THIS LSD is JUNK!!!!!!

[thejeepdude]

I just gotta say, "MY LSD WORKS GREAT!"



On pavement I always leave 2 equal black lines. I also have recently put several hundred miles on my truck in blizzard conditions. I've been through ice, powder, slush, and every combination of the above. Yes, it can get squirrly in 2WD, but it's always both tires spinning when that happens. The only complaint I have is that the axle wrap sucks and it bounces like crazy in certain types of snow when breaking a trail, forcing me to slow down too much. I'm hoping this goes away with the KORE suspension.

 

[CAKUZ]

Are you sure YOU HAVE the liminted slip?

DP;

My original 'window sticker' and the sticker in the glove box indicates I have the 11. 5" , 3. 73 - Limited Slip Differential (Code DSA). It worked fine when the truck was new. Only thing I have done is change the lube using Royal Purple. Have a 'whopping' 26 K miles on it now. (Have 2nd vehicle) LSD does not seem to try to work at all now.



The 03 service manual calls it a "Trac Rite" differential. The only difference I can see by glancing at the manual is 6 'Brake Shoes', (3 on each side).

It will be due for another lube change pretty soon. Plan to go with Redline this time but don't see where it make a difference concerning the LSD.



I am reluctant to take it to the dealer as I do not have the whine or noise problems some members have experienced and don't want some "expert" giving more problems.



Any other ideas? Please keep us posted !

 

[abdiver]

Can anyone tell me how the factory LSD works? I read somewhere on here that there are no springs or frictions. So how does it work??



...

Red Cummins it was 01-08-2005, 07:24 PM when you first posted, During this time it appears you have not really found out if you in FACT have the LSD. Perhaps your truck doesn't have one if so no matter how it works, it ain't gona if it is not installed on your truck.



I once bought a truck I ordered it with a limited slip always figured I had it. It was a 4x4 till I went to change out the lube turns out salesman forgot to order it I was not charged for it. But I had wanted it! Lesson learned check out truck for all options at time of delivery

 

[CAKUZ]

Can anyone tell me how the factory LSD works?



This is what it tells us from page 3-145 of my 03 Service Manual.

Rear axle - 11 1/2" AA

DIFFERENTIAL TRAC RITE

DESCRIPTION

The "Trac Rite" differential is a helical gear differential. The differential has two side gears, six pinion gears and six pinion brake shoes.



OPERATION

When one wheel begins to spin the pinion gears on that side are forced toward the pinion brake shoes. The pinion brake shoes then cause frictional drag on on the opposite pinion gears and the side gear. These friction forces transfer the power to the opposite wheel. Once the frictional forces are overcome, differentiation will occur. The torque will be continually biased by the frictional forces to the high traction wheel.



NOTE: The differential is serviced as an assembly only if damaged, but can be disassembled for cleaning. (If damaged bearing is replaced)

Looks like they are saying there is NO way to repair the LSD.



Hope this helps!

 

[CAKUZ]

I once bought a truck I ordered it with a limited slip always figured I had it. It was a 4x4 till I went to change out the lube turns out salesman forgot to order it I was not charged for it. But I had wanted it! Lesson learned check out truck for all options at time of delivery[/QUOTE]



abdiver;

A buddy bought a new 4X4, FODE gasser a few years ago. Found out the first time he went up his steep paved driveway in 4wd that it came with a different gear ratio in the front axle than what the rear was. Front wheels would slide/scoot. I still bug him about the # 1 Fode quality he always bragged about. At least the LSD worked.

 

[lil red cummins]

abdiver:



i just double checked my window sticker and glove compartment sticker. they both indicate i should have LSD.



i really don't want to pull the cover off the diff. until spring. i was without the truck for a month between thanksgiving and christmas when i was upgrading my turbo, and just don't want to disable it again.



i am having too much fun driving it - even though my LSD doesn't work



jim

 

[DPKetchum]

If its UNDER WARRANTY take it in. Thats what warranty is for. I wouldn't hesitate one moment if it was mine. Its eaither ok or its not.

 

[lil red cummins]

DP: i know you are right, however i am one of those that is paranoid about taking a vehicle into the dealer for warranty work. i have had bad experience with other vehicles in the past. i ended up with a nice dent in my 98 caravan that wasn't there before i took it in. they swear it didn't happen there (go figure).



i will look into the diff before i go in. it isn't the end of the world, since its only the second time in a year that i had a problem getting stuck in almost nothing.



i also am having a bad time with dodge trying to get warranty repair of the rusted strut tower on my 2000 caravan. they say "out of warranty" period! even though there is a TSB on the problem.



jim

 

[DPKetchum]

I can get paronoid about lots of things but bite the bullet and well you know. Its gotta get done.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"When one wheel begins to spin the pinion gears on that side are forced toward the pinion brake shoes. The pinion brake shoes then cause frictional drag on on the opposite pinion gears and the side gear. "



AND, right THERE lies the problem!



The SAME problem I, and others have had with the Dana LSD - switch to a full synthetic, and you LOSE the friction component that allows those internal brake shoes to function - the synthetic lube is too SLIPPERY, and disables the LSD's ability to function normally.



The fix? Get it OUTTA there, and install the RIGHT stuff the factory and DC spec for it!

