Limited Slip Diff. Is it working?

[Newf Limo]

I was sitting in the driveway at the cabin in the mountains, hard packed snow and ice covered the driveway but the roads were clear. I thought I could just ease out in two wheel drive since it was flat and I only had a truck length to go. I eased out the clutch and thought for a moment it hadn't engaged. Much to my dismay, one rear tire was turning and the other was stationary. I gave it a a few more revs. and no change.
I had limited slip on my blazer, and if a rear tire slipped you could feel the rear-end engage the otherside. It always went to the side with grip, that's why I was always able to go places other two wheel drives couldn't.
What is an easy way to check if my rear diff. isn't working properly (or did I just do it)or, am I mistaken about how these limited slip Diff. s are supposed to work.
I swear I only have one wheel drive, I always have to use 4wd for any amount of snow/ice except maybe downhill but then again 4wd keeps me in control downhill so there goes that! Holy Cow! I wonder if they forgot to install it?!?!

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2001 ETH 6spd 4X4 SLT

• Dark Garnet Red Pearlcoat
• A. R. E. MX Topper & Walk-thru Door
• 3. 54 Anti-Slip Diff.
• Trailer & Camper pkg.
• Turbo Silencer Ring in Glove Box
• Snow Plow Prep aka Moving to Colorado Prep

Nothin' could be sweeter than "Rammin' With My Newfys!!"

 

[Dane]

Try a short burnout on cement. You should see one black stripe and then the other side should start a black stripe within a couple of feet. I don't know why DC can't make the LS work when we need it the most??? My GM vehicals LS worked in all conditions. You can try and make it kick in by adding some emergency brake in those conditions to get it to kick in...

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2001 HO 6 speed Regular Cab SLT 4x4 3. 54 anti spin 2500. Used for the daily grind and sneaking away to some secret Baja beaches toting a cabover

 

[Vaman]

Mine works the same way and it sucks. I was at the beach and it bounced between one wheel trying to go and then the other. Jerked the heck out of the entire drive train and proceeded to dig itself deeper in the sand. A friend of mine had the same thing happen in mud... called the dealer and made him come out and see it... cracked me up.

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98. 5 2500, 24v, QC, 4x4, 4. 10 LSD, short bed, Line-X liner, tow package, camper suspension, Westin nerfs, camper shell, TST PowerMax3, 275 RVs, EGT/Boost pillar gauges... Love my Cummins, no love for Dodge

[This message has been edited by Vaman (edited 03-16-2001). ]

 

[TMc]

Sorry to hear about all you guys with the Slipping limited slips. I've read so many complaints on TDR about this. I've been lucky my 96 spins both wheels 99. 9% of the time, I've had the right wheel on ice and the left on dry pavement going uphill and still had no problems. This thing is so tight that my left tire when taking a hard left turn from a stop will spin on dry pavement at the same rate as the outside wheel, I got 100k on it too. So here's my question... ... . Is this a higher percentage problem with the late model dodges ? Maybe DANA switching to a different clutch composition or tolerance or both.

 

[Vaman]

Anyone have a definitive answer on how to check this or fix it? I'm going to enter my truck in a truck pull this summer and if my LSD acts like it has, I'll probably destroy it. I was hoping to destroy a turbo or maybe a clutch but not my axles. #ad

 

[RKohn]

Here's the old post on the subject.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/ubb//Forum4/HTML/004166.html

When I do my 50k service I'm gonna change the lube to full synthetic with no additive and see what happens.

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Y2K Red Stealth Sport 2500 4X4 QC SLT+, 5-spd, 3. 54 LotsaSpinDiff, 265-75-16 LTX's (Don't Michelins ever wear out?), DC's dead cow/vinyl interior and 4-wheel don't stop anti-lock brakes, Roll-N-Lock bedcover. What silencer ring? (More fun than my 98 SST)

 

[Great White]

Try this it's tough on the pinon but you will know if limited is there and working or not.
Drive off a curb with the front tires leaving the rears on up the concrete. Put the truck in reverse and try to back up. (gently!) Open diff will generally spin one tire, limited slip will generally spin both... . Mine does. .
My truck performs well on snow 12-14" new soft, both spin on hard pack in 2 wheel.
I Changed out the axle lubes to Amsoil and added 1 1/2 bottles of additive in the rear. I can hear & feel clutches in rear during hard cornering with moderate throttle. Kind of a "shudder".
Another way to check if limited is there is to jack up rear axle and place the transmission in neutral and spin one rear tire by hand. If the other side spins the same direction it's a limited slip. Opposite direction open diff.
Rich



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2001. 5 2500 ETH/DEE 4x4,Patriot Blue over Silver,Camper pkg, Trailer pkg,Agate Leather,Stainless Smitty Bars,Tow hooks,Amsoil... ... ... Except snowplow!

