I have had the G80 on my last 3 trucks, great locker, simple and had zero issues. GM in the 80s would allow a 200 rpm difference which in turn could damage it verse todays 100rpm difference. Regardless of how many feel about this locker, it has served a purpose and still works as it should with no effort on the drivers part.
I don't even think it 100rpm anymore even though they say it. Mine locks was more quickly. Snow, mud, off road....red lights...lol. and yes I'm running 33" which aren't huge but went from P255/70/R17 to a LT285/70/R18. Even loaded with my travel trailer it hasn't grenaded. It works for the average person who's going to do normal truck shit. My biggest gripe it the traction control interferes and causes to lock and unlock at certain times which doesn't feel very good. But otherwise I'll check that box on EVERY gm I'd buy.
Back in the late 80's we use to remove the Gov lock and "tighten" it up to reduce the wheelspin before activation on the 3rd Gen Camaros for autocrossing. Just loose enough to allow for exiting out of the apex under power and avoiding understeer. It made a huge difference in lap times plus didn't break every few autocross runs like the stock unit did when using sticky rubber. 200 rpm difference is just stupid...what was GM thinking?
The G80 carrier also has a lot more beef to it since GM dropped the 10-bolt and replaced it with the 9.5" 12-bolt based on the 9.5" 14-bolt used in the 3/4-ton gas trucks. Or in the case of these trucks, the Dana 46, which is more stout than the rear axle GM used to put in their midsize trucks of the past.
This is why I love TFL. This is truly an everyman’s feature. Those of us who don’t off-road all the time but sometimes need a little extra traction on a muddy road or a soft pasture or an unexpected snow shower… the G80 is fine. Thanks for calling attention to it. Smart consumers who don’t want to overbuy appreciate videos like this one.
Yes, I agree. M trucks are all GM, as well. A '69 C/20 (pre-G80/open), and two '97 GMT400's: Silverado C2500/Suburban K2500. Both '97's have GM's heavy duty full-float 14-bolt rear axle with the G80. The G80 has kept me from getting stuck and needing to chain up in snow. The only time, while driving, that I've ever really needed it, but I'm Glad it's always there, ready to help.
Same here. One you understand how they work, you can get them to lock and unlock predictably, and they are tough. Never had a problems with the newer ones in trucks I used or owned, even with oversized tires and aggressive driving. Most of the hate against it come from people that don't understand how they work. Most guys that hate on them think they're a limited slip diff, which they are not. They are a true locker, they just require slip for the diff to lock up, at which point they remain locked until you drive fast enough to unlock it, or drive in reverse for a short distance.
2003 Z71 Tahoe with over 300,000 miles and the G80 is still tight. I run 265/70/17 Wildpeak MT01 Mudders. I offroad everyday to get to my home and it has been flawless.
Having driven trucks with both the “auto” setting and G80 for the last decade, averaging ~40k miles per year, I wouldn’t want anything else on a daily driver. The locker just works when you need it to. I would want a selectable locker if I was doing a lot of difficult off-roading, but I’m not. The “auto” mode is great for when roads are transitioning back and forth from snow-covered to dry pavement without worrying about losing traction or damaging drivetrain components. If you want a serious off-roader, they offer the ZR2. The Trail boss and the G80 will take you anywhere you’re realistically going to go for 99% of people.
Selectable locker is great if you're rock crawling. G80 is great for mud. If you're running unlocked in a vehicle that has a selectable locker and hit deep mud, by the time you realize you're in trouble and lock it up (which you may or may not be able to do on the fly, depending on the system), you're stuck. A G80 just detects you're in trouble and works. But it's not as precise or controlled in rock crawling, so like absolutely everything, there's a tradeoff.
_Toyota Landcruisers (300 and 250/Prado) have a fulltime "4WD auto" _ Ford Expedition Timberline has everything this truck has + crawl mode + auto locker engages/disengages both automatically and with a button
I had a 2000 silverado stepside 2wd with an open 3.08 dif. That thing was awful in the snow and ice, particularly trying to get traction from dead stops. I picked up a g80 3.73 from a junkyard and it absolutely transformed the truck. The locking dif made the thing MUCH more pleasant driving in the winter, and the 3.73 upgrade over the 3.08 made the underpowered 4.3l feel quite adequate.
It is amazing how much difference in a 2x4 that a locker can make. I have a Durango 4x4 and put a simple lunchbox auto locker in the rear and I go most places on 2x4 now. Great upgrade and that lower gear ratio definitely helps!
I have made sure to get the G80 in all of my past GM trucks including the present one. They all silently work flawlessly and quickly.... and are there when you need them. Even well over 200k miles! My grandfather turned me onto them with his Suburban SUVs that he always put over 350k miles on towing up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Just got to remember to change the fluid every 50k to 100k miles (depending on wither you tow or not).
I have had the G80 in a lot trucks over the years and in my current AT4. I don't rock climb, but I live in the mountains and do a lot of general off road driving and it works perfectly. It also allows me to pass through areas without needing to put it in 4x4. The auto is perfect for on road travel when you have a mix of dry and snow covered roads, which is common.
@@jeffk464 - The Chevy's and GMC's do that, theirs go 2WD, Auto 4WD, 4 WD high (locked) and 4 WD low (locked). You can also put them in 4WD at any speed (except 4 low, of course). The auto mode and the Eaton locker are an awesome combo in mud, snow, rain etc.
@@flight2k5sure it’s relevant, I just inherited an 03 Silverado z71 with the G80 that’s only seen a gravel road maybe 5 times a year and old man town driving with no off-roading. It drives like new with 173k. If it were in Alaskan conditions it would be a different story.
Good demonstration of the G80 and a change of tune from TFL from so many past videos. I've owned 2 Suburbans and a Z71 Tahoe with the G80 over the past 30 years with no issues here in the snow/slush salt belt of Ontario, Canada.
Won't buy a truck here in Canada without the auto transfer case. It's just too easy when going from plowed to unplowed to hard packed snow roads on a street by street basis. Easy, seamless, traction. G80 is a great option for on road driving where slip on a gravel road, snow/ice, or wet asphalt is nice to have that traction without flipping a selectable locker.
Yea, I get the benefit. I'm the other side of the coin. My gm has the manual case with a floor mounted cable shifter. It's either working or it's not. No guessing and no electronics.
@@craigquann my brother said that back in 2012 when I got a Silverado LTZ (electronic shift and auto transfer case) and he got a Sierra with floor/cable shift and no auto T case. Well he went 12 years with a floor shifter that seldom got used and I use 4a frequently. He just got a 2023 Silverado and loves 4a. And my 2012 is going strong at 250,000 Sometimes old school simple is good, but you also miss out on features. I remember my grandfather was hesitant to power windows, look at pretty much every car now.
The G80 seems nice but I wish helical gear diffs like the torsen or eaton truterac were offered on more vehicles. They work the same way as the G80 but with a much stronger and simpler design that will last the life of the vehicle without maintenance. They may not be as good as a proper locker for true off roading but for the average person who just needs some extra traction in bad conditions they can't be beat!
I just replaced my still working 270,000 mile G80 in my 2001 Duramax with an Eaton / Detroit TrueTrac which weighed 79 lbs without the ring gear, very beefy diff.
You are 100% correct! When I regear my 2500 Suburban with ~90,000 miles and a perfectly functional G80 this coming year, I’m putting a TrueTrac in my 14 bolt. I also have TrueTracs front and rear in my built Jeep XJ. Love them in snow/slick conditions and the non-rock crawling conditions I drive/wheel.
A ZR2 doesn't have to cost $55k or more. I went with a stock ZR2 and talked my dealer down to $46,500 plus tax. It arrives at the dealer sometime this week. This video makes me even more excited about what it can do. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
Wow! Around here Trail bosses are 49k Cad and over 60k Cad for a ZR2 id buy a Trail boss if it wasnt for the price and lack of heated steering wheel (im getting old) hell id get a canyon elevation but then you lose 4 low too.
The versions of the G-80 that do break from abuse or over stressing are the ones in the 1500's and lighter duty trucks. The 2500/3500 version is built different and is much stronger, and less prone to failures. I'm not too concerned with elegance, I'm more concerned with not being stranded, and that is why I like the G80 It engages when needed, then waits patiently when not, no user input needed, just a rotational difference, before lockup.
I'm glad to see you guys changing your tune on the G80. I can't begin to count how many videos I've seen with Roman or Andre bashing on the G80, complaining it isn't enough or fast enough or useful on trails, when that same locker has been pushing trucks through rough terrain for 60 years
It’s not “useful enough” for real off-roaders. They all have real lockers, which are superior. It is “useful enough” for the average person who rarely gets stuck or lives in snowy places, however.
@@cliffordmontana4562 Yep.... For my serious stuff and crawling Eaton E lockers are my choice on my Jeep.... G80 is fine fire road or moderate wheeling.
I’ve made it my personal policy to ignore absolutely anything that comes out of Roman’s mouth…he’s caused me to take a hiatus from this channel many times and continues to be my least liked part.
