2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Limited Slip Diff???

[Big Dawg]

Chris N5CWM...



Obviously you are an environmentally irresponsible person. Your cavalier attitude toward our environment and ecosystem is not at all appreciated. You are wasting valuable resources such as rubber and the Earth's quickly vanishing oil supply. You are also contributing to air pollution with that tire and diesel smoke as well as noise pollution. This undoubtedly leads to more global warming and acid rain. Not to mention that you probably gave some nearby squirrel heart failure. You are not blending smoothly into our eco-system.





PUKE, COUGH... GAG. I'm sorry... I was having a flashback from a CNN tree hugger news story.



YEAH BABY!!! Burn Baby Burn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



73's

 

[Wirenut]

If my truck doesn't have limited slip, how hard or how expensive is it to get it? What do I have to change out? The whole rear end or just stuff inside? I'm terrible with drive train stuff, I generally stick to the engine performance

 

[jtisdale]

Well, you can get a Detroit for like $500 or so.

 

[Chris N5CWM]

Axle work involving gear changes, limited slip/locker installations generally require special tools and measuring equpment to do the job right. Find a shop with a good reputation, get a written statement and a warranty (at least something like 30/60/90 days) in writing. It takes time and experience to do the job right so it will cost a bit. Shop around but don't go with the cheapest quote. Remember, "you get what you pay for".

 

[Sarge]

Does it matter which wheel you jack up to test the torque at the wheel?

 

[Chris N5CWM]

The easiest way to determine if you have the "anti-spin" axle is to open your glove box and look on the decal for :



DSA Axle - Anti Spin Differential



. . among the other listings. If that option is not listed there, then you don't have a limited slip diff. If the decal is not there, then:





It doesn't matter which axle you jack up. If it's possible, chock the front wheels to prevent rolling. Then jack both sides, all the back wheels, up off the ground. Put the truck in park if an auto or in gear if a manual. Release the parking brake and try BY HAND to turn one of the rear wheels. If the opposite wheel turns easily and in the opposite direction without difficulty then there is likely no limited slip installed or you have a worn out or very loose limited slip. If it takes a lot of force to turn the wheel then you do have a limited slip. If the driveshaft turns, make sure you put the trans in park or in gear (engine off of course!) and try again.



If all else fails remove the rear diff cover and take a closer look!

 

[Ramafid]

The limited slip works great if you have a Dana 70. You get the power-loc with the 70 and it works! I have 79K on it and it still works like brand new. I can put one tire on snow ice or mud and one on dry pavement and take off with no slippage. For those that have the Dana 80 (manual transmissions) you have the Trac-loc and it stinks. I have had two of them before and they are worthless. If you want a good two wheel traction you are going to have to get rid of the Trac-loc differential.

 

[TowPro]

I was just over my buddys house. He builds rears for Drag cars as a side business. I looked through his Dana 80 book for LSD torque specs.



With one wheel on ground, other in air, trans in N, if it takes less then 40 ft lbs, you got a problem.



40 ft lbs is not much if you ask me. Buddy said any more and your going to wear out clutch packs under normal driving.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

40 lbs would be the LOW side torque limit - wonder what the high side reading would be?



Face it, these are *limited slip* differentials, not lockers - they are an *assist*, not a no-doubt-about-it traction equalizer that will provide power to the gripping side no matter what - and for most of us, that prpbably will be all we will ever need.

 

[Ramafid]

They may be Limited slip but my diff works just like a locker without the serious wheel chatter at low speeds. I had the LA locker and it was brutal in low speed turning situations. My power-loc works like a dream and never chatters. I've had one tire in soft ground and one on pavement and floored it and spun both tires. I've also been stuck in lots of snow with only one rear tire having traction and ended up smoking that tire like at a drag strip. The power-loc works! The best differential I have ever owned that provided complete traction and very smooth. I think most of the LSD complaints are from the Dana 80 Trac-loc.

 

[johnmoore]

Originally posted by Ramafid

For those that have the Dana 80 (manual transmissions) you have the Trac-loc and it stinks.

How true that is. When we had our last snow storm a couple weeks ago I found out just how 'good' Trac-loc is. I got stuck in a spot where I could not get to one wheel to put on a chain. I was able to get chains on the other tire. I thought well at least that one will get me out. WRONG. . . The tire without the chain just sat there and spun while the tire with the chain did absolutely nothing. So much for that theory. The good news was a neighbor with 4wd pulled me out. The bad news is I did get my clutch smoking! Maybe that isn't bad news after all?

 

[Cummins Cowboy]

I think alot of people think they have LSD but really don't. I have seen open diffs act as a LSD sometimes. Heck half of the 4x4 trucks i looked at when buying mine where non LSD I would wager that if you have a 2wd that unless it was special ordered that you really have a non LSD