Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Rear end question....

[tp0d]

Urgent rear end question....

I have quite a peculiar question to ask of yinz...



Ok, to begin with, my 96 2500 would always light up the tire on the passenger side, so I thought I had a regular open diff, no lsd/etc...



I just bought a very unique log splitter called the "stickler" which bolts onto the rear hub, and works like a giant wood screw. (seriously folks, this thing REALLY splits some wood, and faster than any hydraulic you`ve seen). The website is here:



The Stickler



Ok, just a little more background before my question. I used my new toy today, and split off 4 36" rounds so easily, I was amazed... though on the 5th round, the splitter bogged on a huge knot, and my lsd clutches opened and allowed the other wheel to turn. not good. no torque on passenger wheel == no splitting. .



So, my actual question is... If I bind the drivers rear hub (method not important, I have a few I`m considering), will that destroy the lsd clutches or will it take a while to do that? I`m running in reverse, at a max of 15mph for splitting. No real loads unless theres a log on the stickler though. .



thanks for reading all the way through, hopefully someone that knows lsd clutches can give me an answer. .



if any more info is needed, no problem. .



-jerry

 

[WDaniels]

Shoot, I was expecting at least a little increased heart action from a good question about rear ends. :-laf

The rest I'll leave to YOUR imagination.

WD

 

[tp0d]

heh... figured i`d get at least one reply in that category. .

ok, minds -out- of the gutter and back onto the REAL rear ends... lol

-j

 

[GDMRTN]

Uh, the use of the words screw and rear end in one sentence?!? Ok, if I understand rite the clutches are on duty all the time. Not like a chevy that needed speed for the cogs to fly out an catch. I don't think I'd try anything that would depend on one side. Differential gears weren't really made for that either.

 

[tp0d]

it worked well enough on one side before the clutches went back to their original nature... i dunno. . i`m gonna try my plan on thursday though muahahah

-j

 

[kenny61]

I'm having visions of my truck going down the road without me and doing miliions of dollars of damage to the neighborhood... ...

 

[San Felipe Bob]

Smoke

You'll smoke IE ruin your clutches ... .

If you stop one wheel from turning the clutches will be trying to turn both wheels. They will heat up and fall apart.

Not really an easy fix.

options?

Change to an "open " differential.

or

put both wheels off the ground and use:

ARB locker

Lincoln Locker

Detroit locker (might not work as they are designed to "slip" under a certain amount of load. )

You may try rebuilding the clutches and or using less limited slip additive in the lube.



SFB

 

[SRath]

The problem I see is an open diff wants to turn the wheel with the least resistance. If one is in the air, the one on the ground just sits there...



It sounds like, as soon as your splitter caused more resistance on one wheel than the other wheel had, your open diff switched to the easier one, assuming you had both off the ground.



I also have a '96 with a Limited Slip (factory). There is an option sticker on the underside of my hood that says so, and, I believe, a tag on my rear cover. You should have one or both, too, if your's is a factory LSD. The factory Limited slip really sucks, so don't trust just spinning one wheel to see if the other spins the same way to determine if you do or not.



My factory LSD doesn't work at all when I need it, as I found out the hard way. Someone was recently posting about putting a Detroit Locker, my favorite rear traction diff, in his Dana 80. I would like to know how he pulled that off since I have 3. 55 gearing and most Cummins Dodges have either that or 3. 73 gearing and Tractech only makes them for 4. 10 or numerically higher Dana 80's as found in Fords. Maybe there are 4. 10 geared Dodges with Cummins motors? I can't imagine the rpm and fuel mileage at highway speeds, though, unless they run 40 inch tires...



A detroit locker would be the way to go with that splitter. Put the entire rear axle on jack stands so both wheels are off the ground and use whichever side you need. Both will always turn.



Which brings me to: What happened when your other wheel started turning? Did you have it off the ground, too? Things could get dangerous with that splitter if someone wasn't real careful! I would really like to see one in action, though. Looks pretty ingenious.

 

[tp0d]

Well I've done some investigating on my truck, and I cant find a sticker anywhere that says LSD/Limited Slip/etc. . I even have the original window sticker (it was a custom order from a dealer in TX, from the PO). No mention of anything related to the axle other than 3. 54 gears.

Under the hood I have a code "DRE" describing a "Rear axle -- Spicer 70". Thats it, no mention of LSD. . Also looked on the bolts on the rear pumpkin, no tags/etc. . figures.

When I was splitting yesterday, I did have both wheels off the ground, or yes, it would have made for quite an interesting day, to say the least.

My confusion is: Why was I able to split off 4 large logs before the axle decided to do something different?

I have decided to jack both wheels up again tomorrow, and isolate the passenger e-brake cable with a pair of vice grips. Then I`m going to set the ebrake hard, causing the drivers wheel to lock. This should allow me to generate torque on the passengers... If I -do- have an open diff, will this work without damaging anything? I did drive my truck about 40mi today, and nothing seems any different... I`m gonna buy some beer in case I`m wrong. . lol

-j

 

[Don Tanklage]

thats cuz you dont have posi dude



if you did it wouldnta worked the way you described...



not at all

 

[tp0d]

ok dude... so if I try what I described above in post#9, what do you think will happen?

