Don't leave the salvage yard till you pull the plate (10 1/2" bolts) and inspect the gears and what you can see of the G80 workings. I've had several of these, but not found a bad one yet.

 

So how do I find out if its got the same gear ratio if mine is GU6 3.42 (the code in glovebox) and the one Im looking for is G80, which will be the code in the one i want? Just dont wanna get something that isnt gonna work right =) I dont know a lot about cars that happens behind the tranny, but Im learning.

 

Check in the glove box for the codes GU6 (3.42) and G80, but even if the ratio is off it'll either be a 3.42 or a GT4 (3.73). IMO that's not a big difference, so I would just worry about getting the g80. The only problem would be that your speedo would be off by a little if you got the 3.73, unless you got some 30" or 31" tires then that would bring the ratio back to stock.

 

RATIO is IMPORTANT! If you ever engage 4X4 when all four are getting good traction, one axle will try to move 10 ft when the other tries to move 11 feet. It's called "wind up" and is very hard on gears, CVs and tires. If the ratios don't match, indeed, if the tires are not the same size (and even amount of wear) wind up can be a problem!

If you have 4 same tires, but two are worn more and two worn less, put one of each on front and one of each on rear. This will reduce wind up.

If you ONLY use 4x4 on mud, sand, snow, reduced traction, then what I've said is not important.