Thank you. Especially when they actually aren't knowledgeable about anything mechanical. Tommy called the oil filter a fuel filter while this was on the lift
I love my G80 locker. It has automatically gotten me out of situations before I even knew I might be in trouble. I live in Florida and just pulling over on the side of the road can get you in trouble real quick without you knowing it. Great product GM!! and good job Tommy!
G80 is great for most people doing normal driving in the snow or mud. It works whenever you need it and don't have to do anything. works in 2wd/4wd high or low.
I drove a Chevy 4X4 with this diff for over 400K km and can say that while it works it's not ideal. Sometimes it could cause a lot of driveline shock depending on the conditions. It is usually when you frustratingly apply too much throttle and when it locks its quit a jolt. Other times in slippery conditions it can suddenly lock (when you didn't realize it was spinning a wheel) and when it suddenly locked it could cause the rear to kick out like in a curve or when the road wasn't level. While an e-locker doesn't cause as much driveline shock it does mean more difficult steering when on high traction surfaces and will strain the driveline I find it better when its important to prevent wheel spin like in snow snow conditions where a spinning wheel creates ice under the spinning tire. With the G80 it would then create ice under the wheel that suddenly has all the torque. Then you can only hope the locked diff will let you back out. I now prefer a e-locker. No surprises. I just wish I could use it in Hi range too but I guess that wouldn't work with VSC so pick your poison.
There’s a lot of 🤡 in the comments - G80 is better than no locker at all. It’s always a debate between selectable locker or mechanical. It’s all personal preference so buy a vehicle that has what you want
I still have a G80 Demo (actual one with handles) I was a GM tecnical trainer, I carried it around to teach sales staff and technicians. Retired now. GM tried to put these on displays at dealerships, but fear arose that somebody would stick their fingers and get injured by twisting the handles on the center of it.
I had a 1st gen Colorado z71 with a 2" lift and 32s. Owned it from 60k miles to 200k miles and the g80 still locked up as quick as it did new. I loved it. Hardly took any slip to get locked up. I used it off road often.
I'm not a GM guy by any means, but the G80 is by far my most favorite non-selectable locker/limited slip. I like that it operates like an open diff until you need it. Every GM truck I've had came equipped with a G80 and it's amazing how much more capable it makes a truck...even a 2wd one. It just works...even if it's not exactly refined in how it does things.
When I sold GMC trucks in the 80's and 90's I always reccomended the G80. It was only $252 most of the time. I was shocked how many people didn't want it. I ended up buying a 97 S-10 Blazer that had the G-80 and was glad I had it. With Rancho Shocks and some small Swamper TRXUS tires we almost never got stuck.
The great thing about the G80 is that it engages without needing to engage Part-Time 4WD, a configuration that's not available with many off-road capable vehicles.
The G80 goes way back before 1973. The option code may have come out then, but the “Eaton Automatac Locking Differential” has been in the trucks & performance cars since the early 1960s. I have had many trucks with that optional rear differential. It was the “Positraction” in the GM performance cars, 67 Camaro, Chevelle, Nova, Caprice, Impala,,,,, it goes on & on. The Automatic Locking differential goes way back!! Started out as Thornton Locking Differential in **** 1939 ****. My 67 C10 has a G80 code on the back of the lid in the glovebox, my 66 Nova SS has the option code G80. There are so many of us that have told you guys the truth about the G80 option code. It’s NOT THE NAME of the axel/differential, it’s just an option code, you can have an Eaton Automatic locking differential and NOT have the code G80. It had different codes in several GM cars. You could have a G76 Positraction (Eaton Automatic Locking differential) or the G81 Automatic Locking rear differential. It’s the Eaton Automatic locking rear differential. Tommy, I have always been a fan of yours, but not sure how many times others, including myself have to type it out. I know of the different option codes by my own experiences. I grew up knowing of the Eaton Automatic locking differential. I was born in 1962. By the time I was 7 I was talking trucks! Cars too but my family historically liked trucks. I have been talking about this differential since 1969 or earlier and I’m 61 now!! That’s 54 years!! I have no idea where you got the year 1973,,, maybe it was convenient to the 50 year mark. Look up the code for Positraction in a 1967 C10 for example. Look up positraction in a 1963 C10,,,,,. You explain the function kinda well,,,, it’s when one wheel spins 120 rpm faster than the other, sufficient momentum releases the cog that “Locks” the rear differential. That’s about it! It only engages up to 25 mph, but will STAY engage beyond that as long as there is sufficient torque to keep it engaged. Like when you nail it off the line in a 396 Chevelle SS automatic transmission. You are laying 2 solid ribbins all the way to 50+ mph depending on the tires and traction you have otherwise. As soon as you let up, like shifting a manual transmission, the cig (pawl actually) releases and it’s just an open differential. You can modify then to engage at higher speeds, but for everyday driving that can be dangerous. It’s hard to steer if it’s engaged & the fires are not spinning, but there’s enough torque being applied to keep it locked. Even then, it’s a clutch pack that is “locked” so a new G80 will truly lock up,,, a tired old worn out G80 will slip or nit even lock up at all.
Enjoy these types of informational videos. Really unique offering from TFL. I haven’t seen a lot of other channels offering this kind of work. Thank you.
I’ve had 3 GM’s with the G80, all 3 over 200k miles with no issues. I’ve taken my stock 1500’s were guys with city jeeps had to get out of the truck because they were scared!
“Full Time” 4WD is not the same as Auto 4WD. Full time is always in 4WD, hence the name, and uses a center differential to vary the torque front to rear. Auto 4WD is something different it remains in rear drive until slip is detected and then engages the front wheels.
We buy our trucks here in Texas to work out of, simplicity is the best the g80 is all it's ever been in my truck some I have 400,000 miles on them never had a minutes trouble. Down here we're not climbing over rocks or sticks, or dealing with black gumbo mud.
My Auto 4wd has saved me a couple of times offroad. Coming around a tight switchback into a blind cross ditch, slight tire slip and 4wd works. The G80 in my 2019 Trailboss works well too. Lets be real pick ups arent rock crawlers, the G80 will get you everywhere you need to go with a truck. Edit: I also appreciate Tommy talking about the specs and how good the low end torque is with the 2.7L. Some othwr channels have had some surprising and down right wrong things to say about it.
I used to have a 2005 Chevy Colorado LS, and it had a G80. It was just a 2wd truck and I had level lift and bigger all terrain tires, but with that G80 I was able to off road a much further than I expected. Great product and I miss that feature now that I don’t have it in my Nissan Frontier
I had my the g80 in my 1995 GMC SONOMA HIGHRIDER. It was good enough. Had that truck til about 98,000 miles. Only did mild off-roading few times a year. Lots of snow driving, never had an issue with it.
I never was a big fan of "automatic" 4WD until bought a Jeep with Selec-trac (their version of automatic 4WD). At the time, I was doing a lot of highway driving on roads that would go from dry to sonwpacked to icy and back all the time. In those cases, just using the automatic 4WD was perfect. Jeep did that right on a lot of their vehicles--allowing the buyer a choice of having a "regular" transfer case, or one with the part time/full time 4WD transfer case.
I was a GM tech for 15 years at a dealership, yes we made a living at some of the GMs terrible ideas, but I will say in 15 years of working on cars from rural Midwest I only know of around 10 g80 diffs we had to rebuild, most were from people getting severely stuck and exploded them from very high wheel speed engagement. Now to the argument of GM being junk, we also held a massive used car inventory, we all prepped them and I will say they all fall short somewhere, some were engineered good in certain areas but fell short in others. I could really not say one is better than the other. I really never stepped in a brand that said I am supreme and check all the boxes.
That's the only times I've heard of them exploding, too. The person driving has no throttle finesse, and goes full send, where the diff then tries to lock up, but ends up tearing itself apart from the stress of sudden lockup, at speed, under full power.
@@jreyman The only time I saw a guy blow up his G80 was a guy with a late 90's half-ton. He was stopped at the end of a gravel road where it met a freshly paved highway and decided to floor it as he began to pull out onto the highway.
How has the reliability of the Silverados you’ve been around? I’ve had good luck with the half and 3/4 ton trucks I’ve been around! Just looking for a different perspective! Especially since you never know with used vehicles!
@@wesleygarrison6248 I actually left the field in 2012, I still have friends at the dealership and get updates every so often and really it’s about the same. They have improved in some areas but still haven’t fixed others.
@@wesleygarrison6248 well what I believe to be the perfect used Chevy is around a 2015 3/4 ton with a 6 liter gas engine, prob the best drivetrain in my opinion. No cylinder deactivation, 6l90 trans that was really good, then as the body goes living in the Midwest rust hasn’t been a huge issue on all 2015 and up trucks but I have seen some. Where as most years below that have noticeable and In some case really bad rust. I think the newer 6.6 hd gas trucks do not have cylinder deactivation, so that engine would make a solid choice also. In my opinion all the fuel saving technology is what killed the reliability of the LS engine in general, and the only way I would own one is to delete the afm system and tune it out, issue is with that is tuners are shying away from removing the software due to the EPA cracking down and fining company’s for doing so.
