Salvage rearend
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
Salvage rearend
A couple years ago my factory limited slip started going bad and the shop I took it to replaced the whole rearend with a salvage open rearend.
I want to get a limited slip back in and I’m wondering. If I go to a yard and buy an entire used rearend with a limited slip. How likely is it that the unit would being it’s way out? What’s the mileage I want to stay under? If I just get the wheels off the ground and make sure both wheels spin the same direction when I turn one wheel is that enough to know that it’s not bad before buying?
I want to get a limited slip back in and I’m wondering. If I go to a yard and buy an entire used rearend with a limited slip. How likely is it that the unit would being it’s way out? What’s the mileage I want to stay under? If I just get the wheels off the ground and make sure both wheels spin the same direction when I turn one wheel is that enough to know that it’s not bad before buying?
Trailering
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 23
Likes: 3
A couple years ago my factory limited slip started going bad and the shop I took it to replaced the whole rearend with a salvage open rearend.
I want to get a limited slip back in and I’m wondering. If I go to a yard and buy an entire used rearend with a limited slip. How likely is it that the unit would being it’s way out? What’s the mileage I want to stay under? If I just get the wheels off the ground and make sure both wheels spin the same direction when I turn one wheel is that enough to know that it’s not bad before buying?
I want to get a limited slip back in and I’m wondering. If I go to a yard and buy an entire used rearend with a limited slip. How likely is it that the unit would being it’s way out? What’s the mileage I want to stay under? If I just get the wheels off the ground and make sure both wheels spin the same direction when I turn one wheel is that enough to know that it’s not bad before buying?
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
Yes, installing a new LSD is beyond my skill set but swapping the entire reared isn't. Local shops are quoting around $2,000 to install a new LSD but I can find a salvaged reared for well under $1,000.
Trailering
Joined: Jan 2026
Posts: 23
Likes: 3
Gotcha, scrap yards are getting ridiculous with there inventory. Example my transmission went out In my 2007 f150 5.4 fx4 and I can't rebuild one but I can swap one out, so I called around and the going rate was $1800_$2000 for one with 150k + miles on it! So I got a ATK remand from jegs with new torque converter and fluid for $2100. Just mind blowing 🤯 have you searched car-part.com it gives you access to every salvage yard in the United States
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 1,316
Likes: 313
Just go aftermarket. The clutches in the factory Trac-lok aren’t the greatest and you have that friction modifier to deal with as well.
I did look briefly at them, but I hear lunchbox lockers may be worthwhile.
Either way, those quotes you’re getting must be the “we don’t need the work” quotes.
I did look briefly at them, but I hear lunchbox lockers may be worthwhile.
Either way, those quotes you’re getting must be the “we don’t need the work” quotes.
Last edited by Johnny Paycheck; Feb 7, 2026 at 09:20 PM.
Cargo Master
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 2,919
Likes: 510
Just go aftermarket. The clutches in the factory Trac-lok aren’t the greatest and you have that friction modifier to deal with as well.
I did look briefly at them, but I hear lunchbox lockers may be worthwhile.
Either way, those quotes you’re getting must be the “we don’t need the work” quotes.
I did look briefly at them, but I hear lunchbox lockers may be worthwhile.
Either way, those quotes you’re getting must be the “we don’t need the work” quotes.
Lunchbox lockers are a different world, though. Typically noisy and kinda abrupt. If you need absolute no-nonsense traction, though, they'll do it. If it's a pavement princess a quality limited slip is the ticket, and that is most definitely not OEM.
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 794
Likes: 3
I definitely want quality limited slip. Smooth engagement and disengagement. Don’t want it to be snappy or harsh.
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Hotshot
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 10,808
Likes: 2,604
From: The Shenandoah Valley
At one end you have the open rear. It's smooth. It works very well on pavement, curves and straights. It provides power to both rear wheels the same, always limited to the power handling capability of the one with least traction.
At the other end you have the spool. It's smooth in operation as all it does is lock the axles together like one but they don't work so well on pavement, curves, etc.
Any track loc or posi, locker, etc. is gonna fall in between the two, they are engineered attempts to combine the best of both, they will never be perfect by every users notion of perfect operation in all uses. A user control will let the user best tailor operation to the moment.
You could modify one to immitate a spool, or just modify one so only one drive wheel will always do the pushing.
At the other end you have the spool. It's smooth in operation as all it does is lock the axles together like one but they don't work so well on pavement, curves, etc.
Any track loc or posi, locker, etc. is gonna fall in between the two, they are engineered attempts to combine the best of both, they will never be perfect by every users notion of perfect operation in all uses. A user control will let the user best tailor operation to the moment.
You could modify one to immitate a spool, or just modify one so only one drive wheel will always do the pushing.
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