TRDOR: Tested out my locker!

Well let's take this as a PSA, unfortunately people need to prep their locker when they get their trucks by cycling it a few times. I certainly found out the hard way as well.

 

I had practiced a few times, but honestly why would anyone consider that as gospel.

Fuck I've got an auto G80 locker now, so I don't care. I know it popped in today when I ran in a snow covered rut hunting geese. Both right wheels in a 2' rut and the rears locked up and I pulled out in 2wd.

I don't have time for a $36,000 truck to be pesky, I want the fucking thing to work.

 

Congrats!

 

Your G80 will be all good till it looks like this.
Hense their nickname "Gov Bomb".

 

A lot of those 'bombs' were dumbasses modding their trucks for hole shots or 35" tires and heavy right foots and no they weren't designed to take that abuse. I also think Eaton has made the design a little more robust, but for typical use it is a pretty decent unit.

But the really good news? It frekin' worked great this morning! Didn't have to do a god damned thing!

 

Not going to argue with you but Eaton still makes the G80 for GM. They have been sense the 70s. They fail because of all the material taken out for the fly weight assembly location. Usually start cracking in the shaft bores then one or two high speed applications and they come unglued. I replace them pretty regularly in 10 bolt and SF 14 bolt rear axles after they turn themselves into scrap iron. I have probably rebuilt 150-200 of them that have failed catastrophically over the last 20+ years. Of those about 40 or so were on bone stock 2009 and newer trucks.

http://www.eaton.com/Eaton/ProductsServices/Vehicle/Differentials/mlocker/index.htm

 

I have read the design was beefed, but in any event I'm not concerned. I maybe know of one guy in the past 30 years with an exploding diff.

If it goes when under warranty- don't care. If out of warranty? I throw another unit in.

The point is- it does work, and for general out and about- like today- lost sight of a drift covered rut/ditch and with a little throttle it jerked in and pulled out.

Considering the one time I could have used the locker in the taco and it won't engage?

I even went to the service dept at Toyoyta and said I couldn't seem to reliably get it to engage. I got the- "yeah sometimes you got rock back and forth, put in N and then engage 4lo and then the locker.. It'll eventually get in there".

Really?

I freakin engaged and disengaged that taco e locker at least 50 times at home- honestly I think you have to hold your knees together, stick your toungue out 2" to the left and wince your left eye.. THEN it will engage.