Converting from locker to open...

I've got a 1988 Blazer with the same set up. I would think that you've got some other trouble with the differential. Although my set up isn't as quiet as the wife's van, it's far from too noisy to be a bother.

Just one man's opinion! Jim Smith

The G80 is a POS made by Eaton. It "locks" when one axle turns approx

100 rpm faster than the other. It also only works under less than 20 MPH. If you are hearing noise at higher speeds you have more problems than just the locker. As for converting it to an open unit. It IS an open unit at any speed over 20 MPH anyway nothing to convert. If your hearing noises it won't be long till you hear the loud BANG that tells you it is done. I would get that 14 bolt together NOW.

Try to give us a better idea of what your hearing and feeling. And if you're going straight or around sharp turns when it happens.

Al

I'm betting you have a tooth or three missing from your spider gears. You can get a replacement open diff from a U-Pull-it for 30-35 bucks. Just remember if you have to change the ring gear those bolts are LEFT HAND threads. I installed a Lock-rite locker in my 87 K-5 because the spiders went bad in the factory LS. Lock-Rites will only fit an open Diff, BTW. I took the Lock-Rite back out after the wife refused to drive it. I couldn't blame her it drove like a different truck. Regards, JR

Well, there seems to be no consistency to it. I can't reproduce the condition on command.

Just say I'm driving down the road and giving it enough gas to put a load on the drivetrain. Sometimes when I let off, I get the noise and vibration. It literally sounds like someone dropping a few machine screws into a set of turning gears. It's loud, and there's a good deal of vibration. The whole event starts and ends in less than a second. It's a very short but noticeable burst of noise and vibration.

I tried to make it happen yesterday... going from acceleration to letting off completely, sometimes slamming the brakes. Tried accelerating and letting off in the middle of a curve at different speeds, sometimes braking as well--no luck.

Also, I didn't mention, when putting it in gear, or going from reverse to drive or vice versa, there's a pretty loud bang. Me and a buddy took turns watching the driveshaft while changing gears in his driveway. You could see it move and then stop violently. Also, if you're driving with the drivetrain under load, and release the gas suddenly, you hear a slight bang...more like a loud thump. And then it happens again if you give it gas while coasting if the drivetrain is NOT under load. You gotta ease back into the gas to keep that from happening. It sucks when you're on the interstate and some idiot hits the brakes at 80mph. You suddenly let off the gas and BANG!

It just seems there's always been a good deal of slack in the drivetrain--at least as long as I've owned the truck (since September of 2002).

-JP

The GM 10bolt was never strong enough to put into a full size Pick-Up or SUV. What your describing sounds identical to what I was hearing from my '85 Suburban...that is till the rear-end blew so violently(with only med fast roll on the throttle to about 1/3 throttle from a stop) that it dislocated the shift fork in the T-case and trashed everything in the TH700. $$$$$$$$

STOP DRIVING IT NOW! REPLACE THE REAREND...or at least check into it BEFORE it gets worse!

If your gonna install the nearly indestructible 14bolt...DO IT NOW!

If you can not see a bad U-joint, it does not mean one isn't bad. First thing I would do is jack the truck up, and put it on jack stands. Then I would pull both front and rear drive shafts. If any doubt exsisted about the U-joints I would replace them. Then I would check the joints in the front axles. After that I would drain both front and rear Diffs. Then inspect the gears in them. If all is well in the diffs & the U-joints, and you have a chain driven transfer case I would suggest having it checked out by a quilified person.

Charles

The GovLoc is not the smoothest or most forgiving LSD unit but disabling it would require you removing it from the vehical to do it anyway to disbale the trip unit in it.