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Rear Locking Axle in 4x4?


RonneyJAyala

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Hi, so I have a question that's been pondering on my mind. I have a 92 Ford ranger, v6 4.0 4x4. I want to know when I put my truck in 4x4 does it lock my rear hubs like a limited slip axle? So instead of an open diff, it would be a closed diff? If that makes any sense, I understand very little about this, all I know is last weekend I had my truck in 4x4 ( I was on the dunes ) and the moment I when on the asphalt to go to a different section of the dunes, every time I had to make a 90 degree corner my truck would skip and jump. And without being in 4x4 it doesn't do that.
 


martin

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You should never be in 4 x 4 on high traction surfaces, it can break stuff. When you are in 4 x 4 the front and rear axles are driven at the same speed, when you turn they need to turn at different speeds which they can't do if you are in four, it just binds up the drive-train. On loose surfaces the tyres can slip a little which prevents this.
 

RangerSVT

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To answer your question, no. Rangers never had a factory locking differential. Its the front axle being engaged thats causing binding and the jerking...

SVT
 

Captain Ledd

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My credo
If you're not making mistakes, you're not learning.
x2 with Ranger SVT.

The reason an "open" differential is there is because tires follow an arc when they turn. These arcs, differ in size. The oustide wheel travels in a longer arc than the inside wheel, thjis means the outside tire has to move faster than the inside wheel in order to end up at the same spot when the turn (arc) is complete. This is what the differential does. It allows the wheels to travel at different speeds.

Limited slips, have clutches or other clever devices to help transfer the torque applied more evenly to both tires. In an open differential there is no torque transfer assistance, thus the cliche "one wheel peel". Power is actually quite lazy. Electricity, flowing water, etc, will ALWAYS take the path of least resistance. Once a wheel slips, it's resistance drops. It's just open for power to go wherever, including up in smoke as heat.

"Closed" diff's (locked/locking diff?) Is where the inner and outer wheels are bound together, they can't differentiate their speed from each other. This is basically what your 4x4 transfer case does, it's a locked differential, one output spins the same speed as the other, regardless of power or traction. The mean path your front tires take is different from the mean path the rear tires take. So in order for power to flow smoothly, you essentially need to have an "open diff" in your transfercase. This is more along the lines of a AWD or "Full Time" Transfer case. Rangers do not have these.

In conclusion, running in 4x4 on high traction surfaces is BAD. The reason your truck would skip and jump while turning is that there is SO much binding force between your front a rear axles it's breaking the traction your tires have. Each time it hops is like a massive clutch dump on a grabby surface. Sure it's ok a few times, but if you keep doing it you're going to break stuff, and it's probably going to be expensive.

Also, Rangers don't have rear hubs, it's a solid shaft. They're always engaged as there's basically no reason to disengage them.
 

RonneyJAyala

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Alright thank you guys! :) I now know not to have my truck in 4 high on high traction surfaces.
 

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