Well....I've been looking for a decent posi unit, but am trying to save a little money. I like the zexel torsen units, but the new HD ones are like $500. Would it be safe to pull one of these from a salvage yard from a 4th gen? Or should i bite the bullet and get a new one?

I just had my rear rebuilt with all new gears, and 28 spline axles. Everythign in the rear end is new, even the crappy guv-loc posi.

 

How "reliable" is a used ANYTHING???

It all depends on HOW it was used. Which can be mighty hard to tell very much about over the Internet.

You'll just have to go look at what's available in your area, and see if it shows obvious signs of abuse. Beyond that, it's as reliable in "used" form, as it is in the cars that come with it. Which in that particular part's case, isn't too much of a problem, AFAIK; unless it's been raced with sticky tires. At least, I havent' seen too many of the LS1 cars sitting by the side of the road with rear end fluid running out from under them. Only at the strip. So if I was looking for one, I'd just have to trust the eviddence of my eyes.

 

I personally like the lock-right/powertrax types...

I buy them because they fit in an open rear end very easily and you get to throw out the crappy stock spider gears.

I don't know about your gov-lock unit; I don't think they fit those...

Oh, and don't worry about the noise... you won't care after you drive it!!

 

until you start making good power and break it or the axles.....mw66nova broke one behind his 305. I've seen them broke by decent 4.3's. Besides the fact that lockers are notorious for breaking stock axles when driven on the street.

- The zexel's are a good unit. As sofakingdom said, reliabilty of used parts is all in your judgement of its previous wear and tear. If it has any gouging around the worm gears or the drive gears, it's been beat pretty hard. - They're a good unit for some pretty moderate/serious power. My detroit true-trac is basically the same design and I run 11.7's on it, once the car's done it should be solidly in the 10's, and I have no intentions of changing it out. I may have to switch to a 9" rear, but even if I do I'm gonna get another true-trac.

 

I typically run the lock-right with aftermarket axles... I should have said that. Although I typically snap u-joints and driveshafts and not the guts of the locker.

I have heard the powertrax street version does break under load but I have not had the problem with the old style lock right. They are different and as a result the lock right is noisy as hell. I don't care, though...