Limited Slip or Not?

[MRiehl]

Guys - Hoping to pull the trigger soon in the next week or two and place an order for an 04. 5 (SLT, 4x4, QC, 6 speed). I've learned a lot reading through all of the posts, it has been very helpful.



Only option that I'm on the fence about is the LSD.



This truck won't be used for towing or going off road, my only concern would be performance in rain or snow.



Looking for a few opinions - is it worth the money? What are the differences from the stock rear?



Thanks,

Mark

 

[KD7GYJ]

To spin or not to spin, that is the question.



I live where there is snow and would not purchase a truck without LSD (limited slip differential). That is one of the first things I look for on the sticker. If it doesn't have it, I keep looking.



But this is all personal preference...



Good luck with your new purchase. I can't wait... . It's killing me that I can't get one yet.

 

[Pawpaw]

We don't get much snow here and your profile does not tell where you live, so I'll just give you my take on LSD. YMMV



With the LSD I am always aware that when doing a quick turning start, such as pulling out into traffic, I have to be careful or the back wheels will break loose and the back end will swing around.



With an open differential, the inside tire would break loose much easier. The back end wouldn't swing around, but acceleration would suffer and merging into traffic would be much more difficult.



The cost for LSD is really trivial compared to the cost of the truck. Later, if you decided you didn't like it, I don't think it would cost much to purchase an open diff and make the swap. Going the other way would surely cost far more.

 

[klenger]

Get it.

 

[lil red cummins]

i THOUGHT i needed LSD. however on my truck, it doesnt do anything on snow or ice, which is where you need it most. there have been other threads on this subject. the design of the latest LSD requires a torque load on both wheels to engage. the only way to get it to lock up on ice or snow is to apply the brake to get the slipping wheel to drag enough to engage the LSD. this is not the design i thought i was getting. i though i would get the spring loaded clutch type design. so, would i order it again??



not sure. i must say in fairness, with the torque this baby produces on dry pavement, i have been happy to have the LSD. it does work on dry, as i have seen the 2 black patches in my rear view mirror.



jim

 

[RMcCulloch]

Get the LSD!



Not only does it help in marginal conditions, it'll also help at resale time.

 

[gsbrockman]

I've owned 3 CTD's and that's the first thing I look for on the window sticker. If it doesn't have LSD, I don't buy it. Period.

Greg

 

[DPelletier]

It cost me $180. 00 on a truck that stickered at $50,500. 00 (Canadian). So the cost is insignificant now. On another thread, a guy is trying to add the LSD and prices are thrown around at $1,000. 00 - $1,200. 00 for the LSD itself to $3,000 - $ 4,000. 00 for a whole new rear end.

You will hear some people complain about the LSD's performance, but they're not about to remove it. On the other hand I've heard of lots of people that wish they had it. Order it, its a no-brainer.



Dave

 

[CLAYTON]

Get the limited slip cause when it works it's nice to have... the only time it doesn't work well is when one tire is on snow or ice and the other is on dry ground. But when both are on slippery or dry ground I think it works well.

 

[Gunnernmybike]

My '04 doesn't have it, and I wish it did. Now its going to cost me a lot of money to get it the way I want it.

 

[ssanders60]

Re: question on whether to purchase the limited

slip rear end.



As one of the colums above stated, do you

want to spin, or not spin. I pulled a buried 1/2 ton loaded chevy pickup out of the

sand with the tide licking at this fellow's

rear tire. My '03 4x4 with limited slip and

while completely empty pulled the pickup out

without even spinning a wheel and at 1100

rpm in 4-high. Without limited slip I would

have experienced failure to save this truck

for I could not have dealt with the sand where the Nassau River runs into the Atlantic Ocean. I've tried the limited slip

feature in this same sand without the 4x4

engaged and the truck, due to the weight on

the front end, can not handle the sand. It

does enhance the 4x4 feature greatly. I would

not spend the money for the 4x4 without spending another $285 for the limited slip.





'03 h/o, 48re, slt, L/S, quad cab, red & silver.

 

[Mr.Goat]

The guy's are right order the LSD it's very cheap coming down the line. A better one is very expensive in the after market world. Keep in mind though it doesn't work worth a tinkers on ice and snow unless you simutaniously play with the emergency brake.

My opinion, I wouldn't order the truck without 4x4 as well as the LSD. The diesel puts alot of torque to those back wheels which gets them to break loose very easily. This is especially true with the 6spd. If your going to be around and in snow get every traction enhancing device you can order, you will not regret it.

Pete



Sorry I didn't noticed until after I posted your already ordering a 4x4.

 

[HOCummins04]

I live in the mountains, and a friend of mine has an 01 2WD with no limited slip. Another friend of ours lives in a remote area. To get to his place you go down a hill, cross a bridge and up the other side to his barn/house. Not a problem going in. Coming back out the 2wd has to really gun it hard to get up the gravel hill, and that is when it is dry.



Even if you don't live in the hills, if you pull a 2wd into wet grass on a flat, it will spin and throw grass (or whatever is under the tires) all over the place, including the truck and make a mess.



The best way to describe a cummins without limited slip is NOVA, which in spanish means NO GO, if I remember my spanish lessons right. I know you are looking at 4X4, but for what you are spending it is a non-decision. You won't be sorry you spent that money.

 

[GFritsch]

Your 4 wheel drive is really only 2 wheel drive w/o lsd. Something I really missed a couple times when I got stuck in my 94.

 

[HPagel]

I've driven my old CTD for ten years w/o LSD. My new one WILL have it. It's the ONLY thing I don't like about my '94.

 

[RichV]

How else will you be able to lay a "Posi" slab of rubber on the road? Single wheel peel is laughable



When one wheel is in the slippery stuff and the other is on dry pavement the tire on the slippery stuff won't be spinning away when feathering the throttle like an open diff will do. LSD will help get you moving. Two wheels under power is better than one. My . 02

 

[Crunch]

Limited slip/Anti-spin

Originally posted by HOCummins04

The best way to describe a cummins without limited slip is NOVA, which in spanish means NO GO, if I remember my spanish lessons right. I know you are looking at 4X4, but for what you are spending it is a non-decision. You won't be sorry you spent that money.

Is a "limited slip differential" the same as an "anti-spin differential"? I always thought the terms were interchangable, but after hearing nothing but LSD here I'm starting to wonder. If they ain't the same, what's the difference?

 

[DPelletier]

Crunch,

Different manufactures call it different names. GM used to call it posi-trac, DC calls it Limited Slip Differential. Lots of other names for them too. This is not to say they all are designed the same, but the answer to your question is that it's just a name.

The only things that are different are the true locking differentials like Detroit Locker or others.



Dave

 

[Crunch]

Originally posted by DPelletier

Different manufactures call it different names. GM used to call it posi-trac, DC calls it Limited Slip Differential. Lots of other names for them too. This is not to say they all are designed the same, but the answer to your question is that it's just a name.

The only things that are different are the true locking differentials like Detroit Locker or others.

Thanks. I grew up hearing Positrac as the generic term. The sticker in my glovebox shows "DSA - Anti-spin differential", which made me wonder if they were two different animals. Interestingly, that sticker also lists "DHA - Torque converter - Lock". I wasn't aware that you could get a non-locking TC.

 

[Pawpaw]

My '65 Mustang had "Traction-Loc".