lets talk 14 bolts....

[77 K20]

I've had a detroit locker in the back of my truck now for probably 8 years or so. On pavement I've learned to just drive nice and easy and there is no barking from the rear tires. On snow and ice the first few times it could catch me off guard when it started to slide but I learned to expect it and now it isn't much of an issue.

I suppose another thing you might consider if you want the perfect manners of an open diff is look at the Eaton/Detroit Truetrac. I have one in the front and a friend put one in the rear of his Silverado. No noise at all. No abnormal tire wear. No special friction additive like a limited slip. Does great transferring power from side to side- unless you have a tire up in the air. Then you need to brake modulate. But with your flexy suspension I doubt you'll have a rear tire up in the air.

 

[75gmck25]

For other readers, just to emphasize a point from an earlier post - most aftermarket lockers are only advertised to work in an open differential. If a truck has the G80 Gov-Lok option they will not work.

I have a 4.10 ratio 14 bolt FF Gov-Lok, and have not found an afermarket locker that will drop in. The Gov-Lok is a very basic limited slip axle, and relatively fragile if it engages at high rpm. It gives a truck better traction under moderate slippage because it engages when tire rpm is about 200 rpm different between tires, but its engagement mechanism is not designed to handle burn-outs.

Bruce

 

[rpcraft]

For other readers, just to emphasize a point from an earlier post - most aftermarket lockers are only advertised to work in an open differential. If a truck has the G80 Gov-Lok option they will not work.

I have a 4.10 ratio 14 bolt FF Gov-Lok, and have not found an afermarket locker that will drop in. The Gov-Lok is a very basic limited slip axle, and relatively fragile if it engages at high rpm. It gives a truck better traction under moderate slippage because it engages when tire rpm is about 200 rpm different between tires, but its engagement mechanism is not designed to handle burn-outs.

Bruce

So true. The upside though is if your vehicle has a g80 14bolt it is super easy to find an open carrier and swap it in. Spacing and shim adjustment is much easier on the 14 bolt. You can grab an open carrier out of a salvage yard and the pinion for under 100 bucks in most cases and often time you can have your choice between 3.73 and 4.10 depending on if it was in a truck or van. I doubt you will find many other options unless you just happen to come across someones wrecked trail beast but you never know. You just have to brush up on your gm RPO codes and check the data label on the vehicle. I'd venture you could even search a provider site like LKQonline and get one delivered if you wanted to be lazy but obviously they charge a premium for the lazy factor. A lot of times I will go on there and look at the VIN for a vehicle and pull the build up on the vin decoder to search for the item I need.

 

[Dish]

You always need to check your gear patterns and backlash on the ring and pinion when you change anything...just because it is a drop in doesn't mean the rear end dont need re shimmied....always check the pattern as thin as the shims are is all the distance required to eat a set of gears

 

[dougbert]

Just last week I installed my 14bff 10.5" axle in my truck

documented over several pages of my build thread at http://www.gmsquarebody.com/threads...in-with-a-2002-5-3l.14428/page-37#post-378936

My plan is to acquire an ARB air locker (I have on in my 1986 FJ60 landcruiser as well), for abt $1000 (I know) and installation is $500 at the place where I got my new 4" aluminum driveshaft from last week as well.

I had a Gov-Lok in my prior axle (12 bolt, well worn out) and hated it on snow and Ice and I live at 5500 ft in Utah

I am loving my 4.10 14b with the NV4500 and 33" tires, they work well together

dougbert

 

[harcorshe]

Three points from my recent rebuild of a 14 bolt:

1. Truetrac is nice. It doesn’t require air or electricity or cables. For light to medium off roading plus street ability it seemed like the best option.

2. Set up is a little fiddley. Make frequent visits to the 14 Bolt Bible and related pages. Great illustrations and step by step instructions.

3. Torquing the pinon nut requires a very stout 3/4 drive long handled bar. Plus you have to anchor the axle (assuming you have removed it for rebuilding).