You make a great point Tommy, you don’t have to buy top of the line to get the G80. So many off-roaders make you do that. Not as good as a manual locker but the fact that is so available is a big bonus. I remember the high mileage Tundra TRD Off-road you did recently and it had neither a manual or auto locker and in several cases would have really benefited from it.
It's hard for me to understand the vitriol and ugliness of some of these comments. I've owned pickups from all three domestic brands and generally had great experiences with each one. Sure, pros and cons, but each had unique attributes, and I never regretted any of these purchases. As Sargeant Hulka once said, "Lighten up, Francis!"
All brands have positives and negatives. When you are so brand-blinded that you don’t even consider anything else than your favorite GM/Ford/RAM/Toyota/Nissan then you don’t even know what you might be missing as a feature and you will completely overlook the flaws on your brand of truck. On the other hand, at least 99% of us can fully agree that the Honda Ridgeline is a complete junk and not a real truck. 😃 Just kidding. 😃 Right tool for the right job.
Every chevy pickup I have owned were all Z71's with the G80 auto locker. NEVER a problem with any of them. My 2022 Colorado Z71 diesel is especially brilliant with the 'auto' 4X4 mode. I recently had a 200 mile road trip to pick up my now butchered cow. The passes I had to go up and over were pretty much socked in with snow. This was the first time I used the '4whl auto'. Oh boy did that work!!! Especially on the below the snow ice patches. Smooth as silk, fully automatic including the rear diff with the G 80. An excellent combo for all seasons/terrains.
The problem is the same: people really don’t know how to drive so they add all these gadgets rather than learn. I’ll never forget when my buddy got stuck in sand with his Tacoma and his fancy lockers. Took him 15 minutes to go 10 feet. Next guy come through same spot in a Tahoe and didn’t even use 4 wheel drive… 2 wheel drive and a whole lot of smack talking to the Toyota guy. The difference is driver skill and experience. Being a good driver is worth lockers. When I grew up if you had to use 4 wheel drive you were doing something wrong - throttle, momentum, traction. Now it’s all about cameras and clicks and fancy waterproof pants.
I still have fond memories of the G80 that came in my 83 S10 little Blazer! It saved my butt more than once! It was actually my favorite thing about that S10 Blazer, as it was the 1st locker of any type I had on any vehicle.
I have a G80 in my 2020 Silverado LT 4x4, but never really off-road. I was always a little skeptical of this "low tech" design as compared to modern locker diffs; however, this video shed a lot of light on the subject and has made me "more" of a fan.
I agree! Both the G80 limited slip differential and the Auto full-time 4-wheel drive option are key reasons why I bought a 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 which has both options. I've done serious off-roading and you don't have to think about the rear end. I love the Auto 4WD in heavy rains, dirt roads, snow and ice, or steep hills. Both work silently and flawlessly. They Ford Ranger or Tacoma did not offer them. My (back in the day) 1977 Z-28 Camaro also had the same limited slip differential - almost like modern day traction control (so it would take off with limited wheel spin).
Great evaluation and demonstrations, but I think it's worth pointing out that "4WD Auto" is very different from "full time 4WD". The "4 Auto" drivelines from GM, Chrysler etc are still part time drivelines that run in RWD all the time. What makes them "Auto" is that the front driveshaft is engaged with a clutch instead of dog teeth, so the computer can progressively connect the front wheels when it detects rear wheel slip, instead of leaving the driver to choose full RWD or fully locked 4WD. A "full time 4WD" is completely different because there is a center differential sending power to both the front and rear driveshafts 100% of the time. The advantage here is that, with only half of the power sent to the rear wheels (except some applications that use a helical center diff set up to split torque unevenly) the rear wheels are less likely to slip in the first place, making the vehicle more stable than a "4 Auto" system that must slip first and then engage the front wheels in response to slip. The downsides of course are cost, weight, and the problem that an open center diff allows any one axle spinning to stop the whole vehicle, and if that axle also has an open diff, any one wheel spinning stops the whole vehicle. That's almost always handled with some combination of locking center diff, limited slip center diff, and/or traction control.
Good video with one VERY IMPORTANT caveat: Auto 4wd CANNOT be used all the time. When driving on dry pavement the system will eventually bind up the 4wd system just the same as running 4 high or 4 low. Just takes longer. Auto 4wd should be used when conditions alternate from full to limited traction and back. Any other use will accelerate wear and eventually lock her up. 30 year GM service vet speaking. We’ve had to educate customers, usually after they’ve driven a few hundred or even thousand miles and have gotten the truck bound to the point it won’t easily go around corners, hard to steer, etc.
What do you mean by bind and lock up? Isnt torque distribution delivered through a clutch pack that is electronically controlled based on slip (and perhaps other parameters)?
@@ALMX5DP hes full of shit. the only consequence to 4 auto on a modern truck is a small amount of fuel economy because the front drive shaft is always spinning. If anyone has any doubts read your manual.
Well, you must understand the transfer case in each unit. All wheel drive/full -time four wheel drive vehicles do indeed have a differential/clutch style mechanism in place to prevent bind. The transfer case in question - being a part-time unit with an Automatic engagement mode available (hence the “auto” in the name) still has the same limitations on dry pavement as in 4 high - though to a lesser extent as the system tries to engage and disengage the output to the front axle based on wheel spin. As to being full of poop, at times yes. 😂 Indeed, read the owners manual - which I doubt the naysayers have actually done - for the Colorado or Silverado (It’s actually quite clear there and backs me up. And I’ll ask the background of naysayers on this. I’ve been at this for 30 years in the service field. You?
@@wesnellans GM states this about the 4 Auto Transfer Cases. "The available Autotrac system is a 2-speed automatic, active transfer case. The system provides five modes: Auto 4WD, 4HI, 4LO, 2HI and Neutral. The Auto 4WD position offers the capability of an active transfer case with on-demand torque biasing wet clutch and easy vehicle tuning through software calibrations. The software calibrations allow for vehicle speed dependent clutch torque levels to enhance the performance of the system. For example, the system is calibrated to provide 0-5 lb.-ft. of clutch torque during low speed, low engine torque operation, and predetermined higher torque for 25 mph (40 km/h) and greater. These calibrations prevent crow-hop and binding at low speeds and provide higher torque biases at higher vehicle speeds in order to enhance stability." And per owners manuals GM cautions not to drive on clean, dry pavement in 4 High or Low, but does not caution for using 4 Auto, only saying it is recommended for variable conditions. So please let me know what direct experience you have with these systems binding or locking up.
100% this. About 10% power is always transmitted to the front diff when 4wd auto is active. When in 2wd the front diff is not locked onto the front CV axles. 4wd high and auto function the same. the use of both on dry pavement will cause driveline wear.
The G80 is a wonderful rear dif. The only time when they blow is when moisture gets inside of it and Any full locking differential will blow when water gets inside of them as. Long as you are seals are in good shape and as long as you change the fluid once a year or once every 2 years. You're never gonna have a problem with it, It uses simple fluid it's a reliable system.
I have a 2001 GMC Yukon XL that has the G80 and Automatic 4 Wheel Drive. It now has over 380000 miles on it. Still running like new. The G80 was replaced with a Boneyard G80 not because the locker failed but it started to make noise the spider gears were chipped. I think it was like that when I purchased it 12 years ago. The salvage yard tried to give me a LSD rear after I called asking for a G80 only. I made them go find one! I checked everything inside visually and Yellow grease to make sure it was ok before installing it not at the bone yard. It's Been working for 10 years now no issues. It's my daily driver. I prefer it in the winter over my Ram 2500 Cummins. It just handles the snow better. I just need to keep on top of the Fluid Film so it doesn't rust out from the Michigan UP winter's.
I have a 2023 Trail Boss, but added the metal shielding, full cameras with a 360-degree view, and the adaptive cruise control where the total cost was about $44,000 with the added options. I have no rubber front shield so it solves the deficiencies that you identified. I did add 33" Nitto Grappler ties with a small lift so that truck is the best affordable offroad option without paying the ZR2 price.
Great, informative video! I don't have much to add to the other comments, except to say that I absolutely loved (and miss) my '04 Chevy Tahoe Z71 w/ G80 and AWD /2WD/4WD Hi&Lo. It was great on and off road w/ Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac Tires. Too bad it started corroding to pieces, including all the electronics probably due to Michigan's salty roads.
My G80 is nearing 20 years old and gets beat every winter with sometimes dozens of lock ups in just one drive. I run snow tires so I like to launch the shit out of it at every red light when the roads are unplowed. It's seen a few burnouts on hot dry pavement leaving some nice 11's for a few hundred feet, had a neighbor kid say my truck did the best burnout he's ever seen before. I don't do any rock crawling with it but the G80 has been damn good to me. If it ever blows up I'll just pull one out of a junkyard truck no big deal. Auto 4wd has also worked great for me, I use it when I'm not launching it or when the roads are plowed but still slippery.