-j

 

[tp0d]

Well I split almost a full cord yesterday, and no issues at all. I stopped about halfway thru to check temps, the punkin was slightly warm to the touch, and the transmission was at normal operating temp.

looks like I do have the open diff that I thought I had. .

Mebe I`ll take a video of me splitting, just to show how fast it really is

-j

 

[SRath]

That splitter thing sounds really cool. I would like to see it work. Your fix for the open diff was an ingeniously simple and effective one and I don't see how it could possibly hurt your open differential. Don't try it with a limited slip or locker, though. The open diff will turn the wheel with the least resistance. That would be your splitter wheel as long as your parking brake holds the other side real well and you don't somehow jam the splitter.



By the way, how would you say that splitter compares to a conventional hydraulic splitter for ease of use, speed, and accessories needed? Dollars spent?



Can you leave it on with your wheel on and go down the freeway playing Ben Hur? :-laf I'd take two!

 

[tony597fitter]

The problem I see is an open diff wants to turn the wheel with the least resistance. If one is in the air, the one on the ground just sits there...

It sounds like, as soon as your splitter caused more resistance on one wheel than the other wheel had, your open diff switched to the easier one, assuming you had both off the ground.

I also have a '96 with a Limited Slip (factory). There is an option sticker on the underside of my hood that says so, and, I believe, a tag on my rear cover. You should have one or both, too, if your's is a factory LSD. The factory Limited slip really sucks, so don't trust just spinning one wheel to see if the other spins the same way to determine if you do or not.

My factory LSD doesn't work at all when I need it, as I found out the hard way. Someone was recently posting about putting a Detroit Locker, my favorite rear traction diff, in his Dana 80. I would like to know how he pulled that off since I have 3. 55 gearing and most Cummins Dodges have either that or 3. 73 gearing and Tractech only makes them for 4. 10 or numerically higher Dana 80's as found in Fords. Maybe there are 4. 10 geared Dodges with Cummins motors? I can't imagine the rpm and fuel mileage at highway speeds, though, unless they run 40 inch tires...

A detroit locker would be the way to go with that splitter. Put the entire rear axle on jack stands so both wheels are off the ground and use whichever side you need. Both will always turn.

Which brings me to: What happened when your other wheel started turning? Did you have it off the ground, too? Things could get dangerous with that splitter if someone wasn't real careful! I would really like to see one in action, though. Looks pretty ingenious.

Pull the center carrier out, split it in half, and you might just find that the clutch packs aren't oriented correctly from the factory mine. Just rearrange them and your all fixed up.

 

[tony597fitter]

There is alot of people out there that have had bad luck with synthetics in a differential. It is thinner and is more slippery (if that makes sense), the clutch packs in the limited slip dont grab/lock as good.

This is only things Ive read and heard from Cummins guys, DHRA guys and diesel builders.

 

[Don Tanklage]

so if I try what I described above in post#9, what do you think will happen?



-j

sorry, i didnt have a clue - live in so cal (buy our firewood at the store and burn it at the beach) (lol) - but if your truck woulda had posi it would have taken you and your splitter for a ride set up like it was in your first post. just to be safe i suggest you always have both rear tires off the ground when you use that thing



don

 

[Don Tanklage]

tony, i thought that is what the additive did? (made it slip a little)



you are right about syn oil making clutches slip tho - my bike has a wet clutch and i had to come up with a whole new clutch tune up when i went to syn oil (and i am back to soaking my plates in conv oil, even tho there is syn in the sump)

 

[tony597fitter]

The synthetic makes it act as an open, to much slip.

 

[tp0d]

A "professional driver" would know that a limited slip needs the clutch packs adjusted or replaced every once in a while. A "professional driver" would also know that a limited slip needs a limited slip additive. A "professional driver" also would know that a synthetic lube in a differential is a no-no.

SRath:

Thanks for your insight, I will be splitting again tomorrow (just picked up another -full- load of oak, a HEAVY load sigh. . ) My camera takes movies, I`m not sure how good the resolution will be, but I`ll give it a shot. This thing splits crazy fast. I`ve used a few different kinds of hydraulic splitters in the past, and broke a couple of em hehh... I dont see this one breaking, unless I put some ungodly strain on my rear end. .

tnx

-j

edit-- it was 245 shipped to my door. ebay has em listed. .

 

[Kiohio]

Looks like a lawyers dream... or nightmare depending on which side you're on!



I can see it now



Some redneck (I can say this cause I are one), is gonna have a "firewood party"

An old 1st gen 4wd up on blocks with the spiders welded and one of these on each wheel.



Hmmmmmm can you leave it on for rush hour defensive driving??



KO