Do they make one for GM IFS, and are they safe for the street?

I know Powertrax makes a LockRight for IFS.... might wanna check into them...........

I have not seen anything for the 1/2T 8.25" IFS but I have seen some for the 3/4T and 1T 9.25" IFS. Like the PowerTrax (I believe) and ARB. Which do you have?

Lockright and ARB are indeed the only ones that make a locker for Chevy IFS. ARB made lockers for both carriers and I believe that PowerTrax only made them for the bigger carrier. Last I was told, ARB didn't make them for the smaller carrier any longer. A few S10 guys told me ARB quit making them for the smaller carrier because they couldn't keep the other front end parts under the trucks that were running them. Halfshafts were breaking twice as fast, I had heard of a few actuator problems, and so forth. Best bet would to just put a straight axle under it and call it good. Would probably be cheaper in the long run.

there is more......

AAM, the people who make the axles for GM, have a whole line of limited slips and full lockers for the IFS units...

http://www.aam.com/technology/tech_prod_dl_diff.html

Check it out.

A while back I talked with the engineer at AAM that was working on this. They're planning an electric locker for the H2 (9.25") and their electric locker for the 14-bolt ff may already be in production (haven't followed it that close). He told me that they may or may not make one for the 8.25 front and if so it would be OEM-first, and aftermarket somewhat later. Don't really know what is available from them now in the aftermarket line. For a full locker I expect the same problem ARB found - CV's and halfshafts. After my experience with a cheEZ-Locker I wouldn't buy another unit of that type. Safe for the street? Depends on who's driving and how much icy/snowy road use it'll see. For a daily-driver in snow country - probably not. It'll also cause your front driveshaft to turn all the time, which may not really be an issue. My opinion: don't bother locking IFS. Maybe if you can find a good LSD stuff that in it, otherwise just use it for mild offroad or go solid.

Which do you have?

Cj8scrambld,
I have a 1 ton.

Safe for the street? Depends on who's driving and how much icy/snowy road use it'll see. For a daily-driver in snow country - probably not.

Are you saying it will be LESS safe when in 4WD in snow on the street? I would have thought it would be better in snow than open front diff... That was just my first thought, I'm not disagreeing...

Hadn't thought about it making the front driveshaft turn all the time either...

It just seems to me with open front diff, you are losing a lot of potential traction off-road, if I have one front tire w/o traction, I might as well be in 2WD right???

And thanks all for the help!

Operative word here is "road." I had an EZ-Locker in the front of a CJ-5 that saw substantial use on snowy/icy roads. Having them engage/disengage as you go in and out of corners, as well as on and off the throttle, is not beneficial on slick stuff and requires strict attention to what you're doing. Their handling quirks - especially in a front axle - are a SUBSTANTIAL factor for this use. After it scared the hell out of me a few times I actually got to like mine (until it exploded) but wouldn't recommend it to someone who didn't know what they were getting into, and I sure as hell wouldn't have loaned that vehicle to someone without a lot of combined snow/front locker experience. Short wheelbase was undoubtedly a factor here, too. Now on a snowy trail, they will make the vehicle more susceptible to side-slipping, but their handling quirks are easily managed at low speed. If it's going to be used on snowy/icy roads in 4WD, especially at speed, you should try to drive a rig so equipped first and see if it's for you. Resale value of a used lunchbox-locker is about zip point shit.

And for real off-roading, IFS has no flex and no durability (just completely rebuilt mine :p ) so if you had your wheels on the ground to begin with (like you would with a solid axle and good suspension) ... I think you get the idea.

I think you get the idea.

Ya, I get it... ;)


Thanks for the help again, it's giving me something to think about.