The G80 in the marginal axles put under the 1/2 ton trucks was a frequent failure point that lead to it's reputation as the "gov bomb". In the HD 14 bolt rear end it was pretty solid.
It's mind boggling that GM didn't include cruise control in that truck... That's insane. It was hard enough to believe Toyota did that in the base 4runners (badlands) back in 2002, but that was over 20 years ago. That's just unacceptable today... But anyway - cool test on this! One quick note - I don't think an auto based system like this is the same as full time 4wd (as you mentioned earlier in the video) -In any case I'm guessing that was just a Freudian slip - I'm so impressed with your knowledge base at your young age Tommy, I worked for years in the auto business and have a passion for vehicles, it's amazing I'm learning stuff from you and I'm 20 years older than you haha!!
Im fairly certain that GM has always painted the frames on the Colorado/Canyon twins since the 2005 introduction instead of the wax dipped frames used in the full sized trucks.
It's fine for basic trails and snow. On more advanced trails, I really wish it was selectable. A rear locker will get you almost anywhere, front lockers are somewhat overkill on all but the craziest trails. But having to gas it enough to get the wheel spin, and the lurch that comes with the sudden traction is honestly a bit dangerous.
Have driven Chevy suburbans for work for years. We leave it in "auto" for most off road travel (we do a lot) and it is usually the best setting for snow and mud. When you are augered in there is when 4wd hi and low come in to play. But you can power through a lot in awd.
As a service advisor for a gm store these are horrible rear ends that are replaced all the time,you want a good rear and for off road and longevity my advice is to build one
I have a GMC envoy with the G80 and that was one of the reasons I was able to do head turning stuff with it on some hard trails. It doesn't replace a locker but it can fill a tier between LSD and locker so you arent forced to pay for more expnsive trims and packages. Also the 4auto function got me into full time 4wd and lead me to the GX470. Its not for the hard stuff but in bad weather and overlanding its nice to just never think about it. I think the real problem is if you are stupid or don't maintain things correctly G80 and 4auto will make you pay for it.
An old school trick with Limited Slips is you apply the parking brake slightly just enough to hold the slipping wheel it will act like a G80 and get you out. Just don't drive with the parking brake on or forget it's on. My Yukon will warn me if it's on but I don't need to use this trick because of the G80. My Ram 2500 Yes I've used this trick when I'm Moab trying to get to the Thelma and Louise Jump site. That trip is not for the faint of heart I watched lots of people turn around because they kept getting hung up .
Nice video showing a couple of under the radar traction highlights that others don't have and are useful for the typical crowd that only occasionally needs enhanced traction. IMO, GM did the best with their midsize redesign - in particular the TrailBoss if you want some off-road capability without all the convenience bells and whistles that most off-road trims include. And if you miss some convenience features (e.g. cruise control) they are relatively inexpensive packages to this trim. 21 G fuel tank and decent 2nd row space are a couple other highlights. Only miss, imo, is inability to fit a sheet of plywood between wheel wells like on Ranger.
An idea for future traction testing is doing the wheel tests on inclines. Examples being like 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and maybe even 45%. See which four-wheel drive system is really the most effective. I have a 97 Dodge Ram with a rear limited slip differential and four wheel drive and I have never gotten stuck. Actually never even close. Just put it in four wheel low and it goes through anything I have ever wanted to get through. I always keep aggressive off-road tires on it.
Whenever you use Andre's Colorado, you should make note of that fact and also mention that it doesn't have cruise control because he didn't check the box. You could also make some comments about the color.
Same will be said with the new Land Cruiser!! All levels get the locking rear diff and terrain control!! Making all their trucks better!! Love that Chevrolet did that with the Colorado!!
What we called posi-traction has bee around for decades. I had one in my 71 mustang. I'd like to see you do the same test on the 4Runner Off Road, as well as the 4Runner AWD system. Fun Video though.
this was a great video. I've always heard about g80s but i don't do much with off roading, so never explored it. just the right amount of info on how it works for me to get it. Thanks!
G80 is definitely better than nothing. Cool thing that it works all the time, so it's great for ripping donuts in 2WD, lol. Would love to see Andre do a winter review of those Goodyear tires too, they look like they'd be good in the snow.
Grenade 80, as a former GM dealership tech in the 03-07 range you will never hear a compliment from me about them. For the record I am a couple miles away fro the Atlantic in VA saying that, as close to 0% rocky trails as you can get and the majority of breakage happening with old guys trying to get their boats up the ramps.
The G80 works pretty well and has for a long time, but anybody saying they’d take it over a real locker isn’t being truthful. In tight spots the G80 can get you in trouble.
Limited slip differentials have been around a long time and got the job done. Yes they aren’t as effective rock crawling, but in the vast majority of situations they do great.
This diff works great until you go to back up and turn while towing a load in which case they destroy themselves. Had it happen twice on my old Chevy Blazer. After that I replaced the g80 with a limited slip. Not as good for off road but no towing issues.
I first knew of the G80 in 1998, I purchased a used bare bones 1993 base model 2WD long bed standard cab Chevy Cheyanne, it already had 148K on it, i started to wonder why I was climbing this muddy snowy hill close to home while other trucks were not making it, so i was buying parts at a Chevy dealer and i was bragging on how well it got around in mud and snow and being 2wd, the parts guy asked if the option label in the glove box listed G80, we looked and it did, he explained it to me. so since then i tried to make sure every truck afterwords had it. It used to be a line item option on all models of GM trucks, nowadays it only comes with the Z71 pkg.
saw some testing on a slip test on an incline from an australian channel, the G80 worked but just wasn't as reliable as selectable lockers. the silverado rolled back quite a bit before the g80 kicked in
I will not purchase a Ford truck if you go to the dealership lot and look at all the undercarriage axles on all the new Ford trucks they're all rusted out before they even Make it off the dealership lot. as you saw the gm trucks are not like that they don't get rusty before they're even sold. And I would never purchase a foreign Chinese vehicle only American. So that leaves gm trucks the best option.
Ford has had the least amount of issues and makes a far superior product. GM also makes a large range of motors, etc, parts in Mexico and outside of the US. I sell these trucks. I will take Ford all Day long. The only reason, I would consider GM is if was significantly cheaper.
@@calebniederhofer6529 Ford ranger raptor 57k chevy colorado trailboss 41k. Built in USA. Your a Ford salesmen why u choose Ford. My family and I build gm in the usa. Better prices don't rust new like Ford axles do. Ford cuts costs by not coating their undercarriage and axle so they rust right off the showroom floor screw that give me a chevy all day long.
You guys shot a fair amount of videos on that day out there at the ranch. Good use of your weather. The G80 is violent. You were soft pedaling that fact. IF you are not using it in delicate situations where you are rock crawling or trying to inch over tricky obstacles, I reckon it does what it needs to do. I would not want it for such applications. Best for loose soil/slippery conditions.
I have had the G80 on my last 3 trucks, great locker, simple and had zero issues. GM in the 80s would allow a 200 rpm difference which in turn could damage it verse todays 100rpm difference. Regardless of how many feel about this locker, it has served a purpose and still works as it should with no effort on the drivers part.
I don't even think it 100rpm anymore even though they say it. Mine locks was more quickly. Snow, mud, off road....red lights...lol. and yes I'm running 33" which aren't huge but went from P255/70/R17 to a LT285/70/R18. Even loaded with my travel trailer it hasn't grenaded. It works for the average person who's going to do normal truck shit. My biggest gripe it the traction control interferes and causes to lock and unlock at certain times which doesn't feel very good. But otherwise I'll check that box on EVERY gm I'd buy.
Back in the late 80's we use to remove the Gov lock and "tighten" it up to reduce the wheelspin before activation on the 3rd Gen Camaros for autocrossing. Just loose enough to allow for exiting out of the apex under power and avoiding understeer. It made a huge difference in lap times plus didn't break every few autocross runs like the stock unit did when using sticky rubber. 200 rpm difference is just stupid...what was GM thinking?
The G80 carrier also has a lot more beef to it since GM dropped the 10-bolt and replaced it with the 9.5" 12-bolt based on the 9.5" 14-bolt used in the 3/4-ton gas trucks. Or in the case of these trucks, the Dana 46, which is more stout than the rear axle GM used to put in their midsize trucks of the past.
This is why I love TFL. This is truly an everyman’s feature. Those of us who don’t off-road all the time but sometimes need a little extra traction on a muddy road or a soft pasture or an unexpected snow shower… the G80 is fine. Thanks for calling attention to it. Smart consumers who don’t want to overbuy appreciate videos like this one.
I've owned Chevy trucks all my life and every one had G80 locker. Really, really like it and haven't had any problems with them.
2004 Tahoe has G80 locker and auto 4x4 works great for me 😊
Yes, I agree. M trucks are all GM, as well. A '69 C/20 (pre-G80/open), and two '97 GMT400's: Silverado C2500/Suburban K2500. Both '97's have GM's heavy duty full-float 14-bolt rear axle with the G80. The G80 has kept me from getting stuck and needing to chain up in snow. The only time, while driving, that I've ever really needed it, but I'm Glad it's always there, ready to help.