 

[PJ]

I have LSD on my truck, for what its worth... I just tried to back over a 10 inch pile of snow behind my truck to go pick up my son. NO WAY. I just spun my "tire". I had to put it in 4x4 to get it over 10" of snow. . Now, That is a joke! I finally found something on this truck that was a total waste of money! #@$%! Yo would think that if you had LSD you could drive on "some" slick surfaces. . Wrong! Heck, my 72 Chevy truck had NO problem backing over the 10" and it went up the driveway in 2wd with NO PROBLEM. My Dodge slipped all over the place, even in 4x4. . I also forgot to mention that both trucks have about 2 feet of really WET snow in the beds. That in itself should have made any truck have traction!

Yes, the 3rd gen Dodge LSD rear is a total POS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CAKUZ]

The fix? Get it OUTTA there, and install the RIGHT stuff the factory and DC spec for it!

I think you may be mistaken Gary - K7GLD. D/C recommends Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant in the AA "Trac Rite" differentials (9. 25", 10. 5" & 11. 5" AA axles) that is in our CTD Rams, and to use 'Mopar Gear Lubricant" (Non-Synthetic) in the C205F 9. 25" "Trac Lok" differentials (used in some gas Rams, I think) . Also tells us that the 'Trac Lok" axle Requires a Limited Slip Additive and that the 'Trac Rite" differentials DO NO require the additive. Per page 0-4 in service manual. There has been extensive discussion about what lubes to use in earlier posts, mostly about if to use 75W-90 or 75W-140 for towing, etc.



I do think you may be correct about the TOO SLIPPERY idea. The Royal Purple lube comes with a Limited Slip Additive in it that the Trac Rite axles do Not require. That is why I said I was changing to the Redline brand next time.

Maybe others will jump in here with more ideas or their experiences with the Limited Slip AA axles used in our 3rd gen. trucks.



Am wondering, what lubes are our other members are using that are also having problems with the limited slip?

 

[rashwor]

Mine seems to work fine in the wet mud we are having here. I have to agree with Gary... I think that maybe the non-Mopar stuff is too slick and not allowing it to operate. The first thing the dealer will do is tell you to put the correct fluid in it... if they figure out it has the wrong fluid in it.



I would put the Mopar recommended stuff back in and give it a try. If that does not work, take it to the dealer while it is under warranty. Not happy with your dealer, find another. I dealer hop like hopscotch for service work. :-laf I am pretty hard to keep happy... I want it right and oh yeah... I know a little something about the equipment I use! :--)

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"I think you may be mistaken Gary - K7GLD. D/C recommends Mopar Synthetic Gear Lubricant in the AA "Trac Rite" differentials"



That's right, *their* synthetic, spec'd and rated for that differential - but if you look at the sig of the lead post, he claims to have "Amsoiled" his truck:



"amsoiled at 8000 miles"



- and THAT can cause LSD problems - BEEN there, DONE that!

 

[lil red cummins]

oil in the diff is factory stuff. truck only has 9000 miles on it



amsoil is only in the engine.



sorry, that was misleading. i will change that in the sig.



jim

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

"sorry, that was misleading. i will change that in the sig. "



Ah yes, it does make a difference!



Back to square one!

 

[crobertson1]

I just realized my 4. 10 "anti-spin" diff is really just a 4. 10 "spin" diff. It's supposed to be an "anti-spin" but it doesn't work too well at all. The truck has 6,000 miles on it with the factory lube in the rear end. While sitting on my driveway, on solid ice, where it's very slightly inclined, almost level, I couldn't get moving without 4x4. I opened the door and looked at the driver's rear wheel and it was just sitting there while the left one was spinning. Impressive.



I'm wondering if in fact there is no fix like posted above. I'll be taking it in for the new weather strips and will have them check the diff also. Any new info?



Thanks,

Craig

 

[lil red cummins]

there appears to be a flaw in the design. based on what i have been reading, you need some "load" on the spinning wheel, to get the stopped wheel to turn. isn't that special!!!



i ended up putting on a set of wild country tires on the rear. seems to make quite a bit of difference, however we haven't had any fresh snow since i put them on, so time will tell.



sounds like 4wd is mandatory if you drive on anything besides concrete, asphalt or packed gravel.



jim

 

[JHardwick]

there appears to be a flaw in the design. based on what i have been reading, you need some "load" on the spinning wheel, to get the stopped wheel to turn. isn't that special!!!



jim

correct me if i'm wrong, but aren't all limited slips designed to operate that way?



come on guys, if you have one wheel in the air, or one wheel on ice, it's not gonna have power with anything less than a locker of some sort!



"limited" slip, means "limited" slip ... ... ... ... ... . emphasis on limited



mine seems to work as described ... ... ... ... ... i've ran pipelines, power accesses, corn fields and even blazed thru the woods in different 4X4 vehichles ... ... ... ... . limited slip is not and never will be a locker

 

[crobertson1]

I don't mean to sound ignit, but BOTH my rear wheels were on ice. It seems to me that the term "anti-spin" would infer that the differential is something more than an open differential and would provide a little more traction. I can see your point if only one of my wheels were on ice, but both had equal oppurtunity to slip or grip.