I've been searching the dealership's lots for a SD CC that I like. I'm surprised to find a fair amount of SDs that have a standard rear axle in the rear, not LS. And there're not stripped trucks, all nice 4X4's with options.

Is there a reason not to get a limited slip axle?

Jim

 

I have owned many trucks (ford, of course) and every one has had a limited slip rear end,I have had well over 100000 mi on every one, and not a single problem with limited slip reliability, the lifespan of the rear end or any other part of the truck is not compromised. In certain cases, during heavy snow on the roads, i never had to use 4x4, having limited slip worked very well, while many w/ reg. rear ends were going nowhere- and they had 4x4 engaged! It's about a $250 option and it would be more than stupid to pay $40,000 for a truck and not get limited slip, the only reason some dealers don't get it is they simply forget, or get lazy and mark it as an option on the order form- i know this because a good friend of mine owns our local ford dealership, and i asked him the same question.

 

Many people don't understand what an LS rear is for, and so wouldn't pay the $250 extra unless someone explained to them why it is a good idea. So, with those people in mind, a dealership can save itself some work by not putting them on, and then making their trucks look $250 cheaper in comparisons against the competition.

Another factor is that a lot of people don't think that the Ford LS rear works very well. I've seen several people in this forum as well as others who advocate buying an aftermarket LS or locker rear. If you know you're going to do that, then paying more for a rear you're going to replace doesn't do you any good. I've also heard people say "if it doesn't work any better than that, I'm just as well off not having it at all".

However, I'd suspect that if most of the trucks you see don't have LS rears, it's either taking advantage of an uninformed customer base, or just having an uninformed purchasing agent at the dealership. You'd just about have to special order a truck in this area to get one without an LS rear end.

BTW, I ordered my truck with the 3.73 LS rear, even though I very rarely expect my truck to be in an environment where it will be needed. It won't be off the pavement much, and I'll probably have it paid off before I see enough snow here in Mississippi to need it!

 

I'd have to go for the latter reason, an uninformed, or just plain stupid employee of the dealership not knowing what the customer desires (or even cares). When I go through a lot and spot a lot of trucks (both 4x2 and 4x4) with limited slips, I know I'm dealing with well informed, well trained people. When I don't see them, I know I can expect the moron count to be unusually high. These are usually the dealerships with the $2000 "ground effects" packages tacked onto a 4x4 that sits two feet off the ground. Anyway, to answer the question, you're always better off with the LS than without it. A 4x4 without it is really only a 2x4, one wheel driven in front, and one in the rear.

 

Just to let you know, limited slip is only available on 2002 SD automatics. Been researching the build up of my future truck and ran across that.

Kerry

 

Hi
I'm new to this board, lot's of good info to be found here.
My present truck does not have limited slip, but the one on order does. I'm not sure about the comment on LS being available only on automatics in '02, I've got 4.30 LS coming on a V-10 6 speed, should be here around the first of the year.

Ron

 

I don't think the LS is limited to auto trannies either.

 

Hello From Alaska.
I have a 2000 SD 4X4 PSD 6Sp CC SB. I just got the truck back from the dealer for rear LS inop. The old unit had 20,000 Miles on it and it never did work right. I jacked the truck up and could spin the drivers side rear wheel forward and the passenger side wheel would spin backwards. The dealer replaced the rear LS. I got in the truck and drove over to a 4" snow bank. This is on an icy parkinglot with snow on it. I put the front passenger side wheel it the base of this snow bank and let out the clutch. The truck rolled forward untell it unloaded the rear left spring and then the rear left tire began to spin shamelessly. I went back and talked to the service writer and he talked to the Mech. Thay both said let it break in and come back in a week or two. I will keep going back untell I get a LS that works like a LS or Ford puts an aftermarket piece in that works.