Same here. One you understand how they work, you can get them to lock and unlock predictably, and they are tough. Never had a problems with the newer ones in trucks I used or owned, even with oversized tires and aggressive driving. Most of the hate against it come from people that don't understand how they work. Most guys that hate on them think they're a limited slip diff, which they are not. They are a true locker, they just require slip for the diff to lock up, at which point they remain locked until you drive fast enough to unlock it, or drive in reverse for a short distance.
2003 Z71 Tahoe with over 300,000 miles and the G80 is still tight. I run 265/70/17 Wildpeak MT01 Mudders. I offroad everyday to get to my home and it has been flawless.
I have 05 Tahoe Z71 with about 314k, still running great as well!
Having driven trucks with both the “auto” setting and G80 for the last decade, averaging ~40k miles per year, I wouldn’t want anything else on a daily driver. The locker just works when you need it to. I would want a selectable locker if I was doing a lot of difficult off-roading, but I’m not. The “auto” mode is great for when roads are transitioning back and forth from snow-covered to dry pavement without worrying about losing traction or damaging drivetrain components. If you want a serious off-roader, they offer the ZR2. The Trail boss and the G80 will take you anywhere you’re realistically going to go for 99% of people.
Selectable locker is great if you're rock crawling. G80 is great for mud. If you're running unlocked in a vehicle that has a selectable locker and hit deep mud, by the time you realize you're in trouble and lock it up (which you may or may not be able to do on the fly, depending on the system), you're stuck. A G80 just detects you're in trouble and works. But it's not as precise or controlled in rock crawling, so like absolutely everything, there's a tradeoff.
_Toyota Landcruisers (300 and 250/Prado) have a fulltime "4WD auto"
_ Ford Expedition Timberline has everything this truck has + crawl mode + auto locker engages/disengages both automatically and with a button
@@Moon222 A lot of trucks/suv's have 4Auto these days. Even Wranglers.
I had a 2000 silverado stepside 2wd with an open 3.08 dif. That thing was awful in the snow and ice, particularly trying to get traction from dead stops.
I picked up a g80 3.73 from a junkyard and it absolutely transformed the truck. The locking dif made the thing MUCH more pleasant driving in the winter, and the 3.73 upgrade over the 3.08 made the underpowered 4.3l feel quite adequate.
It is amazing how much difference in a 2x4 that a locker can make. I have a Durango 4x4 and put a simple lunchbox auto locker in the rear and I go most places on 2x4 now. Great upgrade and that lower gear ratio definitely helps!
I have made sure to get the G80 in all of my past GM trucks including the present one. They all silently work flawlessly and quickly.... and are there when you need them. Even well over 200k miles!
My grandfather turned me onto them with his Suburban SUVs that he always put over 350k miles on towing up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
Just got to remember to change the fluid every 50k to 100k miles (depending on wither you tow or not).
I have had the G80 in a lot trucks over the years and in my current AT4. I don't rock climb, but I live in the mountains and do a lot of general off road driving and it works perfectly. It also allows me to pass through areas without needing to put it in 4x4. The auto is perfect for on road travel when you have a mix of dry and snow covered roads, which is common.
Yes, full time 4WD is a good feature, so long as you can also force it into locked 4WD.
@@jeffk464 - The Chevy's and GMC's do that, theirs go 2WD, Auto 4WD, 4 WD high (locked) and 4 WD low (locked). You can also put them in 4WD at any speed (except 4 low, of course). The auto mode and the Eaton locker are an awesome combo in mud, snow, rain etc.
The G80 on my 2000 Suburban is wearing out, after 23 years. Not a bad run if you consider 19 years of it was in Alaska.
It being in Alaska is irrelevant.
@@flight2k5 Are you speaking from a position of experience, or of a fool with an opinion?
@@flight2k5sure it’s relevant, I just inherited an 03 Silverado z71 with the G80 that’s only seen a gravel road maybe 5 times a year and old man town driving with no off-roading. It drives like new with 173k. If it were in Alaskan conditions it would be a different story.
@@2URLex 🤣😂 ok you believe that
@@flight2k5 welp seems like the votes speak for themselves
Good demonstration of the G80 and a change of tune from TFL from so many past videos. I've owned 2 Suburbans and a Z71 Tahoe with the G80 over the past 30 years with no issues here in the snow/slush salt belt of Ontario, Canada.
Won't buy a truck here in Canada without the auto transfer case. It's just too easy when going from plowed to unplowed to hard packed snow roads on a street by street basis. Easy, seamless, traction.
G80 is a great option for on road driving where slip on a gravel road, snow/ice, or wet asphalt is nice to have that traction without flipping a selectable locker.
Yea, I get the benefit. I'm the other side of the coin. My gm has the manual case with a floor mounted cable shifter. It's either working or it's not. No guessing and no electronics.
@@craigquann my brother said that back in 2012 when I got a Silverado LTZ (electronic shift and auto transfer case) and he got a Sierra with floor/cable shift and no auto T case. Well he went 12 years with a floor shifter that seldom got used and I use 4a frequently. He just got a 2023 Silverado and loves 4a. And my 2012 is going strong at 250,000
Sometimes old school simple is good, but you also miss out on features. I remember my grandfather was hesitant to power windows, look at pretty much every car now.
@@andrewsbbq oh for sure.
@@craigquann if it's any of the newer GM trucks, the transfer case might cable shifted, but the front axle still gets engaged electronically
You were incorrect. The Colorado frames are e-coated not wax dipped. Also, that was not a fuel filter, that is an oil filter. Just fyi.
The G80 seems nice but I wish helical gear diffs like the torsen or eaton truterac were offered on more vehicles. They work the same way as the G80 but with a much stronger and simpler design that will last the life of the vehicle without maintenance. They may not be as good as a proper locker for true off roading but for the average person who just needs some extra traction in bad conditions they can't be beat!
I just replaced my still working 270,000 mile G80 in my 2001 Duramax with an Eaton / Detroit TrueTrac which weighed 79 lbs without the ring gear, very beefy diff.
You are 100% correct! When I regear my 2500 Suburban with ~90,000 miles and a perfectly functional G80 this coming year, I’m putting a TrueTrac in my 14 bolt. I also have TrueTracs front and rear in my built Jeep XJ.
Love them in snow/slick conditions and the non-rock crawling conditions I drive/wheel.
@@fishinguns4975 I put a truetrac in the rear of my Ram 1500 as soon as I bought it and if they ever make one for the front I'll put that in too!
The ranger received a torsen differential on 02 or 03 with the addition of the fx4 level 2 pkg. Way better than the trac lok or the g80
I put a Truetrac in my 04 ram. Best money I ever spent.
A ZR2 doesn't have to cost $55k or more. I went with a stock ZR2 and talked my dealer down to $46,500 plus tax. It arrives at the dealer sometime this week. This video makes me even more excited about what it can do. Can't wait to get my hands on it.
That's an awesome price, and even at MSRP, the ZR2 seems like a relative bargain in this category.
Wow! Around here Trail bosses are 49k Cad and over 60k Cad for a ZR2 id buy a Trail boss if it wasnt for the price and lack of heated steering wheel (im getting old) hell id get a canyon elevation but then you lose 4 low too.
Where is this at?
G80 is plenty for 99.5% of people
I have had it on several pickups over the last 40 years. Never had a problem with one. They do a great job in a straight line and climbing hills.
My 2017 ZR2 with the selectable lockers was amazing also. The 4wd auto was great here in the northeast.
The versions of the G-80 that do break from abuse or over stressing are the ones in the 1500's and lighter duty trucks. The 2500/3500 version is built different and is much stronger, and less prone to failures.
I'm not too concerned with elegance, I'm more concerned with not being stranded, and that is why I like the G80 It engages when needed, then waits patiently when not, no user input needed, just a rotational difference, before lockup.
I'm glad to see you guys changing your tune on the G80. I can't begin to count how many videos I've seen with Roman or Andre bashing on the G80, complaining it isn't enough or fast enough or useful on trails, when that same locker has been pushing trucks through rough terrain for 60 years
It’s not “useful enough” for real off-roaders. They all have real lockers, which are superior. It is “useful enough” for the average person who rarely gets stuck or lives in snowy places, however.
We've seen Andre show how not to use them numerous times. Nathan gets it - keeps his foot on the gas pedal & G80 keeps on pushing !
@@cliffordmontana4562
Yep.... For my serious stuff and crawling Eaton E lockers are my choice on my Jeep.... G80 is fine fire road or moderate wheeling.
I’ve made it my personal policy to ignore absolutely anything that comes out of Roman’s mouth…he’s caused me to take a hiatus from this channel many times and continues to be my least liked part.
Thank you. Especially when they actually aren't knowledgeable about anything mechanical. Tommy called the oil filter a fuel filter while this was on the lift
Been waiting for this video, thanks TFL. Love this truck, mostly because it's a mid-sized truck with lots of capability at under 40K.
