Limited slip diff. Or locker

dalola · Dec 4, 2019

I love the electronic locking diff on my F150. Pull the knob, rear is locked, push it in, unlocked. It's intended for low speed, max traction situations, perfect for plowing, off-roading, etc.. Definitely not for road use, as it's speed limited.

bigtiller · Dec 5, 2019

herm0016 said:
lets see...

275/65/18 is about the size on my GMC. circumference is 100.7 inches * 120 rpm gives us 12084 inches/min x 1ft/12 in x 1 mile / 5280 ft x 60min/1 hr is ~ 11 mph. but that is difference between the 2 rear wheels and varies with tire size, not your ground speed. 120 rpm is pretty slow. you can pedal a bike at 11 mph pretty easy.

Thanks for figuring that out.

deserteagle71 · Dec 5, 2019

dalola said:
I love the electronic locking diff on my F150. Pull the knob, rear is locked, push it in, unlocked. It's intended for low speed, max traction situations, perfect for plowing, off-roading, etc.. Definitely not for road use, as it's speed limited.

Same here. It has saved me from getting stuck twice when I had one front tire and the opposite side rear tire with no traction, almost hanging in the air. Pulled the knob and with both back tires pulling I was able to drive across the washout. Then just push the knob back in and I was unlocked. Wish trucks had had this feature years ago!

JerryK · Dec 5, 2019

With todays modern traction control systems, a lot of the locking/unlocking debate is moot because of computer control of wheel slip. Both my Rubicon and ZR2 have front and rear electronic lockers that I can engage in low range [ I have added a circuit so I can cheat and use them in high range ]. But with traction control system active, the computer is constantly adding brake to the slipping wheel to help add traction to the wheel that has more grip. Motor HP is also lowered by the computer to help regain forward motion. Not the best setup in some cases, and each vehicle traction control has it's little individual quirks. In a perfect world with a perfect traction control, no differential lock would be needed. But, I still like lockers, especially when I am stuck. I think all of us have been ' there '. Stuck, with one or two of the four tires just sitting there doing nothing.... Getting more pizzed watching it.

David_Kb7uns · Dec 7, 2019

Check out the Jeep Quadra Drive II system on Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander 2006-2010 have front and rear later years went to one in rear only Eaton Gerotor ELSD lockers they are activated and controlled by a PWM solenoid and only become active when the pump builds up pressure by a difference in right and left wheels.

Eaton
Eaton EGerodisc Differential - Exploded View - YouTube

Stupid Jeep Tricks
Jeep Commander Quadra Drive II / offroad test, stock automatic, climbing - YouTube

PILOON · Dec 7, 2019

Recent experience.
My Toyota MR2 was at bottom of my hill and I could not move one foot.
In desperation we tried a tow rope and looped it over the trailer hitch on my Kia Serento.
Now the slope is quite steep with no run at it, only 4 x 4's can make it (most times, not on ice)
Well the Kia has all wheel drive and all lock 0plus studded snows.
Dang it all, to my amazement, I was able to tow the Toyota right on up with no problem.
It just walked, OK I used 2nd gear in manual mode.

I was thinking tractor as it's chained (studded ice chains) but was not needed, in fact from past experience I think the Kia did a better job as it has more weight than the CUT.
My CUT can't push and barely blows snow going uphill which gives U an idea of the pitch (I'd guestimate 35-40 degrees)
Probably helped as well as the Toyota is very light and has fair torque for its size.

My worst vehicle was a big old Jeep with Quadratrack, Seemed whenever one wheel slipped it was the one that got all the traction and nothing else moved.

Then I had a Chevy van with limited slip and generally that worked quite well as I carried a fair bit of weight.