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Old 12-09-2016, 07:39 PM   #1
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Kudos to Limited Slip

I know there are some folks on here thinking about limited slip differentials and wondering if it's worth it. So, thought I'd post a resounding YES!

In Portland this weekend, we're experiencing an early-season "snowstorm", but more appropriately called an ice-storm, since there's only about an inch of snow, but 2 inches of ice.

We holed up in the house waiting for the thaw, but soon felt the need to get out for some groceries and errands. Despite having a little 4x4 Jeep Renegade in the driveway, I wanted to see what the van would do in this mess.

We pulled out of the iced-up driveway and slid out onto the street. It was like a skating rink out there. The steering left us with a bit of a waltz-like feeling but then I heard the familiar "rrrrrrr-zip" of the limited slip. Yep, tires spun a few times then, bam, locked up and off we went. There's no mistaking that sound and it's mighty reassuring.

I've driven 4x4s all my life, mostly pickups, so I will admit to being kinda scared facing my first winter with a 2by. My Agile appointment isn't till March. I sold my Tacoma Double Cab to buy the van and I gotta say there was some trepidation. But, now I see how having a vehicle that weighs 3 tons empty is a real advantage. Who needs sandbags when you have 3150 lbs on the rear axle?

Ironically, I just sold my Tacoma studded tires and wheels to a guy this morning. I always felt like I could climb trees with that setup and felt a lump in my throat when I let those tires go.

The van's KO2's aren't studded so, even with the planned 4x conversion I'm unlikely to climb a steep iced hill, but today's little outing made me feel like this van has a lot more going for it than the room. It's a damn tank. And I can't wait to see what it'll do after Agile gets ahold of it.

.

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Old 12-09-2016, 07:57 PM   #2
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NICE!!!

So glad you got out there and put it to use. Money well spent if you ask me and I am glad I could be there to help make it happen.

I also had some fun with my limited slip today...
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:39 PM   #3
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I'm with you Otter! I locked my hubs up there yesterday but never used 4x4. The LSD was magic and I had no issues.
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Old 12-09-2016, 09:51 PM   #4
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Awesome. I am very glad I pulled the trigger on LS for my Agile Conversion. John also thought it would help to keep the RSC from burning up brakes.

I will suggest tire chains. After I slid sideways into a pole with my F250 on an icey sidehill turn. I chain up when it's really icey. It's kind of fun tooling around in a big vehicle with chains on it. Luckily my truck and van will have the same size tires so I can use my chains on the van too.

Stay safe out there!!!
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Old 12-10-2016, 12:01 AM   #5
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I see I'm not the only one having fun!

WAY back in the day, I gave up chains for 4WD because I really came to hate getting down on the wet highway to put those chains on. That's how I got started with the studs and sped right past the chain up areas. But I'll probably get chains for safety and maybe spring for studs next year, tho I do hate the way they wreck the roadbeds. I figure they'll be outlawed in Oregon any year now. Hey, what we need is some kind of techno-stud tire where the studs stay hidden till you push a button. Somebody on here must be able to design that, right?

It really was a blast today and that lsd is something else. Glad we have a multitude of ways to have fun and get where we need to go.
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Old 12-10-2016, 08:19 AM   #6
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I keep chains, well for the same reason I keep a lot of things in my van, just because. I'm glad I have them, but I've never used them. Once you get 4x4 I'd say give that a shot for a while before you decide to get studs. Good tires on these vans along with the weight of them seems to go a long way.
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Old 12-10-2016, 08:44 AM   #7
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Just as an FYI (maybe not so much for you seasoned guys, but for anyone else who hasn't driven a limited-slip (or locker) rear axle in snow/ice)

On an ultra-slippery driving surface such as ice, a locked-up rear axle is actually *more likely* to cause a van to "swing around" abruptly and uncontrollably when traction gets lost.

>>>> This is because:
With an engaged LSD, or a locker rear diff.....both rear wheels are effectively "locked" together (they act like one solid axle, so they both spin at the same speed as each other)....so if you break loose in the rear, you are breaking *both wheels loose together*.

This is most definitely more a case for worry with people who have *selectable lockers* than for a limited-slip....(if you are driving on road surfaces that are alternating between ice and snow, ya don't want to engage that rear locker until you are driving only in deep snow...).....but even in cases where the limited-slip is a simple mechanical friction-clutch-pack, it can still happen on icy surfaces. If there's more friction in those LSD differential clutches than between the tires and the road, the rear axle will act like a locker when the tires start to break loose...and when traction gets lost, they'll both break loose together.....bringing your rear-end around in a hurry if you're not quick on the draw.

Yep....ironically, a rear-drive vehicle will be much more stable driving down an icy road if it has an open rear diff. (If one rear wheel breaks traction, the other one still stays firmly "connected" to the road, so the vehicle carries on smoothly (more or less) in a straight line.)

But yeah man, those LSD's and Lockers kick ass in the snow/mud/sand --- game on!

(There. My "public service announcement" for the day, lol....)
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Old 12-10-2016, 08:57 AM   #8
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My rule of thumb in bad road conditions:

Never drive faster than you are willing to crash
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Old 12-10-2016, 09:32 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flux View Post
My rule of thumb in bad road conditions:

Never drive faster than you are willing to crash
My rule of thumb in bad road conditions:
Stay home. Feed the fire and smile as I look out the window and sip my favorite hot beverage!
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Old 12-10-2016, 09:49 AM   #10
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I'm definitely in the "hate chains" school of thought, but I do carry them just in case. Still, I've only used them perhaps 3 times in my life, and each case I was forced by law to install them. I do think they are good to have when traveling in remote backcountry areas in winter though. As for limited slip, I installed it on my front axle too, in addition to the stock one in the rear. When I bought the van, I didn't know it wasn't working in the rear until I installed new gears and discovered the clutches were all burned out. Now, everything is fresh in both ends and I think adding it in the front was the best compromise between hard core off road and limited slips ability to be used on the street.
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