 

[danandamy]

My 2wd '95 has limited slip and it works great. I haven't stuck it yet, and it will always spin both back tires. I was really disappointed, however to find the '95 4x4 appearantly has open differential. If it's sitting on the least little bit of gravel, it'll sit there spinning one tire, mocking me #ad


Daniel

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95 2500 SLT Laramie 3. 54 automatic JVC cd out of factory infinity system, southwest grill gaurd (a favorite amongst the deer population), K&N chunked, AFC adjusted, "gutless" cat, Geno's dual EGT/boost gauge, TST #6 plate slid all the way forward, AFC housing slid all the way forward, silencer ring removed
Just aquired 95 2500 SLT Laramie 4x4 automatic, innocent, stock and anxiously awaiting being defiled by bombing... .
"Don't be scared V8's, it's only a 6 cylinder"

 

[JJW_ND]

My 96 with just about 200K on is as tight as TMc described. I have a 2001 work truck that also seems to be the same (pretty new yet!). Several 99s and 2000 in our fleet all with the 3. 54 Limited slip. All as tight as my 96 as far as I have seen.

Something is wrong!!!!

As compared to all the chevy and ford limited slips I have been around these Dana 80s used by Dodge are the best!

jjw
ND

 

[Newf Limo]

I called Glen Thomas (5 star) Dodge in Long Beach. They said that if it is doing what I said it was doing, then it is doing it wrong. I am to bring it in to be checked out next week. Maybe because it is the first 2001 from the St. Louis plant they decided to start the new year off right and not put in limited slip to see how long it takes someone to notice #ad


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2001 ETH 6spd 4X4 SLT

• Dark Garnet Red Pearlcoat
• A. R. E. MX Topper & Walk-thru Door
• 3. 54 Anti-Slip Diff.
• Trailer & Camper pkg.
• Turbo Silencer Ring in Glove Box
• Snow Plow Prep aka Moving to Colorado Prep

Nothin' could be sweeter than "Rammin' With My Newfys!!"

[This message has been edited by Newf Limo (edited 03-16-2001). ]

 

[TowPro]

If you do a search on Limited slip, back about january there was a thread running where somebody looked up in the manual which said "you jack up one side, you put a torque wrench on that tire (with some special fixture they have). You should see from 25-100 ft lbs torque before the wheel will turn.

Thats just a fraction of what kind of power our motors can dish out!

 

[CDR]

My truck, 8/30/00, Mexican born sucker has the $285 "LSD" or "Lotsa-slip-differential". I am glad I don't have an auto, otherwise one wheel would really get zingging along taking a right turn with ice or sand or caterpillar snot, anything under the right wheel. Also, if I pull up to a snow pile in 2X in my friends farmyard... one wheel wonder. Once when pulling a PSD out of a ditch 4-low=2WD (the right side, all four on hard packed snow). It will work just well enough so that you are certain that it is freezing rain out.

The dealer where I bought it ordered a new clutch-pack for it as the same time as my center console... . even though it was "in specs". I am pretty disgusted with it, but I figure it can't get worse. Might as well let 'em try, right? I'll let you guys know if this helps. I wonder if I could talk them into putting Amsoil in it right away(I'd buy... ).

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Chris 01. 5 2500 ETH/DEE 3. 55 LSD 4x4 QC/LWB SLT Patriot/Silver Camper,Trailer,Snowplow prep...

 

[David_VT]

I got my truck hi centered in a snow field this winter(don't ask why). Being all alone and having nothing to hit but more snow, I did a very unsafe thing of leaving the truck in gear in 4lo while I attempted to jam enough under the tires to get the rig to move. I figured that in 4lo it was not going to go very far and maybe I could climb back in before it got stuck again.

Much to my surprise, all 4 wheels were in contact with the packed snow and were ALL spinning. I eventually got the beast unstuck when a 2x4 caught under one of the rear tires and provided just enough traction to get it moving.

I would not advise 'trying this at home', but it was educational.

When I first hit the slick stuff in my new truck (oh so long ago), I though my LS was bad. Before long I realized the mighty Cummins was providing way too much torque and the tires could not stay stuck to the ground. I spend most of my time in 4wd because of the LS behavior.

