Why no Lim Slip in the front? | Ford Explorer Forums

  • Register Today It's free!

Why no Lim Slip in the front?

Sport (no trac)

Well-Known Member
Joined
June 25, 2001
Messages
109
Reaction score
0
City, State
Crazy town
Year, Model & Trim Level
2004 4Dr XLT
Please excuse this sorta newbie question, but with all the talk of the ARB lockers and stuff, I just hafta ask.

My '01 X Sport was purchased with lim slip which I assumed was both ends. I was surprised to find that the front end is open. Why didn't the front come with a lim slip diff to match the rear? Wouldn't lim slip allow each wheel to turn independantly when going around turns, etc?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year or try it out for $5 a month.

Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





I'm not sure why they didn't put it in the front other than to save money I just had it installed in mine it was $1500 installed for both front and rear this information is off of some of the papers the gave me.
Limited-slip diffs (also known generically as "posis" from the GM-trademarked Posi-Traction) offer the flexibility of allowing wheelspeed differentiation for cornering but "connect" the axle shafts when either side-to-side torque difference or wheelspeed exceeds a certain point. Most LSDs use friction between the differential case and side gears to connect the axles as opposed to lockers' meshing teeth. Generally, limited-slips are smoother and quieter on the pavement and inflict less tire wear than lockers because they transfer less torque per side. This is why some manufacturers recommend their LSDs for use in front axles.

In technical terms, limited-slips' design intent is to transfer more torque to the wheel with traction, a process called "torque biasing": the available ring-gear torque that a given differential can transfer to one wheel when the other one has reduced traction. Open diffs have 1:1 torque biasing; a traction diff with a 2:1 torque bias would transfer twice as much of the ring-gear torque to the wheel with traction as the one without.

Generally, limited-slips are one of four designs: clutch-type, cone-type, the hybrid limited-slip/locker Eaton Gov-Lok, and planetary-type. Clutch-type limited-slips are the most common and use spring-loaded clutch packs between the diff case and side gears to transfer some of the ring-gear torque to the tire with less traction. When traction loss is sensed, the diff's clutches transfer the power to the other side by driving that side's side gears. The spiders gears spread the side gears, which in turn exert force on the clutch plates. Increased load increases the pressure against the clutch plates, which transmits power to the wheel with traction.
Preload is provided by springs-the stiffer the spring/higher the load, the less wheelspeed differentiation the limited-slip allows, making it closer to the locker end of the traction-diff spectrum than the open-diff end. Clutch-type limited-slips typically require a friction additive to the diff oil for optimal operation. However, the clutches and friction area can wear down over time.
Cone-type limited-slips are manufactured by Auburn Gear. These units use "cones" that attach to the backside of the side gears that nest in machined surfaces in the diff case. Under load, the side gear wedges itself to the case. Because this design requires less force to lock the side gears to the diff case and there aren't any clutch plates to wear out, cone-type units typically enjoy long life.

Another limited-slip approach is Eaton's Automatic Locking Differential ("Gov-Lok"), which is a factory rearend option in many GM-built trucks. This diff uses "governors" to detect differences in axle-shaft speed, and its gears are activated by cam weights and friction discs when speeds differ by approximately 100 rpm, thus sending torque to the slower side. When "locked," the Eaton unit turns both end at the same rate, much like a locker. However, spring-loaded flyweights keep the units from locking at over 20 mph for safer cornering. Designed for stock applications, field reports say that the Gov-Lok can give up the ghost on trucks that have modified engines and oversized tires. The unit is also more costly than other limited-slips because of its complicated design and numerous internal parts.

Finally, the Detroit TrueTrac is a "compound planetary gear" unit that uses dynamic loading instead of clutches or cones to transmit torque to the unit's pinion gears. Because the TrueTrac has no springs/preload, light brake pressure can help transfer the torque.
Hope it helps

:)
 






Spiritwolf:

Thanks for the detail! I am a detail person and appreciate the info in your reply. It definitely was not lost on me!

I posted this same question on www.mysporttrac.com and I was given a much simpler answer, but basically the guy said lim slip wasn't used in the front diffs on street driven trucks because the locking action would make driving difficult, especially around corners, in parking lots, etc. He went on to say they were only used for "hardcore" offroaders where a locking front end would be beneficial. That sat uncomfortably with me since I couldn't figure the difference between having it in the back and having it in the front except the front wheels are doing the steering.

Did you have any issues with highway driving or parking?
 






SpiritWolf,
Are you saying you now have a LS in the front of your 99 XLT? I've read that nothing will work up there even though many manufactures say they have something that will.
 






jefe is right....they dont make a ls for the front of anything after a 94 YET, hopefully....
 






