I have the 3.55 Limited slip diff on my truck. Everytime I ever had the truck in the grass, or on pavement, or mud....both tires would spin perfectly.

Last night, I tried to pull my truck into the driveway, which is on a slope, and I couldnt make it. I had to park at the bottom.

Well, today, I went out to shovel the driveway and dig out my truck to pull it up to the carport.

I got the rear tire on the drivers side free from snow and ice and it was on the concrete, but the passenger's side was still in some ice. I figured, what the heck, both will spin. Wrong!

How come only my back passenger's side tire would spin today? Remember, I DO have Limited Slip.

 

They both should spin, I would take it to the dealer. I don't know much about the internal workings of the limited slip, but I have heard of others having a problem with the clutch plates. Maybe you have the same issue. Good luck!

 

It is a 'limited' slip, which means that the differential will open under the right circumstances, like when turning or when one wheel has a lot of traction compared to the other. Factory limited slips are only marginally better than an open because they dont want to wear out the tires or break things.

 

• Some 4WD vehicle manufacturers offer a "limited slip differential" option. As the name implies, they limit wheel slip. These use clutch plates to lock the differential, and when turning on dry pavement they just slip.

• Unfortunately, they also slip when there is a significant difference in traction between two wheels in an off-highway situation. Limited slip differentials do not prevent wheel slip; they only delay wheel slip. Therefore, traction is lost a little later than without limited slip, and you will be stuck a little later. Personally, I am now convinced that at least OEM LS sucks on snow and ice and makes it MUCH more likely to cause problems, a "360" than an OD. At best it's of marginal value in rare circumstances-I'd get it as a "poor man's 4X4" if I went the 4X2 route, but wouldn't bother if I had 4X4 (and do). 4X4 will keep you going in those rare circumstances where LS MIGHT help.

 

One tire certainly had more grip that the other. One was on ice, the other on pavement.

Since one was on pavement, I figured they would both spin and I could get out. Wrong. I guess It was one of those certain situations.
Thanks

 

Back in the mid 80's when ford started offering a trac-lok diff it was very tight and people complained about the chatter around tight turns and rear tire wear, it also was hard on the rear axle as well, also one good way to help your limited slip to work best is when your truck in new or you have the clutch packs replaced is to drive in figure 8's about 6 times this will breake in the clutches prpoerly.