I love my G80 locker. It has automatically gotten me out of situations before I even knew I might be in trouble. I live in Florida and just pulling over on the side of the road can get you in trouble real quick without you knowing it. Great product GM!! and good job Tommy!
😂
Love the video and a big fan of the G80. 2 wheel drive through that course is awesome.thank you Tommy for all the wonderful videos and information.
7 months of Trail Boss ownership in Colo Spgs and I'm still loving it!
G80 is great for most people doing normal driving in the snow or mud. It works whenever you need it and don't have to do anything. works in 2wd/4wd high or low.
I just don’t understand why the e-locker isn’t offered as an option. Ford does it for sub $1000 even on the lowest trims of their 4x4s
I drove a Chevy 4X4 with this diff for over 400K km and can say that while it works it's not ideal. Sometimes it could cause a lot of driveline shock depending on the conditions. It is usually when you frustratingly apply too much throttle and when it locks its quit a jolt. Other times in slippery conditions it can suddenly lock (when you didn't realize it was spinning a wheel) and when it suddenly locked it could cause the rear to kick out like in a curve or when the road wasn't level. While an e-locker doesn't cause as much driveline shock it does mean more difficult steering when on high traction surfaces and will strain the driveline I find it better when its important to prevent wheel spin like in snow snow conditions where a spinning wheel creates ice under the spinning tire. With the G80 it would then create ice under the wheel that suddenly has all the torque. Then you can only hope the locked diff will let you back out. I now prefer a e-locker. No surprises. I just wish I could use it in Hi range too but I guess that wouldn't work with VSC so pick your poison.
There’s a lot of 🤡 in the comments - G80 is better than no locker at all. It’s always a debate between selectable locker or mechanical. It’s all personal preference so buy a vehicle that has what you want
I still have a G80 Demo (actual one with handles) I was a GM tecnical trainer, I carried it around to teach sales staff and technicians. Retired now. GM tried to put these on displays at dealerships, but fear arose that somebody would stick their fingers and get injured by twisting the handles on the center of it.
I had a 1st gen Colorado z71 with a 2" lift and 32s. Owned it from 60k miles to 200k miles and the g80 still locked up as quick as it did new. I loved it. Hardly took any slip to get locked up. I used it off road often.
I'm not a GM guy by any means, but the G80 is by far my most favorite non-selectable locker/limited slip. I like that it operates like an open diff until you need it. Every GM truck I've had came equipped with a G80 and it's amazing how much more capable it makes a truck...even a 2wd one. It just works...even if it's not exactly refined in how it does things.
When I sold GMC trucks in the 80's and 90's I always reccomended the G80. It was only $252 most of the time. I was shocked how many people didn't want it. I ended up buying a 97 S-10 Blazer that had the G-80 and was glad I had it. With Rancho Shocks and some small Swamper TRXUS tires we almost never got stuck.
The great thing about the G80 is that it engages without needing to engage Part-Time 4WD, a configuration that's not available with many off-road capable vehicles.
The G80 goes way back before 1973. The option code may have come out then, but the “Eaton Automatac Locking Differential” has been in the trucks & performance cars since the early 1960s. I have had many trucks with that optional rear differential. It was the “Positraction” in the GM performance cars, 67 Camaro, Chevelle, Nova, Caprice, Impala,,,,, it goes on & on.
The Automatic Locking differential goes way back!! Started out as Thornton Locking Differential in **** 1939 ****.
My 67 C10 has a G80 code on the back of the lid in the glovebox, my 66 Nova SS has the option code G80.
There are so many of us that have told you guys the truth about the G80 option code. It’s NOT THE NAME of the axel/differential, it’s just an option code, you can have an Eaton Automatic locking differential and NOT have the code G80. It had different codes in several GM cars. You could have a G76 Positraction (Eaton Automatic Locking differential) or the G81 Automatic Locking rear differential.
It’s the Eaton Automatic locking rear differential.
Tommy, I have always been a fan of yours, but not sure how many times others, including myself have to type it out. I know of the different option codes by my own experiences. I grew up knowing of the Eaton Automatic locking differential. I was born in 1962. By the time I was 7 I was talking trucks! Cars too but my family historically liked trucks. I have been talking about this differential since 1969 or earlier and I’m 61 now!! That’s 54 years!! I have no idea where you got the year 1973,,, maybe it was convenient to the 50 year mark.
Look up the code for Positraction in a 1967 C10 for example. Look up positraction in a 1963 C10,,,,,.
You explain the function kinda well,,,, it’s when one wheel spins 120 rpm faster than the other, sufficient momentum releases the cog that
“Locks” the rear differential. That’s about it! It only engages up to 25 mph, but will STAY engage beyond that as long as there is sufficient torque to keep it engaged. Like when you nail it off the line in a 396 Chevelle SS automatic transmission. You are laying 2 solid ribbins all the way to 50+ mph depending on the tires and traction you have otherwise. As soon as you let up, like shifting a manual transmission, the cig (pawl actually) releases and it’s just an open differential. You can modify then to engage at higher speeds, but for everyday driving that can be dangerous. It’s hard to steer if it’s engaged & the fires are not spinning, but there’s enough torque being applied to keep it locked.
Even then, it’s a clutch pack that is “locked” so a new G80 will truly lock up,,, a tired old worn out G80 will slip or nit even lock up at all.
The g80 is why they say a 2wd chevy will go further offroad than a 4wd furd.
Enjoy these types of informational videos. Really unique offering from TFL. I haven’t seen a lot of other channels offering this kind of work. Thank you.
I’ve had 3 GM’s with the G80, all 3 over 200k miles with no issues. I’ve taken my stock 1500’s were guys with city jeeps had to get out of the truck because they were scared!
“Full Time” 4WD is not the same as Auto 4WD. Full time is always in 4WD, hence the name, and uses a center differential to vary the torque front to rear. Auto 4WD is something different it remains in rear drive until slip is detected and then engages the front wheels.
We buy our trucks here in Texas to work out of, simplicity is the best the g80 is all it's ever been in my truck some I have 400,000 miles on them never had a minutes trouble.
Down here we're not climbing over rocks or sticks, or dealing with black gumbo mud.
My Auto 4wd has saved me a couple of times offroad. Coming around a tight switchback into a blind cross ditch, slight tire slip and 4wd works.
The G80 in my 2019 Trailboss works well too. Lets be real pick ups arent rock crawlers, the G80 will get you everywhere you need to go with a truck.
Edit: I also appreciate Tommy talking about the specs and how good the low end torque is with the 2.7L. Some othwr channels have had some surprising and down right wrong things to say about it.
I used to have a 2005 Chevy Colorado LS, and it had a G80. It was just a 2wd truck and I had level lift and bigger all terrain tires, but with that G80 I was able to off road a much further than I expected. Great product and I miss that feature now that I don’t have it in my Nissan Frontier
I had my the g80 in my 1995 GMC SONOMA HIGHRIDER. It was good enough. Had that truck til about 98,000 miles. Only did mild off-roading few times a year. Lots of snow driving, never had an issue with it.
I never was a big fan of "automatic" 4WD until bought a Jeep with Selec-trac (their version of automatic 4WD). At the time, I was doing a lot of highway driving on roads that would go from dry to sonwpacked to icy and back all the time. In those cases, just using the automatic 4WD was perfect. Jeep did that right on a lot of their vehicles--allowing the buyer a choice of having a "regular" transfer case, or one with the part time/full time 4WD transfer case.
I was a GM tech for 15 years at a dealership, yes we made a living at some of the GMs terrible ideas, but I will say in 15 years of working on cars from rural Midwest I only know of around 10 g80 diffs we had to rebuild, most were from people getting severely stuck and exploded them from very high wheel speed engagement. Now to the argument of GM being junk, we also held a massive used car inventory, we all prepped them and I will say they all fall short somewhere, some were engineered good in certain areas but fell short in others. I could really not say one is better than the other. I really never stepped in a brand that said I am supreme and check all the boxes.
That's the only times I've heard of them exploding, too. The person driving has no throttle finesse, and goes full send, where the diff then tries to lock up, but ends up tearing itself apart from the stress of sudden lockup, at speed, under full power.
@@jreyman The only time I saw a guy blow up his G80 was a guy with a late 90's half-ton. He was stopped at the end of a gravel road where it met a freshly paved highway and decided to floor it as he began to pull out onto the highway.
How has the reliability of the Silverados you’ve been around? I’ve had good luck with the half and 3/4 ton trucks I’ve been around! Just looking for a different perspective! Especially since you never know with used vehicles!
@@wesleygarrison6248 I actually left the field in 2012, I still have friends at the dealership and get updates every so often and really it’s about the same. They have improved in some areas but still haven’t fixed others.
