Anyone added a limited slip differential?

[SixGDoubleB]

I've read through dozens of threads where limited slip differentials are discussed and recommended. Has anyone with a Base/BB installed one?

My setup is a BB 4-cylinder Auto with stock 3.73 gears and 35" BFG ATs.

The goal is to improve on-road safety and provide better support for "stuck" situations. I understand that adding a rear locker would be a stronger bailout solution. But I'm also thinking that an LSD would improve off-road driving and get me out of most situations.

I read one comment that said that adding an LSD to a setup with 35" tires is a recipe for clutch burnout, shortening the usable life of the LSD to the point where it is not worth installing. Any comment?

I also read a comment that said that a Gleason Torsen is a stronger product than an Eaton TruTrac.

Aside from rebuilding the rear end, is there anything else I'd need to budget for?

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[joes bronco]

I wouldn't over think open diff's. I have a similar setup as you and for rain you would gain very little. In snow you can spin yourself sideways real quick. With an open diff, in rain or snow only one wheel will spin and the other will maintain traction for the most part with the road.

Open diff's get a lot of criticism but they will take you places that can make you crap your pants. My brother had one of the first original broncos and he would take it places where I would get out and walk and if you were there you would walk too. The big difference between the original and current broncos is the computer stuff. All that it can tell you is to select a program mode, sand ice snow etc and that supposedly will get you through what situation your in, real situations are not programed.

I get a kick out of watching youtube vids. of inexperienced guys taking their bronco off road. They will go to a gravel road that's a little narrow a goes up hill. They stop select loose gravel steep goat mode then up the hill they go, in 4wheel low on a road that a car could go up, funny to watch.

 

[SixGDoubleB]

Thanks. There are two reasons I'm putting this out there:

1) I've had a few hairy experiences on-road while turning on slick roadways. No other vehicle I've driven, including powerful rear-wheel cars (69 Firebird, manual tranny with RAM Air III 400 motor), has ever slid around like this one. I'm a lot easier on the pedal now in light rain and I no longer use Sport Mode in that kind of weather. I'm not sure if Traction Control saved me or just instantly getting off the pedal.

2) At the Ford Off-Roadeo, they gave me a WildTrak, and sure enough I had to use the rear locker to get out of a stuck situation.

I don't off-road enough for a rear locker, but I might someday, and it seems logical that an LSD would be a strong compromise for off-road.

OTOH, 4L or 4H might also be "good enough" to escape most jams.

 

[Brian_B]

It costs almost as much to add a LSD as a locker

I do admit the “always on” aspect of an LSD is appealing though

 

[brkdncr]

If it was a sports car I’d say upgrade to lsd, or even better a torsion diff, so you don’t lose stability when pushing through a turn.

but it’s an offroad suv. Get an e-locker.

 

[EasternSierra]

My understanding is that a Torsen won't work if you have a wheel in the air on that axle.

 

[brkdncr]

My understanding is that a Torsen won't work if you have a wheel in the air on that axle.

It works. It’s not 100% locked. Light braking would fix it.

but if you have a wheel in the air you want a locked diff.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

1) I've had a few hairy experiences on-road while turning on slick roadways. No other vehicle I've driven, including powerful rear-wheel cars (69 Firebird, manual tranny with RAM Air III 400 motor), has ever slid around like this one. I'm a lot easier on the pedal now in light rain and I no longer use Sport Mode in that kind of weather. I'm not sure if Traction Control saved me or just instantly getting off the pedal.

Some of this could be due to tire size/compound. Most tires that come on the Bronco, and most A/T tires are not great on the road.

A limited slip will still act up in sharp turns with the wrong tires. Like others have said, an LSD in the wrong scenario can turn a little bit of tire slip into a spin-out.

 

[Oldhippie]

I’ve had them all and nothing beats Detroit lockers for traction and dependability…they can be noisy and throw ya a round some but they just work..all the time…

 

[GPPBronco]

From the Great Lakes region here. Rain weekly (at least) and snow/ice for a couple months in the winter. I have a Base non-sas w/ the 2.3/Auto combo you have. Mud terrain tires, no winter service rating.

I gotta say, it’s hard to imagine spinning out on wet roads with this thing. Hydroplaning or slick clay aside, this seems like a problem with too much skinny pedal or taking corners with too much speed.

As far as getting stuck goes, I’d start by learning the true limits of your open diff in a controlled environment (off road park). Once you know the limits, install a winch to cover you in real-world scenarios where you might underestimate the difficulty level.

If/when I decide it’s time for an e-locker, I’m going to also make that the time I regear the 3.73 for something that can handle tires bigger than my current 33’s.

 

[GPPBronco]

Open diff's get a lot of criticism but they will take you places that can make you crap your pants.

Mountain pass in the North Cascades this past summer. Never thought once about needing a rear locker on that journey but I was regularly thinking “what did I get myself into, here…?”

 

[Strizzo]

It'll cost pretty much the same as adding an e-locker but the no-thinking option is the eaton truetrac helical limited slip. I've never heard of the gleason torsen but the eaton is plenty strong enough for what you're planning on using it for. It is basically a locker as long as both tires are on the ground, and no clutches to wear out and no preload that can make it want to push the front tires in slick conditions.

 

[Audiomate]

I've read through dozens of threads where limited slip differentials are discussed and recommended. Has anyone with a Base/BB installed one?

My setup is a BB 4-cylinder Auto with stock 3.73 gears and 35" BFG ATs.

The goal is to improve on-road safety and provide better support for "stuck" situations. I understand that adding a rear locker would be a stronger bailout solution. But I'm also thinking that an LSD would improve off-road driving and get me out of most situations.

I read one comment that said that adding an LSD to a setup with 35" tires is a recipe for clutch burnout, shortening the usable life of the LSD to the point where it is not worth installing. Any comment?

I also read a comment that said that a Gleason Torsen is a stronger product than an Eaton TruTrac.

Aside from rebuilding the rear end, is there anything else I'd need to budget for?

My Jeep JL on 35s had rear LSD/anti slip and would go mostly anywhere I Rubicon can. You could find me there behind them in 99% of the trails. Of course having a front/rear locker makes life much easier, my BL has and it is a day and night difference.

If lockers are out of equation, I would highly recommend going with LSD. I got a friend that has front and rear LSD and he rock crawls like he has lockers. Works great for him! Better than having just open diffs.

TL;DR - highly recommend it if lockers are not an option! Otherwise save it and regear with lockers

 

[Owl]

Back to the original (modified) question.... has anybody put on an eLocker or LSD with the 3.73. What are the options here? Is something available in a 3.73 for Bronco?

I thought about doing it, but am not willing to change out the front diff just to use a 4.xx rear locker or LSD.

I personally would like to know if anybody has done either (maintaining 3.73) and what the costs are.

And for those who might say "just trade for something with an eLocker)"... I live in California where I paid over $4500 for tax and registration. I'd rather not pay the govt again... AND I like my gas mileage of 21-24 on the highway with my 2.7/auto.

 

[Mike leggiero]

base on 37s just use your mode sand mode and low not hard on the pedal if you have a auto two foot it . i go the same places every other bronco goes . i do have a 4 door with a locker but i hardly every use it. it has all the modes i use sand mode and two foot it.its on 37s to. tires can make a differnts to. take it out of drive and shft it you self much easer on the trans and makes the goat mode ingage much easer. my base is a 7 speed i use crawl and sand mode on the harder stuff. i have been told if i had a locker i woundnt have any fun. i do put on a good show sometime been on a winch cable twice when on 35 on 37 did the same trails with no problem. are group we want you on 35s and a locker .

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