2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission No Traction

[MAngelotti]

I shouldnt say NO traction but I will say I'm getting tired of spinning 1 wheel all over the place. The truck is a 99' 2500 4x4 qc sb, Airdog 100, S&B, muffler deleted. LIMITED SLIP. Is there anything I can do to this truck to give it more traction or do I have to make it posi? I suppose that if I want to continue to drive the way I do I would rather have both spinning anyway! All kidding aside it seems pretty silly to have to shift to 4x4 to take off in the snow, don't you think. Any input would be appreciated and if anyone knows where I can get the parts for this upgrade that would be helpful.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[GAmes]

I believe posi-traction and limited slip are basically the same thing. Did you put in the additive the last time the diff oil was changed?

 

[PVanderlugt]

With no additive posi would act like a locker. additive acts as a slipping agent for the clutches, did you add to much additive at the last oil change?? I would change the fluid and don't put any additive in and see what happens. Also worn out clutches is a posibility.
Tires in good shape?? worn evenly??
Pete

 

[WestTN]

Throw a 1,000 lbs or so in the bed. An empty Dodge CTD is very nose heavy.

 

[Jetson]

Restacking the limited slip clutch disks and adding a couple more friction disks is supposed to help.

 

[ata]

I would change the fluid and don't put any additive in and see what happens.

Pete

I would try what Pete said before I spent any money on anything else. But don't expect a big difference right away. It will take a few miles to work the old oil out of the clutch disks.

 

[MAngelotti]

I would try what Pete said before I spent any money on anything else. But don't expect a big difference right away. It will take a few miles to work the old oil out of the clutch disks.

Thanks guys, I havent had the truck very long and havent done diff fluids yet. Has been done religeously by previous owner judging by the slips I found. I'll try changing the fluids.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[kenny61]

Mine sucked straight from the factory. Never worked as good as i would have liked

 

[BDaugherty]

Factory limited slips are usually pretty mild since they have to "please everybody". Add 100K miles or more and they're next to usesless. If you have a '99, then it's probably a D70 rear with a PowrLoc differential. It's very easy to upgrade. You can order a rebuild kit with new clutch plates and discs and bellville springs and put it back to stock, or you can restack it with the stock parts, or you can do what I did and restack it with the new parts.

All you have to do it pull the axles and then remove the differential. It's very easy to do and you don't have to worry about messing up the gear pattern. There are some 7/16 bolts holding the differential together. Take them out and split it in half. Keep track of the order to clutches and discs. The tightest way to stack it would be disc, plate, disc, plate, etc. Factory is more like disc, disc, disc, plate, plate plate, disc, plate. Changing the order of the plates and discs will net more friction from more surface area, making the limited slip "tighter". When you put everything back, use a torque wrench and pull everything down evenly. Also, friction modifier is to prevent chatter. It will not make a big difference in how tight your limited slip is.

 

[GAmes]

Add 100K miles or more and they're next to usesless.

I disagree. I haven't driven in any deep snow this year, but last spring with close to 600k miles on it my LS worked perfect.

 

[SRath]

I plow snow with my '96 and the factory limited slip absolutely sucked! All 'slip'; no 'limited'... Worthless!



I drained the oil and refilled it with Amsoil synthetic and NO posi additive and was rewarded with a MUCH better functioning limited slip.



I still don't like the limited slip in my rear axle after having had a Detroit Locker in my Chevy for years, so I bought a PowerTrax locker for the Dana 80 Dodge rear, but have yet to have it installed. A locker is FAR superior!



WestTN is absolutely right about the nose-heavy Dodge, too. Especially when you add a 1,000 pound V-blade hanging a few feet beyond the front end. I counter this by buying a pallet (1,000 to 2,000 lbs, depending on what I can afford) of water softener salt and shrinkwrapping the heck out it and putting it in the backend.



The softener salt bags are weatherproof, the salt can be used in a pinch for extra traction on ice, and it is also something I must buy anyway for my home's well water. As winter wears on, we use the salt in our softener as we need it. Come spring, I remove it all and continue to use it throughout the rest of the year in the softener. I save a few bucks buying in bulk, too.



You would be amazed at what a good-functioning limited slip with 1 or 2 thousand pounds of weight (not to mention tire chains!) can do on snow and ice. Add an open-diff front axle with another 1000 pounds, and you can REALLY get stuck beyond hope!! #@$%!



ALL 4x4's get stuck; it's just the better they are; the farther into the mess you get... and the harder it is to get them out. My favorite is hitting a 6 or 7 foot high snow drift hammer-down in 4th gear and belly-flopping onto the pile. No wheels touching anything even resembling terra-firma... Get out the shovel and start digging for a few hours...

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

I had a shop rebuild my Dana 70 open diff and install a Power-Lok and stacked it for moderately aggressive limited slip, and of the 4 Ram trucks with limited slip I've had this one blows them away. If the right tire is in the mud or slippery surface the left tire grabs & goes, and it's way smooth. Normal driving you'd never know it had a LSD. No unusual or rapid tire wear with all the city driving I do.