks!
 
I had one more question- when Tractech says the "carrier case" needs to be replaced, that doesn't entail swapping out the axle tubes to a new differential case does it? This is what is referred to as the carrier case:
http://www.off-road.com/chevy/tech/detroit/14boltspdgr.jpg
and if so, I can theoretically find on eof those at a junkyard and swap it in without swapping the whole differential axle tubes and all?

thanks!

:bow:
 
Just to clarify....


All Gov-Locs are not the Anti-Christ. If you are talking about a 10B rear, sure the Gov-Loc is bad news. You can find LOTS of people who have "blowed up" those lockers and rear ends... :D

A Gov-Loc in a 14BFF is substantially better, and you'll be a lot harder pressed to find people who have broken one. (That's not to say you can't find a million people who "heard of a guy" that broke one). Of course, a Detroit would be stronger and better....but I wouldn't automatically trade a Gov-Loc 14BFF for an open diff'ed 14BFF.

When you're ready, you can buy a new carrier and Detroit and swap them into your existing axle.
 
that's a relief- when tractech says that the case needed to be replaced, I assumed the centersection, i.e. the case that the diff cover bolts to and axle tubes are pressed into. But it just refers to the carrier case (which doesn't even really look like a carrier), and that is easily swapped for an open piece?

Shoot, the Gov-Loc lasted underneath this truck for 27 years,a nd it was badly abused- regular heavy duty towing of a backhoe, and about 900 pounds of bumper and toolbox weight.

I think I'll start scouring Pick and Pull for an open carrier "case" :wink1:
 
monster man said:
that's a relief- when tractech says that the case needed to be replaced, I assumed the centersection, i.e. the case that the diff cover bolts to and axle tubes are pressed into. But it just refers to the carrier case (which doesn't even really look like a carrier), and that is easily swapped for an open piece?

Shoot, the Gov-Loc lasted underneath this truck for 27 years,a nd it was badly abused- regular heavy duty towing of a backhoe, and about 900 pounds of bumper and toolbox weight.

I think I'll start scouring Pick and Pull for an open carrier "case" :wink1:
Click to expand...


Remember, there are two styles of open carriers...IIRC there is a 3.73 and down version and a 4.10 and up version. You can play games with thick gearsets, but if you want to re-use the gears you have, you want to make sure you are choosing the correct carrier.

Just one more clue for ya! :thumb:
 
you mean it's 4.10 and up? I was under the impression from Tractech's site that it was 4.56 up and 4.10 down, but if it's 3.73 down I'm not sure what to do. I found a used carrier locally for 4.10 gears but was told that would work with my 3.73's for now. I would ultimately like 4.56's or 5.29's and really don't want to redo everything a number of times.

As far as setting up gears, there's no major work involved, it's simpler on the 14 bolts, correct? Thanks for all the help!
 
When changing the gear atio on a 14 bolt, you will still need to "set em up." Using dial indicator, etc. to get correct backlash, good teeth mesh, and all that fun stuff.
 
monster man said:
you mean it's 4.10 and up? I was under the impression from Tractech's site that it was 4.56 up and 4.10 down, but if it's 3.73 down I'm not sure what to do. I found a used carrier locally for 4.10 gears but was told that would work with my 3.73's for now. I would ultimately like 4.56's or 5.29's and really don't want to redo everything a number of times.

As far as setting up gears, there's no major work involved, it's simpler on the 14 bolts, correct? Thanks for all the help!
Click to expand...


I know the "break" is at 4.10, but I can never remember which side 4.10 is on.... someone here will know for sure.

My point was only that you need to be aware that there IS a carrier break so you don't buy an open carrier that still ends up being useless for the gears you want to use....
 
Yep the break is 4.10 and down. With the other being 4.56 and up. It is painfully obvious which carrier you will have as the 4.56 and up flange is almost twice as thick as a 4.10 and down carrier flange. If you look in my photo gallery I have a picture of a 4.56 and up carrier.

Ira
 
Oh Hell here is the picture
1465313_1_b.jpg


Ira
 
thanks guys! You've been a great help. Say I found a carrier with 4.10 gears, and is complete, does that drop in without setting them up, i.e., is all the setup involved fitting a certain ring and pinion to the carrier? Or, if I bought this complete one would I still need to reset it when I put it in my 14 bolt? If that's the case, I may buy a bare one locally and set it up for whatever ratio I choose from the get go. This is all down the road of course, I'll see if I can blow up the Gov-Loc first :-)
 
sorry for being a pest- but I have one more quick question- I see that there are ring and pinion sets, like 4.56 and 4.88 that say they fit the 4.10 and down case. The 4.88 set uses a different (lower) number of teeth so I assume it's weaker than the large set, but the 4.56 uses the same tooth setup- 41/9. Is that a good option if I don't want to replace carriers?

:bow:
 
I'm not sure exactly what you are asking...
You can run the "thick" gears on your carrier. Ive done it with no probs in other axles. The numerically higher the gear ratio the weaker it is. Does that mean I will stay with 4.10's when I go to 38-40 inch tires?? No, I will either go with 4.88 or 5.13 gears. And most likely keep my current carrier.

I used to have a Gov-Loc 12 bolt in a 86 Blazer about 5 years ago. You could watch while wheeling how one tire would be spinning alot faster when both tires lost traction. My 383 puked it out, had half the carrier n ring gear sticking out the diff cover and actually blew a hole in the housing!!
 
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