Limited slip differential, is it worth it?

[PJ]

My 72 Chevy 4x4 has a LOCKING rear. Trust me. You DON'T want one. It is hell on rear tires as there is NO give at all and chirps around every corner. My back tires are always chewed up. limited slip is more for the every day driver that sometimes gets him self in a situation. I didnt have anti spin in my 04 and I needed to throw it into 4x4 every time I left my Calif ranch. Now, in my new truck, I have the anti spin and I have yet to put in in 4x4 on the same road. I have in fact spun on wet grass. that was a shocker. My Chevy would have just been out of there! Im glad I have the anti spin on the Dodge. If for nothing else, resale will more than pay for it!

 

[bmoeller]

The frustration of having all that power & being stuck in the wet grass is not worth the money you'll save IMHO

I hear that. Love having a LSD. Neither of my Fords did.

 

[JKlopp]

I have the factory limited slip in my 05 and it works just like described in many of the posts. However, I still hope someone will make a true locker available. In deep snow nothing else even comes close unless you want to chain up. The best option would be the electric locker like on the new power wagon. An open diff with a true locker at the flip of a switch, plus you can get it on the front. If it was available even as a dealer installed option, I would order it today.

 

[rbattelle]

I change opinions again

I had the opportunity several times this past weekend to test the LSD on my truck. Two passenger side tires on snow/ice, two drivers side tires on pavement, truck in 2wd at a complete stop. Every time I was able to pull out no problem using the LSD. In fact, I could actually feel the unit grab, so it does work. The key is to ensure the slipping wheel has some traction to be multiplied.



So my new opinion is that the factory LSD is "okay". Works well within its limits.



-Ryan

 

[NSperduto]

The key is to ensure the slipping wheel has some traction to be multiplied.

-Ryan

So if the one side of the truck is on ice, how do you ensure the slipping wheel has traction.

 

[TSpecht]

I'm not sure if the trick works on this particular LSD, but in some cases you can fool the LSD into transferring power to the other wheel by stepping on the brakes. That will help create some drag on the wheel without traction and might help it decide to transfer power to the other one...

 

[rbattelle]

So if the one side of the truck is on ice, how do you ensure the slipping wheel has traction.

Well, what I mean is on smooth slick fresh ice there's not much traction available to multiply, whereas on hard packed snow with some rough ice on top of it there's a little traction to be had on the slipping wheel (which can then be multiplied via the diff).



Applying the parking brake slightly can help. According to "The Four Wheeler's Bible" applying your parking brake at 50% will offer the best chance of "tricking" a Torsen-type diff into locking up... any more than 50% and you're no longer doing any good, you're just plain stuck.



-Ryan

 

[MNielsen]

Ok. but I wonder what "enough" miles are.

I have 168k on it now and it still performs like new.



When I think of LSD, I thnk of Posi-traction, when I think of posi-traction, I want a vehicle that when I stomp on the gas, I'll see two tire squealing and rubber burning and two black strips right up the street.



I'm not trying to argue with you, I just think the lsd blows.



Nick

NSperduto,

If you want to take off like a bat outta he#@ when you step on the "gas" then may I suggest you try the SRT gasser truck otherwise we diesel folks depress the accelerator and hold on for dear life as the turbo spools up and takes off into outer space.

I believe in the anti-spin after a recent trip to South Lake Tahoe to go skiing and got cought in a bad snow storm. I believe my CTD 4x4 anti-spin got my family and I home safe and sound!!!!!IMHO.

 

[TSpecht]

Mine's never done a peg legged burn out thus far... Always two equal (or very close) length strips of rubber as evidence on the ground of the power of the Cummins diesel and launching with the turbo spooled a little... :-laf

 

[NSperduto]

NSperduto,

... ..... otherwise we diesel folks depress the accelerator and hold on for dear life as the turbo spools up and takes off into outer space... ... .....

Unless your in 2wd and one side of the truck is in ice/snow, then you can spool up the turbo all you want and sit there while the one tire roasts.



I'm not saying it doesn't work as designed, I just think the design sucks and if you have 4wd, paying for the lsd is a waste of money.