I'm thinking about installing a Detroit TruTrac and am wondering how it will work with the electronic traction crontrol system on the '09 Ram. I know I can always turn off the electronics. Just curious if the electronics will prevent the one wheel spinning so that the trutrac never engages. Does anyone here have this set up?

 

I have an LSD 3.92 and both tires always spin equally whether I am in tow haul mode or not so I don't even understand the concept with an LSD. All I can figure is that it applies the brakes to both wheels since they both spin evenly all the time...maybe less when not in tow haul though. So I would imagine that it wouldn't affect a trutrac any more than it would an LSD. I have yet to feel traction control work or at least I can't tell if it ever has. One thing for sure...it must not apply the brakes too hard on the spinning tire which would be both in my case because they spin too easily. That's not to say that is doesn't work on my truck...I just don't think that it is capable of controlling all the HP at WOT. If it were me, I wouldn't worry about it conflicting with a trutrac or hurting it and I'd go for it.

 

Thanks 1954Radio, I'm wondering if the factory installed LSD with the 3.92 has different programming for the traction control. I thought for an LSD or TruTrac, it took the spinning of a free wheel to engage the LSD or TruTrac. But if the electronics never let the one wheel spin, does the LSD engage? I see that it does for your truck.

I was in the woods and got a little snow and my Electronic Traction Control worked well. It was better than an open diff but not like yours.

 

Sometimes around a turn I can hear my inside tire churping trying to keep up with the outer tire...I'm just trying to say that these LSD's are good posi units. I have never witnessed traction control working nor have I ever driven in mud. I know it doesn't work on wet roads for me that's for sure, I have to be careful. There are some folks on here on here that installed some after market rear ends so lets see what they say about how the traction control works with theirs. And there's plenty with LSD's that's for sure. What kind of rear end do you have in your truck now...and what gears are they?

 

lets start with how the esp works on these trucks. basically it takes readings from 3 things. first it senses the wheel speed between the two rear wheels and when a large difference is read it will apply the brakes to help get them both spinning. second it reads the speed of the rear wheels compared to the front wheels. so if you are sitting in mud or ice it will start to pull power from the motor and override the accelerator and modulate it to keep the rear wheels from spinning too fast. and third it reads the direction of the front wheels to help keep the vehicle from spinning out of control.

now with a lsd you are keeping the rear wheels somewhat locked together mechanically so they spin at the same speed. so now the sensor that measures the difference in speed between the rear wheels will not be used since most of the time they will be spinning the same speed. i just went from 3.55 gears with the open diff to the 3.92 gears with a limited slip rear end and i will say that it is a night and day difference. it is so much more capable now than it was before. also there is no difference in the esp program between trucks with the factory lsd and the ones without them so go ahead and install a factory or aftermaket lsd and dont even worry about it.

 

Thanks jayman84 and 1954Radio. Now I just have to decide if the difference is worth spending the $s and loosing the lifetime warranty on the axle. I'll go see the axle guy after the new year and go from there.

 

Out of curiosity, what does a swap like this cost?

 

Traction control also cuts power to the engine as well as using the brakes.

 

Well the factory lsd is more than adequate for many people. The only reason I would go aftermarket is if you are going to do some serious offroading. As far as pricing goes for a swap you will be looking at around $1200 to $1500 for a nice aftermarket lsd. My gears and limited slip are the mopar factory parts and the whole install cost me $2800, but my dealership owed me a favor (long story) so I got the parts at dealer cost. Plus it saved my warranty.

 

I mentioned that already.