Diff suggestions?

[DigitalBoy0101]

My Avalanche won't be built for offroading but it's still 4WD so this is the best place to ask this question. The truck will be daily street driven, no lift and stock tire size. Even so, keeping and maximizing offroad capability is extremely important........during wintertime blizzards around here, even the Interstate can be considered "offroad" LOL. That's usually exactly the time when I love to take a drive, when I'm virtually the only person stupid enough to be outside.

Eventual plans are a 6.0 or 6.2, 4L80E, and Nelson's turbo kit for 500HP or a bit more. The G80 apparently likes to grenade, and needs to be replaced. I intend to upgrade the diffs, driveshafts, and 4L80E before I do motor mods to avoid breakage. I replaced the stock open diffs in my Blazer with TrueTracs front and rear and loved them. I can't set up gears so will have someone else do the work, I have just the guy in mind.

I'm thinking of a Detroit Locker for the rear, but the only thing that concerns me is the possible noise. Big plus would be absolutely zero concerns with reliability. For anyone who runs one, is there really noticeable noise from this unit? The TrueTracs in my Blazer were invisible after about a 2-3 week break-in period, and I'm hoping for the same.

For the front, the simple and known (to me) choice would be a TrueTrac. The exotic and expensive choice would be an ARB. A VERY interesting choice is the Auburn Ected. A good bit cheaper than ARB, and it boasts limited-slip instead of an open diff in non-locked mode. A good bit cheaper than ARB as well it looks like. The Eaton E-locker looks to be about the same price as the Ected, but in non-locked mode it's an open diff.

So, unless someone has better suggestions (which is why I'm posting here), the current top runners are a Locker for the rear and Ected for the front. I'll try to get this done this summer sometime. It looks like I'll be putting in Rancho RSX shocks this spring per my previous thread.

So I can get a better handle on pricing, what are the axle sizes and splines? I'm assuming 8.5in and 28 splines.

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[zeake]

Replace the G80 with a true trac.

[WARLOCK]

8.625 and 30 spline

Look up eBay My World - ronsmachiningservice1

[PitchBlackC3]

Can you even get a locker for the IFS front diff on the 8.5?

[DigitalBoy0101]

Can you even get a locker for the IFS front diff on the 8.5?

I dunno heh, I'll do a little surfing and hopefully come up with an answer.

Edit: On 4wheelparts.com it says front axle is an 8.25 with 28 splines. They don't offer anything but a stock diff, but I'll keep looking.
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[DigitalBoy0101]

After about an hour of searching, I came up with exactly one possible manufacturer........and it's just a possibility......for the 8.25 IFS.

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) - TracRite® Axle Differentials

AAM is apparently the OEM axle manufacturer from the post I found this link in.

Oddly, there are parts readily available for front diffs that are smaller and with lower spline counts, and for bigger diffs with higher spline counts. The 8.25 seems to be the forgotten child for some reason.

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[05z71]

vote for a tru trac here, and nothings available for the front except a hp dana 60 lol

[DigitalBoy0101]

vote for a tru trac here, and nothings available for the front except a hp dana 60 lol

Yeah, there's NO WAY I'm getting involved enough to swap in a solid front axle. Not on this truck. If I did that, then I might as well lift it and go with 35" or bigger tires, and....and...and.... Nah. That's what my Blazer is going to be for when I finally resurrect it. THAT will be my more serious offroader.

This truck will be my rolling concert hall all-season extreme-weather go-outside-when-noone-else-dares-to-and-do-it-in-style daily driver and tow rig.

I'm frankly shocked the aftermarket hasn't paid much more attention to the 8.25 IFS, considering the possible market with the high number of vehicles it's installed in. Apparently the reason there's no aftermarket parts is that broken halfshafts and/or CV joints become commonplace when a l/s or locker is put in. Well, hell son......that just means there will be a market for those upgraded pieces as well and you'd better make some!

Case weakness is apparently another issue, but I'd think some enterprising soul could create some sort of gusset system to at least partially alleviate that.

In the end, I'm sure it's cheaper in the long run to just swap in a solid axle with good aftermarket support, like the HP Dana you suggested. However, the option to strengthen the stock axle as much as possible should still be there for those that wish it. If a customer wants to spend their money, you find a way to let them do it Even if it's wrong.

I might try contacting an AAM distributor to see if one of those diffs will fit my truck. I see Inland is one, and they're close. If I do the deed, I'll grab another stock axle out of the junkyard and have it standing by in case I break heh.

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[2500Ak]

The torsen style aam with the electric locking function looks really cool never seen that combination. That's basically a trutrac with an e-locker how cool is that?

With a locker in the back you have to drive a bit differently on ice. Since the tires are locked whenever you're under throttle you no longer have an anchor wheel so the rear end will kick out way easier.

I would not put a Detroit locker or a lunchbox locker up front on any DD truck. A trutrac would work well though.


If you really want to be able to tackle crazy snowy conditions take a look at this.

Onspot of North America

Insta-Chain, the Automatic Ice Chain | Instachain Insta Chain

If I had the money, this is what I'd put on my truck along with a Detroit rear and a trutrac front.

[cjriojas]

trutrac is made by detroit. Did you mean 'use a limited slip instead of a selectable' or something else?

That insta-chain makes me nervous. looks like it'll rip apart your under carriage lol