If I buy a 2WD truck next it'll definitely be a prerunner with locking diff. in the rear. But I'd really like to get another 4x4. Problem is, most 4x4s have open diffs. front and rear unless you specify otherwise and then it costs you $$$. Do most people here run LS diffs in the rear with 4x4s? Do I really need to, or will open diffs. be OK with four-wheel-drive? I occasionally drive in snow cause we have bad winters sometimes. Also, I play around off-road sometimes in the summer. You guys have experience with these things so I thought I'd ask for some opinions. I figure 4WD with open diffs. will still be great off road but I want to make sure before I place my order.

 

Are you talking about a NEW 4WD or an old one? New ones should have the option of Traction Control 4WABS, which is better than LSDs because it's easier to replace the brake pads than the LS clutches and the brakes are MUCH stronger anyway.

 

From what you said, I wouldn't worry about it. I have open diffs, drive in a fair amount of snow, and mud consistently. Considering that I have 1.5 miles of dirt road that turns into a mud bog when it rains just to get home. Of course, it has to rain first.

Even if you plan on getting into serious off-roading, personally, I would not spend the extra money on a limited slip or traction control device from the factory. First, you end up financing the extra money, if you don't pay cash for the vehicle. Secondly, factory units are not designed for serious off road and are often replaced for true lockers.

Just one way to look at it. If the payments are increased $15 a month, for 72 months, you end up paying $1080 for something that has a sticker price of $450, or whatever it is. For options like that, I tend to do them aftermarket or have the dealer install them after the purchase of the vehicle.

 

I agree with jbalestri.

Open diffs on a 4x4 will get you pretty far. After you buy the vehicle, you can always add a cheap Lock-rite yourself to the rear end. Also, getting the factory LS complicates things when trying to add a cheap locker since they are made for open rear ends!

Please note that traction adding devices are not usually available for the front ends of trucks with IFS. Though with your type of driving, you do not need one.

 

How so? All you're doing is swapping carriers it doesn't matter what you have in there already. I would highly suggest getting a Limited slip in the back. I had one in my red 95 F-150 2wd, and have two open diffs in my present 95 F-150. It makes a big difference and open diffs are terrible. That thing wont get out of it's own way now. It doesn't really do well off road either. I am putting a limited slip in (ebay special of 50 bucks) the rear and putting an ARB air locker in the front. Now with a limited slip rear and open front, you should be able to get around very well. The traction control crap is junk, limited slips are much better. The new Hummer H2 has traction control in the front, and any magazine article I read complained about it. It's a soccer mom's device.

 

4WABS and Traction control...I've never heard of either. All I know is open diff. or LS diff. SOME trucks like the Tacoma have an actual locking diff. option. But other than that I've never heard of a compact truck with traction control. Maybe I'm out of the loop. I think I'll just stick with the open diffs. front and rear with four-wheel-drive. That should be more than enough to get me where I need to go. My current truck is 4x4 and has LS rear and I've never had it stuck yet. Since I don't rock crawl or anything like that I'd probably be OK with open diffs. at both ends.

 

Traction Control with 4WABS applies the brakes to the wheel that is spinning faster than the others, thus applying power to the other wheels. But, you have to have 4 wheel ABS. Its similar to traction control on front wheel drive cars, where the comp applies the brakes to the wheel that it thinks is spinning.

You are right about the Tacoma, etc TRD trucks. They have an electric, I think, locker in the rear. It might be pnuematic, but I don't think that Yota would go that way. Too many problems. They are the only ones that I know of that have a true locker in the rear.

If you decide that you need LS or a locker, you can always add it later.

Like Stang said, he's getting a LS unit from eBay for $50. I bet that is less than 10% of what the dealer wants for one. There are better options than paying Ford for one. That's just my thoughts.

 

Yeah, the LS option on the new trucks I've looked at is around $250 - $300. So I think I'll pass. But I've heard that LS units wear out over time and become less effective. Why is this so?

 

This is true. It is because they have clutch packs that distribute the power. Just like the clutch in a tranny wears out, the clutch packs in the LS unit wear out. That is why I recommend lockers if you really want something. We have a Auburn or Detroit locker in our Blazer and it's awesome, but 99% of most people don't need it.

 

That's true but it takes a long tiem for them to wear out, you'd have to change them maybe 2-3 times in the coarse of 150-200k miles, depending on usage. The clutch pack in my LS had 60k miles on it and they are still at about 1/2 life, came off an explorer. I decided to put new clutches in while I'm at it (60 bucks). Even at that, the clutches are simple to replace, even in the truck. You could also get a clutchless limited slip if you went aftermarket.

 

I believe he's talking about the inside the carrier type lockers that are designed to go inside your open diff and replace the spider and side gears like the ezlocker. They will not work with some lsd carriers.

 

> inside the carrier type lockers

Yes, those were the ones I was talking about. Cheap and light duty, perfect for the occassional user (like myself).