 

[Newf Limo]

There is a hill I have to go up to get to the cabin, the road is paved the hill is short steep and one lane (paved). The burm of snow is about 5 feet high and one half of the pavement doesn't get the sun so it is still covered with ice. My passenger side is on dry pavement, if I go to slow I won't have the momentum to make it in two wheel drive unless I really stay on the throttle, then it spins it's way up but just barely. I wonder how much an ARB air locker would cost me. I hate throwing it into 4wd for every little patch of ice, just to pull it back into 2wd due to all the dry pavement that follows. There is definitely a problem. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be the nature of the beast.

[This message has been edited by Newf Limo (edited 03-17-2001). ]

 

[Okie-Go]

I was going to post,same problem. I had a load of wood with gooseneck trailer. I get stuck,one wheel pull and the other just sits. I hook a chain to a pole and same thing. I am going to try to buy a locker like my ole chevy had. Cost 400. 00 but to me it was worth it. I will take it to the dealer first, least I get the lube changed. Will be watching.

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2001 quadcab slt 2500 HO 6spd. LWB,2wd,dk garnett red, trailer tow package,camper special, anti spin 3. 54 axle, speed liner,oversized stainless steel chicken slide,66 gallon in bed aux. tank,K&N air filter,Reese 20k hitch, Terry 2000 EX 30ft. double slide 5er, 2000 20ft gooseneck for haulin jeep, firewood and huntin stuff. 5X12 tagalong for haulin the 4 wheeler. Okie Newton

 

[Missouri Mule]

If your Limited slips(anti-spin) are that bad I would carry some old(or new) snow chains along to put under the tires for extra traction( for starting off only).
If the terrain or conditions are slick I would attach them to tire.
But lockers especially part time would be nice.

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Bill Thomas
Missouri Mule - 96 Wht 4X4 ST CC,5 spd, 3. 54, 8 ft bed, 1 ft high cheater boards.
99 Freightliner bl/wht FL60 ISB-5. 9 24v,215 hp,520 tq,6 spd, 3. 59 nsr,16 ft box, 19. 5 tires,Wt/gvw 11,000/23000

 

[Thunderball]

You have to apply the brake, for lsd to ingauge the other wheel, If you drive a 5 speed or 6 speed use a little of the parking brake.

Good Luck

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2001 Ram 2500HD 4x4 Quad Cab, Slt, Auto, Long-bed, 354 Anti-Spin Differential, White Clear Coat / Light Driftwood Satin Glow, Trailer Tow Group, Snow Plow Prep, Camper Special, Brakes Pwr Disc/Drum, Rr Anti-Lock, every thing but leather.

 

[drives mopars]

HAY DAVID VT

I DID THIS IN RENO BACK IN 74 IWAS 21
DRIVING A 65 6 CYC MUSTANG W/ 3 SPD
HOWEVER I THINGS WENT DIFFERENT FOR ME

I WAS OUT IN THE SNOW ON WAY TO CASIO
TO WORK 1 ST DAY ON JOB. GOT SIDEWAYS
IN SNOW ( IWAS NEW AT IT) IT WAS 1 AM
DARK AND MY CAR WAS STUCK. S O I DID WHAT U DID, HOW EVER AS I WAS PUSHING W/ THE CAR IN
GEAR , IT CAUGHT TRACKSON AND TOOK OFF
DOWN THE ROAD BACK WARDS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS WEARING BLACK DRESS SHOES
( 1 ST DAY ON JOB IN CASINO) AND I COULD NOT FIND ANY TRACKSON MY SELF, I FELL DOWN
BUT FINALLY GOT UP RAN AND CAUGHT IT
1/2 BLOCK LATER.

OH I WAS LATE FOR WORK, TOLD THE BOSS
HE DIDNT BELIEVE ME AND TOLD ME TO COME BACK THE NEXT MORNING.

THINGS YA DO WHEN YOU ARE YOUNG.


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1993 w350 ex cab, banks,nv 4500 in
open exaust, pw Injectors are in. Big rig flaps,tach in,. Its loud and goes ok, for a 93,Ham radio Call KK6dm
has ability to communicate any where in the world. Headliner shelf
5 antenna's

 

[David_VT]

Yeah, that is why I used 4-lo, thinking it could not out run me at idle in 1st.

(I'd like to use the young excuse, but... . )

 

[Newf Limo]

Did the parking brake thing, Didn't make any difference. Was actually able to apply a little brake pedal, since I had a free foot available. It isn't like I had to feather the clutch with it #ad