G80 question

[Frozen001]

OK my 2500HD has the G80 Locking rear diff. and I have a question on proper operation.

 

We had our first snowfall of the year here, and I notices something I did not notice about my locker last year.

 

I am pulling up into a sloping driveway that has a thin layer of ice under the snow. Truck looses traction, I hear the G80 clunk, which to me always meant it locked the axles up. Now last year it always clunked ounce and I would regain traction... but I never hat this sloping driveway with ice under snow situation. In this situation, it never seems to stay locked up. It clunked repeatedly and the tires would just spin and spin(Truck did not move forward... it actually slid down the driveway a bit). Now I was not outside the truck to say weather both wheels were spinning, I just know the the truck did not move forward. I had to lock it into 4wd to get up the drive way. To me it seems like the locker would only engage ounce and stay locked until the truck advanced some distance.

 

I am just concerned about the multiple clucks. It was almost like a chattering noise. I do not hear any odd noised our of the rear end when driving around.

 

Should I have it checked out??? Or is this how I should expect the G80 to work on a very slick surface like snow covered ice.

[lrymal]

It can chatter. If you go to the Eaton website and watch their vid-clip of a G80 on a GM truck as it goes through some terraces, you'll hear it chattering.

 

I was also curious a few months back as to whether the thing was working. There's a small ditch on the farm where when we back up to turn around, it will get the back wheels every time, so we have to be careful. My '03 Z71 requires the 4WD to be engaged, even AUTO 4WD, to get out of that ditch. No problem, but 4WD has to be used.

 

My '05 Z71 with its factory G80, on the same ditch, same location, gets out of the ditch every time without 4WD.

 

Note that this G80 disengages at 20mph and above, according to the Eaton web site. That's not very fast... about bicycle hard-pumping speed.

[Shaners]

Note that this G80 disengages at 20mph and above, according to the Eaton web site. That's not very fast... about bicycle hard-pumping speed.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

 

That's probably a good safety feature. I don't think I'd want to spin both rear wheels at road speed because that would be a good recipe for doing the loop-de-loop in a vehicle that is light weight in the rear end.

[lrymal]

Just a follow-up... I recall a few years ago, when we had one of our rare ice-storms, that a bunch of us were at a local hamburger shop. I was in my front-wheel drive Grand AM.

 

A guy with a big 4WD truck (cannot recall the brand), could not get up the exit ramp out of the hamburger shop and all four wheels were grabbing, spinning. Indeed, he started going backwards. It wasn't until he gunned it and the four tires were bawling and squalling that he was able to get up the ramp.

 

I just knew I was stranded with my little dinking Grand Am, but it went up the ramp with no problem.

 

Since we rarely have ice on roads down here, I'm not sure what the big truck's solution, other than gunning it, would have been.

[Frozen001]

The only thing I figured that was happening to cause the chatter is that with the ice/snow combo when the locker enguaged both wheels spun fast enough to cause it to digenguage(i.e. it though it was moving)... then re-enguage because the wheel was still spinning... Just a little questionable to hear the rear end chatter like that.... Maybe I will contact eaton about it...

[polarisboy]

The G80 option GM has now is a joke. What a piece of crap. Mine will BANG, BANG, BANG, but never stay locked in and do anything. BUT, back up, and the thing will work perfect everytime, jack-knifing your trailer every time. JUNK. I try to barely touch the gas and give it a chance to lock up, but just bangs.

 

What was wrong with the clutch pack set up that worked FOR YEARS???

I've had 4 of these truck with the "new and improved" "posi", and none of them work when you need it. I always end up pushing the button into 4X4 and going on my way.

 

Seems its a $325 option that doesn't provide any use.

 

JMO

[Beer Belly]

A guy with a big 4WD truck (cannot recall the brand), could not get up the exit ramp out of the hamburger shop and all four wheels were grabbing, spinning. Indeed, he started going backwards. It wasn't until he gunned it and the four tires were bawling and squalling that he was able to get up the ramp.

 

I just knew I was stranded with my little dinking Grand Am, but it went up the ramp with no problem.

.....I had a Tahoe, my Wife pulls outa our driveway in a Snowstorm and drives off....I sat there spinning my wheels....my Wife loved that Grand Am, but the lease was up and now she's in a Grand Prix, I hope the Traction Control is just as good in this car

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/Rick...m/TerrisCar.jpg

[lrymal]

...Mine will BANG, BANG, BANG, but never stay locked in and do anything...

Weird... mine just kinda boringly works. Actually, I have never heard it chatter when getting out of a ditch or other compromising location out in the field. As I mentioned earlier, if I didn't have the '03 that doesn't have a locker, to compare with, I wouldn't even know if it was back there. It just gets the truck out of the situation.