Hey everyone, new member here.. I just picked up the truck in my signature and so far love it. One thing I noticed is it is quite traction limited. (no surprise)

I'm not sure if it came with an open diff, or maybe it has a worn out posi, is there a way to tell without removing the cover?

If it did in fact come with an open rear do I have any junkyard options? I'm not really clear weather this truck came with a 8.25 or 8.75 rear, so I don't really know where to begin looking. Anyway, sorry for the rambling. Looks like a great forum!

 

you would get some kind of viberation if is was bad rear end, my turck is a one wheel wonder to an exstent it will smoke both if you do it right

 

Besides doing a burn out, you can simply jack up the rear-end of the truck and spin the tires by hand.
If they both spin the same direction, you have limited-slip (or whatever you want to call it), if they don't, you have an open differential.
And as to what size axle you have, 7.25 and 8.25 were the axle offering in the Gen 1's.

Other than that, I don't know anything about converting to limited-slip rears, or anything besides changing out the fluid, actually.

 

It's not that hard to do.I recently installed a powertrax auto disengaging locker. I've had no problems with it. my dakota is a '93 and has a 8 1/4 rear axle

 

Another way you can tell if you have a limited slip is just simply make a U-turn. If you can make it rather easily its open diff if not and ifyou make a U-turn like drivin a semi its probley limit slip

 

Cool, I'm probably gonna pull the cover and see whats in there.. If its a worn out posi, i'll just try to rebuild it.. If not I'll probably do the powertrax. I forgot about those things.. Ought to do the trick.

Which leads me to the question.. Does a 95 dakota use 27 or 29 spline axles??

 

Gen 1 has 27 splines. I also installed a powertrax No Slip.

 

The posi out of any 8 1/4 from 1973 and up is the same.I've had a lot of luck finding them in 4 wheel drive Dakotas and I pick a few up at swap meets.