Eaton Lockers

burgundyz71 · November 20, 2003

Buddy of mine bought a wrecked 03 Silverado with an open rear diff...He got a deal on a locker and will it come with everything needed to switch it or will he ned to buy some more things ?

JayMan · November 21, 2003

Well, assuming the '03 has the same differential as my '00:

You can order a PowerTrax NoSlip part number 92-0786-3005.

I looked into this for my 2000, but it will NOT fit with the G80 GovLok already in. I did put it into my 1984 Ford and it works great. Fairly straightforward to install.

Good luck!

tinman · November 21, 2003

I like the powertrax too. I was just a little concerned about the street manners. Any input on this would be great. I want to put it on my wife stepside. She has a lot of traction problem in the rain. I put 300 lbs of bags sand in the rear but it didnt help much.

JayMan · November 21, 2003

Well, I put the PowerTrax NoSlip in my old Ford truck with 8.8 inch rear. It's very docile, no bad manners, and no noise. Putting it in doesn't require a degree in Quantum Mechanics either!

I also put a Mag Hytec rear cover on both the old Ford and the 2000 GMC, since it allows you to have a lot more gear oil. So the rear end runs a lot cooler, which only helps it live longer.

The Mag cover has an O-ring so it shouldn't leak. Otherwise you'll need a proper gasket or lots of RTV to seal the cover after installation.

However, if the missus is having traction problems in the rain, I'd worry about one thing - either the factory G80 GovLok, the NoSlip, and especially a Detroit Locker will catch you by surprise on a slippery surface.

You're at a stop light. Light turns green. Hit the gas. Both rear wheels lock up and the rear end side-steps into the car next to you. Don't laugh, I've seen it happen on icy roads, and it almost happened to me.

BTW: what kind of tires are on that thing that it's so hard to control in the rain??

robsawatsky · November 21, 2003

However, if the missus is having traction problems in the rain, I'd worry about one thing - either the factory G80 GovLok, the NoSlip, and especially a Detroit Locker will catch you by surprise on a slippery surface.

You're at a stop light. Light turns green. Hit the gas. Both rear wheels lock up and the rear end side-steps into the car next to you. Don't laugh, I've seen it happen on icy roads, and it almost happened to me.

Yeh, I've got the G80 in my truck and while its got pretty good traction with relatively new Michelin LTX tires I thought I'd see how the G80 lockup worked on a corner in the wet. Well, it kicked in and the back end jumped out nicely to the right - I was turning left so it actually just sped up the cornering a bit and I was prepared to let off the throttle right away. The more interesting effect was accelerating away from a right turn with the right tire in the wet and the left on dry road - an optimal situation for right rear spin - the locker kicked in quite forcefully, so much so that I actually could feel it in my not so good back.

Quite a change from my old F150 without any limited-slip of any sort in the rear axle that I could spin in the wet for ages if I just kept my foot in the throttle.

JayMan · November 21, 2003

Yep, now imagine a little granny sitting in her little car in the next lane:

CRUNCH!

Especially on snow/ice, you quickly learn to be VERY gentle with the gas pedal. I carry 6 sandbags in the rear of my box in winter, and I still get white knuckles at a stop light if it's really icy.

No, I would never go back to an open differential. It's all a compromise, isn't it?

tinman · November 21, 2003

She is running Procomp MT'S . They ride real nice and look great. Just not to good in the rain.They have good lateral traction but the like to spin off the line. The added weight help some . She had thorsen posi in her 99 firebird so she knows the deal with posi's. My main worry was that some lockers are more fussy in the rain than others, Like a detriot locker. The NO Slip looks like it might have better manners. I like the idea that I can do it myself too.

JayMan · November 22, 2003

Well, remember the basic design difference between a true "locker" and a limited slip:

A true locker (Detroit Locker, PowerTrax LockRight, etc) is locked all the time, UNTIL you turn a corner. Then you have an overrun system disengage the slow wheel. You also have CLANK CLANK CLANK, though in the LockRight it's more of a CLICK CLICK CLICK.

They're also a pure mechanical design so should last the life of the differential. You also don't have to worry about limited-slip additives.

The NoSlip is mechanical, but is designed to run free until a wheel slips. How they made it quiet beats me. It just works nice.

A limited slip like a Posi needs input torque to "lock" the clutch plates together. That's what the preload spring is for. Better clamping needs a stronger preload spring, which means a lot more friction/wear and more chatter. They're useless on a 4X4 or pickup, unless you really floor it to get moving.

Like anything with a wet clutch, you need special additives or the clutches can slip, chatter, and eventually glaze. I'm thinking of an otherwise nice old International Harvester tractor I used to have. Very sophisticated for its time with wet brakes and wet PTO clutch. Until I used the wrong fluid.

The G80 is a comprimise. The flyweight governor forces the clutch plates together only when slow-speed wheel spin happens, which is under 20 MPH. Otherwise, the clutch pack is loose and there is little friction. You still need limited-slip additives. As another post mentioned, they can engage harshly.

Let us know which traction control you pick. In the end, if it helps keep the missus safe, then it's worth it, right?