Limited Slip Working?
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Limited Slip Working?
I have a 2001 F350 diesel. I should have a 3.73 rearend with a limited slip. This morning I was parked on a slight hill and one tire was one ice. When I tried to drive away, the tire on ice just sat there and spun. I had to actually lock it in 4wd to pull out. I have 35" tires. How can I check if I have a problem? Thanks,
Ron W.
Ron W.
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: colorado
the factory LS is not that great, it does take a good amound of torque on each tire to get it to engage. in the situation you descrided the only way to get it to lockup would be to slowly apply the parking brake, once the torque biais is high enough it will engage
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Phenix City, AL
bushman,
We just had a discussion about this earlier this week. Check out this thread, it may explain what's goin on with your LS.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=436535
BFR
We just had a discussion about this earlier this week. Check out this thread, it may explain what's goin on with your LS.
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=436535
BFR
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Seminole, FL
I had a similar experience with my F250 FX4. This is my first 4x4 so I had to try it out in the pasture behind our hunting cabin in the snow. Many times better than 4x2,however, I tried to go up a fairly steep really slick hill in the corner and no way. When I tried backing up it the left front and right rear broke free.
If I had applied brakes a little would the LS kick in?
If I had applied brakes a little would the LS kick in?
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Phenix City, AL
Yes, applying the brakes helps to get the LS to engage, to a point.
Here's the problem. Unlike a locker (or even gear driven LS units) the clutch pack setup that Ford uses, breaks away rather than locking up.
What I mean by this is that the LS is always engaged, so to speak, when one of the rear wheels gets more traction than the other and power is applied, the LS can only keep the axles together for so long. At a certain point the clutches ability to maintain friction fails and one wheel spins free.
What applying the brakes does is equalize this difference between the tires and helps the LS by keeping an equal load across the axles. It's not so much that it would kick in, but more that it would be able to maintain friction.
BFR
Here's the problem. Unlike a locker (or even gear driven LS units) the clutch pack setup that Ford uses, breaks away rather than locking up.
What I mean by this is that the LS is always engaged, so to speak, when one of the rear wheels gets more traction than the other and power is applied, the LS can only keep the axles together for so long. At a certain point the clutches ability to maintain friction fails and one wheel spins free.
What applying the brakes does is equalize this difference between the tires and helps the LS by keeping an equal load across the axles. It's not so much that it would kick in, but more that it would be able to maintain friction.
BFR
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Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Phenix City, AL
Yeah, it would.
The thing is, and I can see Ford's point of view, they had to make a compromise between the real truck users (abusers) and the yuppies who think it's just cool to drive a truck.
I really like the setup on my wife's Rubicon. Has the selectable lockers from the factory. It would really be nice if Ford made that Hoss Edition. That would be an animal.
You would think that as much as we pay for these truck, they would have some useful options like that. I mean selectable lockers would definitely make these trucks worthy of having a the FX4 sticker. That is something that should be included on that package, rather than the bogus shocks, a sticker, and the skid plates that make up the current FX4 package.
The thing is, and I can see Ford's point of view, they had to make a compromise between the real truck users (abusers) and the yuppies who think it's just cool to drive a truck.
I really like the setup on my wife's Rubicon. Has the selectable lockers from the factory. It would really be nice if Ford made that Hoss Edition. That would be an animal.
You would think that as much as we pay for these truck, they would have some useful options like that. I mean selectable lockers would definitely make these trucks worthy of having a the FX4 sticker. That is something that should be included on that package, rather than the bogus shocks, a sticker, and the skid plates that make up the current FX4 package.
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