@@wesleygarrison6248 well what I believe to be the perfect used Chevy is around a 2015 3/4 ton with a 6 liter gas engine, prob the best drivetrain in my opinion. No cylinder deactivation, 6l90 trans that was really good, then as the body goes living in the Midwest rust hasn’t been a huge issue on all 2015 and up trucks but I have seen some. Where as most years below that have noticeable and In some case really bad rust. I think the newer 6.6 hd gas trucks do not have cylinder deactivation, so that engine would make a solid choice also. In my opinion all the fuel saving technology is what killed the reliability of the LS engine in general, and the only way I would own one is to delete the afm system and tune it out, issue is with that is tuners are shying away from removing the software due to the EPA cracking down and fining company’s for doing so.
Have the G80 in my Silverado, does exactly what it needs to, when it needs to. Wouldn't want a Chevy without one!
All couch crusaders engage!
Not a huge Chevy truck guy, but the Trail Boss (especially in that color) is quite a looker.
You make a great point Tommy, you don’t have to buy top of the line to get the G80. So many off-roaders make you do that. Not as good as a manual locker but the fact that is so available is a big bonus. I remember the high mileage Tundra TRD Off-road you did recently and it had neither a manual or auto locker and in several cases would have really benefited from it.
It's hard for me to understand the vitriol and ugliness of some of these comments. I've owned pickups from all three domestic brands and generally had great experiences with each one. Sure, pros and cons, but each had unique attributes, and I never regretted any of these purchases. As Sargeant Hulka once said, "Lighten up, Francis!"
All brands have positives and negatives. When you are so brand-blinded that you don’t even consider anything else than your favorite GM/Ford/RAM/Toyota/Nissan then you don’t even know what you might be missing as a feature and you will completely overlook the flaws on your brand of truck. On the other hand, at least 99% of us can fully agree that the Honda Ridgeline is a complete junk and not a real truck. 😃 Just kidding. 😃 Right tool for the right job.
Marissa Tomei did a better job describing this in my cousin Vinny
Best automotive movie moment! 🤪🤣🤣🤣
Missed the video when the truck got the power upgrade , will need to go searching. Nice video .
Great video. The view of the undercarriage of vehicles is a fantastic addition. I hope you continue to do it. Thanks guys
Every chevy pickup I have owned were all Z71's with the G80 auto locker. NEVER a problem with any of them. My 2022 Colorado Z71 diesel is especially brilliant with the 'auto' 4X4 mode. I recently had a 200 mile road trip to pick up my now butchered cow. The passes I had to go up and over were pretty much socked in with snow. This was the first time I used the '4whl auto'. Oh boy did that work!!! Especially on the below the snow ice patches. Smooth as silk, fully automatic including the rear diff with the G 80. An excellent combo for all seasons/terrains.
The problem is the same: people really don’t know how to drive so they add all these gadgets rather than learn. I’ll never forget when my buddy got stuck in sand with his Tacoma and his fancy lockers. Took him 15 minutes to go 10 feet. Next guy come through same spot in a Tahoe and didn’t even use 4 wheel drive… 2 wheel drive and a whole lot of smack talking to the Toyota guy. The difference is driver skill and experience. Being a good driver is worth lockers. When I grew up if you had to use 4 wheel drive you were doing something wrong - throttle, momentum, traction. Now it’s all about cameras and clicks and fancy waterproof pants.
I have a 07 Chevy Colorado with 120000 miles on it and it has a G80. Works great never any issues.
Excellent presentation. Thank you. Love the G80 in my 2004 2500HD 4x4.
I still have fond memories of the G80 that came in my 83 S10 little Blazer! It saved my butt more than once! It was actually my favorite thing about that S10 Blazer, as it was the 1st locker of any type I had on any vehicle.
Not a chevy guy, but this is a really good LOOKING truck.
I have a G80 in my 2020 Silverado LT 4x4, but never really off-road. I was always a little skeptical of this "low tech" design as compared to modern locker diffs; however, this video shed a lot of light on the subject and has made me "more" of a fan.
The 2WD through trenches demo was good.
I agree! Both the G80 limited slip differential and the Auto full-time 4-wheel drive option are key reasons why I bought a 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 which has both options. I've done serious off-roading and you don't have to think about the rear end. I love the Auto 4WD in heavy rains, dirt roads, snow and ice, or steep hills. Both work silently and flawlessly. They Ford Ranger or Tacoma did not offer them. My (back in the day) 1977 Z-28 Camaro also had the same limited slip differential - almost like modern day traction control (so it would take off with limited wheel spin).
I had an older ZR2 with the g80, 252,000 miles of abuse and never had a G80 problem.
Keep your fluid changed...
I'm a fan of the G80, it's great for what it is and very useful for most applications. Great video Tommy 👍
I miss the 4 auto feature in my 01 Suburban.
Great evaluation and demonstrations, but I think it's worth pointing out that "4WD Auto" is very different from "full time 4WD". The "4 Auto" drivelines from GM, Chrysler etc are still part time drivelines that run in RWD all the time. What makes them "Auto" is that the front driveshaft is engaged with a clutch instead of dog teeth, so the computer can progressively connect the front wheels when it detects rear wheel slip, instead of leaving the driver to choose full RWD or fully locked 4WD. A "full time 4WD" is completely different because there is a center differential sending power to both the front and rear driveshafts 100% of the time. The advantage here is that, with only half of the power sent to the rear wheels (except some applications that use a helical center diff set up to split torque unevenly) the rear wheels are less likely to slip in the first place, making the vehicle more stable than a "4 Auto" system that must slip first and then engage the front wheels in response to slip. The downsides of course are cost, weight, and the problem that an open center diff allows any one axle spinning to stop the whole vehicle, and if that axle also has an open diff, any one wheel spinning stops the whole vehicle. That's almost always handled with some combination of locking center diff, limited slip center diff, and/or traction control.
Good video with one VERY IMPORTANT caveat: Auto 4wd CANNOT be used all the time. When driving on dry pavement the system will eventually bind up the 4wd system just the same as running 4 high or 4 low. Just takes longer. Auto 4wd should be used when conditions alternate from full to limited traction and back. Any other use will accelerate wear and eventually lock her up. 30 year GM service vet speaking. We’ve had to educate customers, usually after they’ve driven a few hundred or even thousand miles and have gotten the truck bound to the point it won’t easily go around corners, hard to steer, etc.
What do you mean by bind and lock up? Isnt torque distribution delivered through a clutch pack that is electronically controlled based on slip (and perhaps other parameters)?
@@ALMX5DP hes full of shit. the only consequence to 4 auto on a modern truck is a small amount of fuel economy because the front drive shaft is always spinning. If anyone has any doubts read your manual.
Well, you must understand the transfer case in each unit. All wheel drive/full -time four wheel drive vehicles do indeed have a differential/clutch style mechanism in place to prevent bind. The transfer case in question - being a part-time unit with an Automatic engagement mode available (hence the “auto” in the name) still has the same limitations on dry pavement as in 4 high - though to a lesser extent as the system tries to engage and disengage the output to the front axle based on wheel spin.
As to being full of poop, at times yes. 😂
Indeed, read the owners manual - which I doubt the naysayers have actually done - for the Colorado or Silverado (It’s actually quite clear there and backs me up.
And I’ll ask the background of naysayers on this. I’ve been at this for 30 years in the service field. You?
@@wesnellans GM states this about the 4 Auto Transfer Cases. "The available Autotrac system is a 2-speed automatic, active transfer case. The system provides five modes: Auto 4WD, 4HI, 4LO, 2HI and Neutral. The Auto 4WD position offers the capability of an active transfer case with on-demand torque biasing wet clutch and easy vehicle tuning through software calibrations. The software calibrations allow for vehicle speed dependent clutch torque levels to enhance the performance of the system.
For example, the system is calibrated to provide 0-5 lb.-ft. of clutch torque during low speed, low engine torque operation, and predetermined higher torque for 25 mph (40 km/h) and greater. These calibrations prevent crow-hop and binding at low speeds and provide higher torque biases at higher vehicle speeds in order to enhance stability."
And per owners manuals GM cautions not to drive on clean, dry pavement in 4 High or Low, but does not caution for using 4 Auto, only saying it is recommended for variable conditions. So please let me know what direct experience you have with these systems binding or locking up.
100% this. About 10% power is always transmitted to the front diff when 4wd auto is active. When in 2wd the front diff is not locked onto the front CV axles. 4wd high and auto function the same. the use of both on dry pavement will cause driveline wear.
The G80 is a wonderful rear dif.
The only time when they blow is when moisture gets inside of it and Any full locking differential will blow when water gets inside of them as. Long as you are seals are in good shape and as long as you change the fluid once a year or once every 2 years. You're never gonna have a problem with it,
It uses simple fluid it's a reliable system.
I have a 2001 GMC Yukon XL that has the G80 and Automatic 4 Wheel Drive. It now has over 380000 miles on it. Still running like new. The G80 was replaced with a Boneyard G80 not because the locker failed but it started to make noise the spider gears were chipped. I think it was like that when I purchased it 12 years ago. The salvage yard tried to give me a LSD rear after I called asking for a G80 only. I made them go find one! I checked everything inside visually and Yellow grease to make sure it was ok before installing it not at the bone yard. It's Been working for 10 years now no issues. It's my daily driver. I prefer it in the winter over my Ram 2500 Cummins. It just handles the snow better. I just need to keep on top of the Fluid Film so it doesn't rust out from the Michigan UP winter's.