If you have a LS in the front of your '99, please post the manufacturer and model number. It should cost significantly less than the $1000 that I hear it costs for the ARB. So far I have been to a couple of shops that have said they could put a LS in the front of my '97, however I have never seen anyone that has successfully put one in a '95 and up Explorer. I didn't pursue it with the shops since I didn't have the money and from what everyone has said, it can't be done anyway. The shop would find that out when they had my front end in pieces. I have a feeling the shop you went to regeared your front and rear, but only put a LS in the rear. If they did infact put one in the front I would like to know which one so that I may consider it instead of the ARB.
 






I do have it in the front and rear let me call the 4X4 shop I had install it And get the manufacturer and part #'s and i'll post them.
 






spiritwolf... i bet $20 bucks you dont have a lsd in your front diff.... i want my $ sent through www.paypal.com thanks ;)
 






i just emailed spiritwolf and im still waiting for a reply. i want this topic to stay alive. i too have been wanting a l/s or locker for my 95 but im not willing to committ on th earb due to $$$. i might be able to swing an L/S.

i hope for his sake that he isnt bulls---ing us.
 






ive got 2 questions that i forgot to ask.

have you guys ever heard of a lincoln locker?

and

jimbena74 what do youdo for a living? i think you must play on the internet more than i do.;)
 






Lincoln(Lincoln welder) locker, is when you weld the spider gears together, so you are always driving both sides. You would not want to do this without having manual hubs.

You would not want to have a limited slip without having the ability to unlock your hubs for the same reason. It wouldn't really hurt on normal circumstances, but in snow,ice, or mud, your ability to turn deminishes greatly, and you will find that your truck will want to go straight instead of turn.
We don't have the ability to unlock our hubs. Had Warn come through with the conversion kit that they were thinking about for our 95+ Explorers, this would have been a good way to go, and a much cheaper way.

Let me add something about using the ARB locker in general.
You do not engage it all the time when you 4wheel. You only turn it on just before you think you need it, then turn it back off, Especially if you have one in the front.
 






Originally posted by BUCHVILLEMAN

jimbena74 what do youdo for a living? i think you must play on the internet more than i do.;)

i am a security supervisor an hour of doing mobile patrols on foot/car and then about an hour - 2 of paperwork/ customer service.... the other 5 hours i am on here....
 






spiritwolf68, I'm not quite sure how to tactfully word this, but if you really did pay for a front limited slip I would strongly suggest that you test it to make sure there really IS one in there and that it works.

Just a thought.
 






I just got ahold of the 4X4 place that installed The LSD He said they changed all the gears in both front and rear and he told me he would check and give me manufaturer and part #'s in the morning. But I am going to check it tonight to make sure I got what I piad for.
I'll keep you posted.
 






ive extended this discussion to some friends here at work and they seem to think that a L/S wouldnt be out of the question on a front end if you were changing out the gears. there would be some customization going on for sure and maybe a sub quality part was used or a smaller(?) l/s. i have no knowledge about this but i am throwing it in to pot to possibly substantiatte (oh the spelling does not go well with me) spiritwolf68s claims.
 






Ok I tested it. It's LS. I just got off the phone with the 4X4 place they said they started with a Eaton style kit and some parts from some other kits and few custom parts. It definatly works. Believe it or not. Don't much care if anyone believes it. I know it works.;;)
 






how did you test it?
 






HOOK US UP!!!

Spiritwolf you gotta hook us up with info. i believe you. i want to know who to ask im kind of in the sticks so i dont have too many machanics to bounce off of. i want a few details because i want this for my baby.

i imagine youjust went in a field and stompped it to see 4 wheel spin. way to go it look slike you are the first late model i have seen so far that has the l/s front.

sorry for the scepticism its been a long search for a lot of guys here. look sjimabena owes you $20!
 






I took it to a place in Salt Lake City, Utah called Jack-It 4X4 he started with the Eaton kit for 1995 with the springs not for independant suspension and modified it from there It took three days to order the parts and two days to modify It and install it. If you ever get to moab maybe you could stop in there and have it done unless you have a Jack-It there.
I took my Explorer to a hill I had previously tried to climb called the widow maker. I made it twice as for and when it would'nt go any more usually one wheel on each axle would spin, this time both wheels on both axles kicked in and were throwing dirt and it was still moving a little. Also today I went to a gully I've gone through where only three wheel touch and the tire that was off the ground would spin this time it turned but so did the one on the ground. I will see if he will tell me exactly how he did it and if maybe I could get some kind of blue print to post.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year or try it out for $5 a month.

Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





GERALD!! We'll be in Moab in a few months. Maybe you need to bring your checkbook :)
 






Featured Content

Back
Top