Differential Types?

[Nhaz]

I wasn't sure where to stick this post.

I am looking for information on differential types/styles negatives/positives on them.

What I am looking for is for next winter. I am pretty sure my truck is stock with no mods. In effect I want a rear end that acts normally under conditions I will find 95% of the time on regular road conditions.

But will lock up when a wheel spins. Id like to keep my tires =>

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Some kind of selectable locker... Air locker, E-locker... Open diff until you flip the switch, then completely locked up...

 

[4x4junkie]

These are in the FAQ for Axles (this probably better belongs in Axles anyway):

http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Feb 06/tech.htm
http://www.therangerstation.com/tech_library/LockerComparo.html

Hope that helps

 

[AllanD]

No, a selectable locker is a "Temporary spool" and is just about the wrst setup to have in the snow.

when people ask me about diffs to drive in the snow I have one recomendation

TORSEN, though Detroit's "TrueTrac" is more or less the same thing functionally

they were originally developes for running in snow.

Personally I run clutch type limited slips, but that's because I cannot afford
torsen or truetrack differentials.

AD

 

[pocket-rocket]

This winter I got to run my LSD and loved it compared to the open diff that was in the truck the winter before. SO much more predictable in corners with the throttle. No more wondering when the one wheel was going to let go and start spinning with the other. I felt it made for safer driving too due to not having to anticipate the rear end sliding out and just knowing it was going to if I got too careless with the throttle. And ditto on affording the other types

 

[Nhaz]

Thanks for the links. it looks like im going to be looking for a limited slip of some sort.

Are they worth recovering from junk yards since my budget tend to be fairly small all the time.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Are they worth recovering from junk yards since my budget tend to be fairly small all the time.

Best place to get them. Just grab the whole axle and go, new clutches are under $100.

 

[pocket-rocket]

Best place to get them. Just grab the whole axle and go, new clutches are under $100.

x2

I paid $175 for mine with 3.73 and the larger 10" drum brakes (which someone had replaced all the hardware inside before they wrecked their truck ). As an added bonus it had coil overload springs on it too

 

[Beanmachine7000]

No, a selectable locker is a "Temporary spool" and is just about the wrst setup to have in the snow.

when people ask me about diffs to drive in the snow I have one recomendation

TORSEN, though Detroit's "TrueTrac" is more or less the same thing functionally

they were originally developes for running in snow.

Personally I run clutch type limited slips, but that's because I cannot afford
torsen or truetrack differentials.

AD

He said he wanted something to "lock up when one wheel spins" being that a L/S doesn't technically lock I just assumed he wanted a locker... I agree completely though, my Camaro has a rear locker and it's a challenge in the rain, much less the snow...

 

[AllanD]

People use technical mis-statements all the time.

One wheel locking when it spins can describe an
Borg-Warner/Auburn cone style limited slip diff.

But when shocked on a really slippery surface they
can literally explode.

as for the rear "kicking out" Limted slips actually cause more of it.

It's all about assymetrical thrust. when a tire loses traction
it also loses lateral traction and when the thrust line comes from
the side with tracton it creates a power induced Yaw, just like a
twin engine aircraft with one engine out and no corrective control input.

The typical technique for driving in the snow is to plan on "drifting" most corners because in a 2wd truck if you get off the power enough so it won't drift
you will slow down and stop.

Just stay on the power and turn into the drift.

I used to climb the hill to my house literally looking out
the drivers side window tosee where I was going all the way up the hill...

There are also times when even turning both drive wheels won't make you go...

AD

 

[Nhaz]

Well im not a race car driver but I the road conditions during the winter can get fairly bad. So im pretty good at driving in the snow. 2 or 4 wheel drive. I know how to drift. I don't like drifting the truck since it likes to get away on you and just keep going. I added 400 pounds of concrete to the back for the winter. helped alot.

The truck is a 4x4. But since the roads are not always bad enough to run the 4x4 all the time. I will turn off the 4x4. But. I will still run into conditions where I may be sitting at a stop sign and attempt to go. And 1 wheel doesn't due to a lack of traction. Or moved the truck 5 feet and THEN ran out of traction putting me halfway infront of someone coming the other way.

Be it ice, Black ice just really slimy snow, heck a pile of salt. Yes they lay it thick enough for Piles of salt.

So from what I read in those links provided, it appears that the limited slip is about what I want.

 

[pocket-rocket]

I practiced my drifting a lot this past winter. Like Allan said, LDS does cause more of the "kicking out", but with LSD it is a lot more predictable then an open diff, which was why I thought it was safer, because I knew it would do it and when by modulating the gas vs guessing when the other tire would let go and start spinning too. My drifting has been much more improved this past winter and believe that it has made me a better driver as I don't panic when the rear slides out and I ride it out or bring it back with ease. 90% of the time it was riding it out, 10% was the wife smacking me making me knock it off

 

[pdmustgt]

My Torsen diff just showed up now I just have to put it in.

I bought new because after wasting lots of time and gas chasing claims they had FX4 level II rear. Then have some moron at the junk yard tell me Torsen and Ford trac-loc are the same diff . Clutch plate and a gear type diff the same ....

 

[pdmustgt]

I put the Torsen in wow what a differents I can see why poeple want them.
The best price I found was 475.00 for Torsen T2 on track performance. Where ever one else wants 550 -600.

 

[MikeInIdaho]

My Torsen diff just showed up now I just have to put it in.

I bought new because after wasting lots of time and gas chasing claims they had FX4 level II rear. Then have some moron at the junk yard tell me Torsen and Ford trac-loc are the same diff . Clutch plate and a gear type diff the same ....

Ha Ha, sounds like the people at the Euro/import parts store, who told me putting 75w90 gear oil in my Rabbit's (manual) tranny would ruin it, and that I would have to remove my '79 300sd Mercedes' crankshaft in order to change the oil pan gasket...