I have a 2023 Trail Boss, but added the metal shielding, full cameras with a 360-degree view, and the adaptive cruise control where the total cost was about $44,000 with the added options. I have no rubber front shield so it solves the deficiencies that you identified. I did add 33" Nitto Grappler ties with a small lift so that truck is the best affordable offroad option without paying the ZR2 price.
Great, informative video! I don't have much to add to the other comments, except to say that I absolutely loved (and miss) my '04 Chevy Tahoe Z71 w/ G80 and AWD /2WD/4WD Hi&Lo. It was great on and off road w/ Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac Tires. Too bad it started corroding to pieces, including all the electronics probably due to Michigan's salty roads.
My G80 is nearing 20 years old and gets beat every winter with sometimes dozens of lock ups in just one drive. I run snow tires so I like to launch the shit out of it at every red light when the roads are unplowed. It's seen a few burnouts on hot dry pavement leaving some nice 11's for a few hundred feet, had a neighbor kid say my truck did the best burnout he's ever seen before. I don't do any rock crawling with it but the G80 has been damn good to me. If it ever blows up I'll just pull one out of a junkyard truck no big deal. Auto 4wd has also worked great for me, I use it when I'm not launching it or when the roads are plowed but still slippery.
The G80 in the marginal axles put under the 1/2 ton trucks was a frequent failure point that lead to it's reputation as the "gov bomb". In the HD 14 bolt rear end it was pretty solid.
It's mind boggling that GM didn't include cruise control in that truck... That's insane. It was hard enough to believe Toyota did that in the base 4runners (badlands) back in 2002, but that was over 20 years ago. That's just unacceptable today... But anyway - cool test on this! One quick note - I don't think an auto based system like this is the same as full time 4wd (as you mentioned earlier in the video) -In any case I'm guessing that was just a Freudian slip - I'm so impressed with your knowledge base at your young age Tommy, I worked for years in the auto business and have a passion for vehicles, it's amazing I'm learning stuff from you and I'm 20 years older than you haha!!
Im fairly certain that GM has always painted the frames on the Colorado/Canyon twins since the 2005 introduction instead of the wax dipped frames used in the full sized trucks.
It's fine for basic trails and snow. On more advanced trails, I really wish it was selectable. A rear locker will get you almost anywhere, front lockers are somewhat overkill on all but the craziest trails. But having to gas it enough to get the wheel spin, and the lurch that comes with the sudden traction is honestly a bit dangerous.
Have driven Chevy suburbans for work for years. We leave it in "auto" for most off road travel (we do a lot) and it is usually the best setting for snow and mud. When you are augered in there is when 4wd hi and low come in to play. But you can power through a lot in awd.
As a service advisor for a gm store these are horrible rear ends that are replaced all the time,you want a good rear and for off road and longevity my advice is to build one
I have a GMC envoy with the G80 and that was one of the reasons I was able to do head turning stuff with it on some hard trails. It doesn't replace a locker but it can fill a tier between LSD and locker so you arent forced to pay for more expnsive trims and packages. Also the 4auto function got me into full time 4wd and lead me to the GX470. Its not for the hard stuff but in bad weather and overlanding its nice to just never think about it.
I think the real problem is if you are stupid or don't maintain things correctly G80 and 4auto will make you pay for it.
An old school trick with Limited Slips is you apply the parking brake slightly just enough to hold the slipping wheel it will act like a G80 and get you out. Just don't drive with the parking brake on or forget it's on. My Yukon will warn me if it's on but I don't need to use this trick because of the G80. My Ram 2500 Yes I've used this trick when I'm Moab trying to get to the Thelma and Louise Jump site. That trip is not for the faint of heart I watched lots of people turn around because they kept getting hung up .
Nice video showing a couple of under the radar traction highlights that others don't have and are useful for the typical crowd that only occasionally needs enhanced traction. IMO, GM did the best with their midsize redesign - in particular the TrailBoss if you want some off-road capability without all the convenience bells and whistles that most off-road trims include. And if you miss some convenience features (e.g. cruise control) they are relatively inexpensive packages to this trim. 21 G fuel tank and decent 2nd row space are a couple other highlights. Only miss, imo, is inability to fit a sheet of plywood between wheel wells like on Ranger.
An idea for future traction testing is doing the wheel tests on inclines. Examples being like 2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and maybe even 45%. See which four-wheel drive system is really the most effective.
I have a 97 Dodge Ram with a rear limited slip differential and four wheel drive and I have never gotten stuck. Actually never even close. Just put it in four wheel low and it goes through anything I have ever wanted to get through. I always keep aggressive off-road tires on it.
Whenever you use Andre's Colorado, you should make note of that fact and also mention that it doesn't have cruise control because he didn't check the box. You could also make some comments about the color.
Same will be said with the new Land Cruiser!! All levels get the locking rear diff and terrain control!! Making all their trucks better!! Love that Chevrolet did that with the Colorado!!
What we called posi-traction has bee around for decades. I had one in my 71 mustang. I'd like to see you do the same test on the 4Runner Off Road, as well as the 4Runner AWD system. Fun Video though.
Just used mine today getting up my snow covered driveway. Had to switch to 4hi, had both rear wheels spinning, but it did what it was suppose to do.
this was a great video. I've always heard about g80s but i don't do much with off roading, so never explored it. just the right amount of info on how it works for me to get it. Thanks!
G80 is definitely better than nothing. Cool thing that it works all the time, so it's great for ripping donuts in 2WD, lol. Would love to see Andre do a winter review of those Goodyear tires too, they look like they'd be good in the snow.
Both my 2008 Silverado HD and 1996 Impala SS have G80s.
Grenade 80, as a former GM dealership tech in the 03-07 range you will never hear a compliment from me about them. For the record I am a couple miles away fro the Atlantic in VA saying that, as close to 0% rocky trails as you can get and the majority of breakage happening with old guys trying to get their boats up the ramps.
Great video! Thanks for doing it on the Colorado!
Just a quick note that while G80 is the GM RPO code, the actual product is called the Eaton Mlocker.
The G80 works pretty well and has for a long time, but anybody saying they’d take it over a real locker isn’t being truthful. In tight spots the G80 can get you in trouble.
Just picked up the 24’ and it’s really is a great truck….it really does eliminate the desire for a rubicon. And I really like the rubicon.
Limited slip differentials have been around a long time and got the job done. Yes they aren’t as effective rock crawling, but in the vast majority of situations they do great.
This diff works great until you go to back up and turn while towing a load in which case they destroy themselves. Had it happen twice on my old Chevy Blazer. After that I replaced the g80 with a limited slip. Not as good for off road but no towing issues.
I first knew of the G80 in 1998, I purchased a used bare bones 1993 base model 2WD long bed standard cab Chevy Cheyanne, it already had 148K on it, i started to wonder why I was climbing this muddy snowy hill close to home while other trucks were not making it, so i was buying parts at a Chevy dealer and i was bragging on how well it got around in mud and snow and being 2wd, the parts guy asked if the option label in the glove box listed G80, we looked and it did, he explained it to me. so since then i tried to make sure every truck afterwords had it. It used to be a line item option on all models of GM trucks, nowadays it only comes with the Z71 pkg.
The g80 gets its bad rap from guys that abuse them with high horsepower and boosted burnouts.
saw some testing on a slip test on an incline from an australian channel, the G80 worked but just wasn't as reliable as selectable lockers. the silverado rolled back quite a bit before the g80 kicked in
I will not purchase a Ford truck if you go to the dealership lot and look at all the undercarriage axles on all the new Ford trucks they're all rusted out before they even Make it off the dealership lot. as you saw the gm trucks are not like that they don't get rusty before they're even sold. And I would never purchase a foreign Chinese vehicle only American. So that leaves gm trucks the best option.
Ford has had the least amount of issues and makes a far superior product. GM also makes a large range of motors, etc, parts in Mexico and outside of the US. I sell these trucks. I will take Ford all Day long. The only reason, I would consider GM is if was significantly cheaper.
@@calebniederhofer6529 Ford ranger raptor 57k chevy colorado trailboss 41k. Built in USA. Your a Ford salesmen why u choose Ford. My family and I build gm in the usa. Better prices don't rust new like Ford axles do. Ford cuts costs by not coating their undercarriage and axle so they rust right off the showroom floor screw that give me a chevy all day long.
You guys shot a fair amount of videos on that day out there at the ranch. Good use of your weather. The G80 is violent. You were soft pedaling that fact. IF you are not using it in delicate situations where you are rock crawling or trying to inch over tricky obstacles, I reckon it does what it needs to do. I would not want it for such applications. Best for loose soil/slippery conditions.
Bean can truck? What does that even mean?
POS cheap tin can. 😃