Not to familiar with how the rear diff works, well I do, but don't understand what the differences are between a Detroit Locker and a LSD and all of that.

Basically I have a 2wd and if I'm going just up a wet grassy knoll, one tire spins and I can't go anywhere. I wanted a 2wd cause she's a pavement pounder. But I would like to have both the rear tires powered at all times.

What is the best and CHEAPEST way to achieve this without having any difficulties really turning in a parking lot and what not...?

Thank you

 

You would wanna get an LSD. What I would try to do is look at your local junkyards to see if you can find an axle that has an LSD in it from the factory. That is what I am looking at doing in the future.

A LSD makes sure that both of the wheels are spinning at the same speed. as where a Locker literally locks the 2 tires together making it harder to turn

 

I had a 1983 Honda Odyssey Fl 250 with a "posi" rear-end (live axle) and it sucked. Wheel hop, weird cornering, not good (think "street-able"). A posi 2 wheel locked is good for dunes or drag racing, not going to work, stopping at wal-greens and taking the old lady to Applebees on Friday night.

 

Ok, I definitely want to get a limited-slip Dif. Are there certain vehicles that share the same rear dif? I read somewhere that it is a 9.25? Will ANY vehicle with a 9.25" dif fit in my Dakota?

Yeah a limited Slip I think is what I need to get. Yeah Applebee's parking lots are always crowded! haha

 

Ummm... Wait..


I have an LSD on my truck... and they do spin the same direction; but if one gets locked up or bogged down the other one is able to spin and such.. and visa versa... Never understood this.

I think your looking for a positrac rear end..

 

So you have the open differential. Always fun...but one thing they are good for is that they last longer than the life of the truck.

The factory LSD, even though it's good for getting both wheels to drive, may not be the best choice. The reason is that there are clutches inside of it that burn out, and requires more maintenance.

If you want complete traction control, there are lockers that are placed inside the open differential and it locks both wheels. I've heard of mixed reactions about this like such things as popping, clunking and etc and some don't think it's good for street use. Good thing is though that they don't need maintenance...at least that's what I've heard the last time I went looking.

First, you need to identify which axle you have. The easiest way is by looking at the housing cover plate. If it's round, you got the 8.25" differential. If it's like an octagon, then you have the 9.25" differential.

 

I hear ya with getting tired of one wheel peels and such. It gets to be a pain in the winter. I looked at a few lockers, but they were all like $600 or so, and I'm not ready to drop that kind of money right now.

 

Get yourself a lunch box locker they are cheaper than a detroit locker or arb locker. A Powertrax is one,or LockRight another, or a detroit Truetrac.Otherwise your next step is a selectable locker which cost twice as much.

 

I'll have to look into that. They seem much more affordable... Not to mention that there's a Dak on the powertrax lock right home page. Thanks!

edit: Upon closer inspection, it's a durango in the pic, not a Dak whoops

 

My buddy has a detroit locker on his chevy and it still turns fine and doesn't have any problems with it