i've the stock lsd in my 96 with 175k on it. the springs are weak but it still makes a massive difference. off road i can most trails in 2wd (untill i hit a really bad mud hole) yes the lsd's if it's in good shape will make it easy to get sideways untill you are used to it. even with myne being weak if i put one tire in the mud and the other on pavement it will still get it moving. the springs are to preload the clutches. what makes it grab tighter is when there is torque it pushes the spiders out towards the clutches and that applies more pressure to the packs. i love myne truly and honestly. even worn out i rarely loose taction. it will smoke both tires and leave the same length marks. ocasionally in a turn i may get a slight chatter (where it feels like it's hoppin a bit) but it only happens in the rain. either one will be a huge improvement for traction. but the locker is more durable and will ultimatly give you more traction both on and off road.

if you have the 7.25 i would swap it for the 8.25 or 9.25. however that may mean a different lug pattern to.

 

7.25" is the axle diameter or housing diameter? I might as well go the biggest in that case being 9.25" even if I have to swap out the axle shaft but most likely if I go Jeep it will be a standard 5-lug pattern on all years.

 

9.25 is an inch wider then the 8.25, might have trouble with the shafts on that, may have to get the axle shortened half an inch on both sides

 

So that measurement is the axle length from wheel to wheel then??

 

I'm pretty sure, bad96_3.9 did a 318 swap as well as the rear axle to the 9.25, the shock mounts have to be ground off the 9.25 and re-positioned for correct mounting, as on that axle one is on the front and one on the back of the axle, he did specify that the axle is 1 inch wider overall.

 

Looks like I have a lot of measuring to do then...

 

check the faq2, there is more than one swap listed there for the 9.25 rear. I would do one myself if i had the welding tools and time.

 

Is it really worth it over the 8.25?

 

could be alot cheaper, just depends how much fab work you can manage and how much you want to get your hands dirty.

 

I work at a gigantic machine shop with talented welders with too much free time, a 7.25-to-9.25 is a 2" difference....is that axle diameter? Housing diameter? Axle length? I still don't understand what this measurement is!