 

I live in Anchorage, AK and as you can imagine I deal with snow & ice on the roads for a large portion of the year. I have a 2001 F250 Super Duty Crew Cab 4x4 with the V-10/auto trans/4.30 limited slip rear end. I am running it without studded tires and rarely have to put it into 4 wheel drive because the limited slip works so well.

OBTW, my bud has a GMC Crew Cab with the new GM diesel motor and Allison tranny and no limited slip (posi-traction). He hates my Ford because it runs so well and he is constantly in 4 wheel drive trying to keep his little truck from slipping!

Edmo

 

>Hello From Alaska.
>I got in the truck and drove
>over to a 4" snow bank. This is on an icy parkinglot with
>snow on it. I put the front passenger side wheel it the base
>of this snow bank and let out the clutch. The truck rolled
>forward untell it unloaded the rear left spring and then the
>rear left tire began to spin shamelessly. I went back and
>talked to the service writer and he talked to the Mech. Thay
>both said let it break in and come back in a week or two. I
>will keep going back untell I get a LS that works like a LS
>or Ford puts an aftermarket piece in that works.

Logpile,

I've heard several folks state that the easiest way to engage the LS on our trucks is to apply light pressure to the brake pedal as one wheel loses traction. This apparently gives the LS mechanism a little more resistance and helps it engage. That's what I was talking about when I said that I'd heard many people complain about the Ford LS and were looking at aftermarket replacements.

 

I think the only reason to get a truck without LS would be possibly to save a little on fuel which would probably be insignificant at best.
I've only ever had one truck without limited slip and I had to chain up many times because of it. I had problems with my '99 SD's limited slip not working but all seems well with my '02.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-Dec-01 AT 08:20 PM (EST)]I apologize for the bad information I had given towards the beginning of the thread. When I went to build the truck using Ford's "build & price" website it wouldn't let me add an LS rear, unless I changed to an auto. Didn't make sense to me at the time, but I figured Ford had their reasons. Apparently, depending upon the options ordered, you can't get it on some trucks.

Found the problem in going to the option of a V-10. The website would only let you get the 4.30 LS rear, if you wanted the 3.73 LS rear you had to get the automatic and the 4.10 wasn't even offered. This was with a 2002 SC 4x4 XL 8' bed, the XLT and Lariat may be different. Could also change if ordered at the dealership, I've encountered that before. The dealer would install the option if you requested it in some instances.

Now its time to remove my foot from my mouth....

Kerry

 

Fords LS works great with the smaller engines. the v-10 and the diesels over power the spring's and slip like crazy. after a short time spinning, thier gears grind down and your left with no LS. if your going with the bigger engines don't waste your money on fords LS. get an after market one.

My 01 PSD 4x4 diesel's LS only works when going straight. a slight turn and game over.

 

I also own a 99 SD 4WD with a V-10, 3:73 non-LS rear end with optional 4 wheel ABS (4 wheel ABS was an option in 99). Ordered the truck from the factory with a 5 speed and could not order it with LS. Asked the dealer to install one, and they would not. Claimed it would violate my warranty. Have been looking at several after market options for the 10.5 Sterling rear end and Dana 50 front. The one I like does not make a unit (yet) for the 10.5. Now that the warranty is over, I am thinking of buying the factory unit (for the Sterling)-and have someone else install it. Anybody have any luck with this process? As a side note, a friend that use to work in the auto industry told me that every new car/truck configuration has to be approved by the Feds before it can be sold to the public. Ford decided not to submit the LS option with the 3:73 and 5 speed. He knew of no technical reason why.

 

Do not know why characters came out funny it is 3.73 not 3:73. Also, have not had any steering problems. But, sometimes the brakes fail to fully engage and the stopping distance is greatly increased to the point where I doubt if I could avoid a collision in an emergency situation. Took it to the dealer and they of course could find nothing wrong. I am thinking the 4 wheel ABS option in 99 had some bugs. Checked the TSB's (been awhile though) and found nothing. Any ideas?