My truck doesn't have LS. I'd like to add something in this arena. Mostly highway and towing moderatly heavy. Do get into mud during hunting season and slippery boat ramps. I have 3.54's and 6 speed.

 

Dana 80 LS options are dwindling these days.....If you can locate a Powr-Lok then get it - it is by far the best LS for your D80......both the Trak-Lok and Powr-Lok have been discontinued from Dana according to Randy's Ring and Pinion.......they have apparently aquired some NOS Trak-Loks but once their stock is gone, that is it........It has been mentioned that a D70 HD Powr-Lok (also known as the 70/80 hybrid) which uses a D80 carrier can be used in a D80.....Apparently it is easier to track down this version of the Powr-Lok.....

I would suggest giving Randy's a call and see what they come up with for a Powr-Lok for your D80.

 

Randys R&P or reider racing. Actually the probelm i ran into with Randys was that the power Lok has a service replacement number that automatically results in them sending you a bolt together Trac Lok as the carrier I went through three of them that i had to ship back because they kept telling me they were sending me a pLok and i kept sending em back saying no a power lok has cross shafts and ramps not fixed shafts. LOL

Anyways CTD Nut speaks the truth a D70HD carrier with an ABS ring works in a 35 spline dana 80 the ring gear bolt holes have to be opened up by a machine shop. Reider racing is familiar with the modification process and i think does it for $30 ontop of purchasing the carrier. Do not be fooled by most of the shops who order up a Plok and get the dana spicer service replacement aka they call an upgrade or supperior carrier because it is a bolt together Trash lok and does not work nearly as well as the tried and true Power Lok. check out the D70 LSD thread i posed the link for the D70 Power Lok through Rieder racing they can help you from there. otherwise teh way this works is you get the d70hd plok carrier with ABS ring groove cut then take your open d80 carrier out ring gear and bolts leave tehm attatched take both to the machine shop say make carrier fit ring gear bolts as that is the only difference, they are bigger, then go back to your truck when you took the open carrier out there were spacer rings between the bearings and the housing throw them out as the LS carrier is slightly wider (this is true even with a factory LSD carrier not just the modified one) shim carrier bearings and enjoy a vast improvement in traction.

 

Whoa!....dd, you definately have the low down on the 70 to 80 plok swap!.....One thing I want to add, though......I had my D80 apart a week ago and it has the factory plok in it (yes a plok, not the trakscrap! )..... anyway, it had the spacers between the carrier bearings and the housing right from the factory.....just thought I would let you know......the plok in the rear D70 on my 2500 does not have these spacers but then again it is not a D70HD.

 

really. hmmm well i wouldnt see why you couldnt use the spacers. my 02, didnt have the spacers and the 3 D80's i have setup with 70HD ploks i had to remove the spacers cause i just couldnt make her fit, I shouldnt have stated that as gossiple truth. another option is to machine down the 70HD carrier ends to match the D80 open carrier spacing so that you could use the spacers, i had looked at that as an option but i never pursued it because i never had any issues by installing without the spacers. interesting though i have never had the oportunity to use or see a factory D80 Plok as all the trucks i have seen have had the bolt together trash lok already installed as an update/replacement.


though i am eager to tear my 1998 12v apart as it has a factory LSD and dana 80 so hopefully its a Plok and no further modifications will be necessary


Good info helps to compare experiences to better understand the odd alternatives that are out there

 

You could put a powertrax noslip on there but those things are a little scary in the rain/snow. It's more of a locker...

 

Great info....though some of the technicals are above my head. Where do I find this Randy or Reider?

The D70HD w/ Powrlok sounds like a winner. If I was looking for a used one, what would I be looking for truckwise?

DD...wanna job settin one up for me?

 

Here is my question to Randy's Ring and Pinion:

I have heard that the (For my 99 Dodge 3500 DRW 35 Spline Dana 80) a Dana P-lok is actually a re-badged Trac-Lok instead and that I would need to order a Dana 70HD P-Lok and have the ring gear holes upsized to the Dana 80 size to get an actual P-Lok. Can you clarify the issue for me and tell me how much the labor costs to have you enlarge the ring mounting holes?

Thanks,

Joe

And the Reply:

The Dana 80 p/l has been discontinued, you may be able to adapt a d70hd p/l BUT the ring gear will only be retained by the bolts not the pilot on the carrier, The ring gear will stick out over the edge of the p/l and it is definitely NOT recommended. We will not machine a d70hd p/l to work in the Dana 80



Allen Booher

Account Manager
Randy's Ring & Pinion
Phone: 425-347-1188 ext. 5570
Fax: 425-355-1529
E-mail: bbooher@ringpinion.com


So what is the true answer? Any actual experience with installing a Dana 70HD Carrier into a Dodge Dana 80 Rear Axle? Which shops are willing to perform the machine work necessary to make it work at what cost?

Thanks,

Joe

 

It seems to me that a lot of people say not to use a Locker when towing but if I remember correctly I had a GMC 3/4T that came from the factory with a locker and I and everyone else that bought on towed horses, trailers and boats with those trucks!

How can it be OK to tow with a GM product with a factory Detroit Locker and not in our trucks? I just remember being told to try to coast around tight corners and I never really had a problem that I can recall anyway.

Joe

 

I am in the same boat with a open diff 3.55 dana 80. I have been looking of a while to find a p-lok and Reider does not list one for a 70 or 70hd only a 60