Which limited slip is best?

[pjtoledo]

Hang on for a few minutes guys, I have to run out for more popcorn 'n beer

 

[Blmpkn]

Hang on for a few minutes guys, I have to run out for more popcorn 'n beer

You were kinda close.. but you spelled porkrinds wrong.


*drools*

 

[sgtsandman]

You are entirely right about finding an axle. I've spent 2 summers looking for a good one and never found one worth pulling. They were all badly rusted, most leaking, nothing in as good condition as my own. I surfed junk dealers too, only to find the same for significantly higher prices. This year already, I noticed a significant deterioration in the quality of junkyard Rangers. That good old Ranger fleet is aging. People up north here hang on to them for as long as they can.

It's going to cost me somewhere between $1,200 and $1,400 to get a new LS installed, depending on the condition of my own differential. I've got the cash. I might spend a little less if I pulled the parts, but I would still need to pay a reliable mechanic to rebuild and repair.

You've all read my threads before. I'm an old car guy who is devoted to resto-mod. I've spent a little more that $20,000 on it already. That might sound crazy but mine is very close to brand new, and for half the price. It's got new paint top and bottom, suspension upgrades, an oak bedliner, dual exhausts, leather seats, new wheels, tires, lights and fog lights. The grill is custom made.

The Ford dealer told me I've got the nicest old Ranger in town. I hope so. I will give this to my grandson some day. Limited slip will be just one more nice feature.

That price isn’t unreasonable considering the labor involved.

Figure somewhere around $700 for the LSD plus a lot of time and frustration getting the lash, preload, and tooth engagement right.

 

[rubydist]

Junkyards are full of certain axles that are burned out because the gear oil was never changed. Conversely, there a good number of axles that have never seen a gear oil change and are still running just fine.

I've never seen a rear axle that was burned out because the oil was never changed. Every one I have seen that was toasted was because they never checked the oil and let it drip out for years until there was nothing left to lubricate the differential. Any of the synthetic axle lube will last forever unless it gets water contamination, but if you live somewhere humid it will get water contamination over time even if you never drive through water up to the seals, just from sucking in damp air at cool down day after day after day.

 

[Lefty]

I got the Torsen limited slip. It's well mannered too. The mechanic told me that when he heard I wanted a limited slip installed on a 2003 Ford Ranger, he thought I was crazy. After all, who would ever want to spend so much on an old truck. That was before he looked underneath and found everything had been sandblasted and repainted, that it had several suspension upgrades too.

None of this is rocket science, at least not to the members here, but it's all new to me. I've just followed your very good advice. Thanks! It's been fun!

 

[Josh B]

So that old limited slip on back of that 96 Explorer is worth $700?
I'm not sure what it has on the front but I think it's an all wheel drive somehow, wish I knew more about it

 

[RonD]

Yes, its VERY clean under there.......................too clean


AWD is a transfer case thing, not a differential thing
AWD applies "limited slip" between the two Drive shafts, similar to the two axles in a differential, but different methods

4WD is "locked" transfer case

 

[rubydist]

^ Except when the marketing guys get involved and then they label awd vehicles as 4wd and all sorts of confusing crap.

 

[19Walt93]

I've never seen a rear axle that was burned out because the oil was never changed. Every one I have seen that was toasted was because they never checked the oil and let it drip out for years until there was nothing left to lubricate the differential. Any of the synthetic axle lube will last forever unless it gets water contamination, but if you live somewhere humid it will get water contamination over time even if you never drive through water up to the seals, just from sucking in damp air at cool down day after day after day.

Nothing lasts forever, including synthetic gear lube and oil. I've seen may Traction Lok axles with clutches chattering or worn out prematurely due to lack of fluid changes, many running 75w140 synthetic lube. I still have freinds who rebuild rear ends if you decide not to change the fluid, though.

 

[Lefty]

Nothing lasts forever, including synthetic gear lube and oil. I've seen may Traction Lok axles with clutches chattering or worn out prematurely due to lack of fluid changes, many running 75w140 synthetic lube. I still have freinds who rebuild rear ends if you decide not tochange the fluid, though.

This is why I chose to go with new. I wish I had the skills to do the job myself, but I don't. A friend had offered to do the job for free, but I didn't want a cheap job done cheap. I'm glad I had a transmission shop do it too. My approach has been consistent: to restore, upgrade, and modify, to drive this Ranger for another 150,000 miles and give it to my grandson someday.

All of this may sound ridiculous for a 20 year old truck, but for all intents and purposes, it is getting newer everyday.

And for half the cost of brand new. I don't have loan payments, no sky high interest rates, no big insurance bills either. I've noticed the difference too. The money I've saved has paid for the work.

 

[gw33gp]

As long as you maintain it, you have made a good choice. My 02 is approaching 300K miles and still runs very well. It is still in excellent condition, and I see no end to its life.

My goal is to by a new Ranger in 2025 but I will probably still keep the 02 for off-road adventures that may be very difficult which could result in some damage to a vehicle.

 

[Lefty]

As long as you maintain it, you have made a good choice. My 02 is approaching 300K miles and still runs very well. It is still in excellent condition, and I see no end to its life.

My goal is to by a new Ranger in 2025 but I will probably still keep the 02 for off-road adventures that may be very difficult which could result in some damage to a vehicle.

Makes good sense, especially now when new trucks cost so much.

 

[Lefty]

As long as you maintain it, you have made a good choice. My 02 is approaching 300K miles and still runs very well. It is still in excellent condition, and I see no end to its life.

My goal is to by a new Ranger in 2025 but I will probably still keep the 02 for off-road adventures that may be very difficult which could result in some damage to a vehicle.

And if you do incur some damage along the way, you can always go to the U Pull yard and pick up something for cheap.

 

[Josh B]

I've said it somewhere I think, but the Picker's yard nearest to me 4 or 5 years ago had several 15 or 20 car rows of Ranger based vehicles, but the last time I went less than a year now had maybe half a dozen RBVs. TOTAL! (none looking very good)

 

[Lefty]

I've said it somewhere I think, but the Picker's yard nearest to me 4 or 5 years ago had several 15 or 20 car rows of Ranger based vehicles, but the last time I went less than a year now had maybe half a dozen RBVs. TOTAL! (none looking very good)

I've noticed the same. There is a general decline in quality too. Good Rangers are getting harder to find. I live in Ford country too. Rangers were once assembled here in Saint Paul.

The change makes sense. There's fewer and fewer out on the road. My 2003 is actually an antique. It's now eligible for classic car plates.