Does A 4WD Truck Need Limited Slip

[Rick7812]

Without limited slip rear you won't have 4 wheel drive.

 

[TC Retired]

My example is the 04 Explorer we had. It was open diff and at best 2 wheel drive. Coming up into our neighbor hood is a 90 degree uphill blind turn. When the snow would get above 10" it would barely make it up the hill.
My Limited 1500 with LSD climbs it without issue even up to 20". The only time it has lost traction was going up to the Ski resort after rain/snow. And then only in the short icy strech and a little toooo much throttle. I love the Trans/Transfer case/Diff combination. Would NEVER buy any 4x4 with an open diff.

 

[jimboschnitz]

One of the problems with a 4X4 without limited slip diffs is that you don't really have 4 wheel drive.
Without LS Diff, the wheel that will spin the easiest is the one that will get the power. So if you're
in snow or mud or extremely unlevel terrain one or more of those wheels will be spinning and the wheel
you need the most traction for will not be getting. LS Dif option price is only $495 list and that pretty
cheap insurance in case you get into a bad situation.

 

[Jim113]

I'm in Canada and I do not have limited slip on my RAM ... I get by in Canadian winters without it ... During winter I just put my truck in Auto 4WD mode and never have had a problem even on snow-covered roads ... Being in California, I really don't think you would need it ...

 

[Light299]

After driving a CAR with an LSD for many years (and no TCS), I can't even fathom why a TRUCK wouldn't have one...

 

[rosco11]

My current 2004.5 2500 has a limited slip rear but honestly I can't tell if it has ever engaged. I believe once in soft sand in the desert I felt the rear end switching back and forth for traction. Considering I have 4WD and wish to buy a new truck, is limited slip necessary? Our climate does include snow occasionally but not to any great extent and black ice once in awhile after a storm. Most roads I drive are paved so mud is not an issue and if I get in sand I have used the 4WD to make sure I have traction. We do have mud slides off mountains in severe rain events. I would like to know what the more experienced drivers have to say about this. Looking on line at 2023 trucks I can't always see the MSRP invoice but when I can, most do not have the feature.

Not necessary. In fact, if you buy a base 4wd from Dodge, Ford, or Chevy, it does not come with a limited slip diff. It has to be ordered with a package or by itself. And honestly, you only need it for spacific situations most people do not encounter. In most cases, having a front tire pulling shen the back is loosing traction is enough to get out of most situations or to prevent loss of traction to begine with............the only time you would actually NEED it is if you are driving in conditions where loss of traction is possible/probable at both axils, like soft sand, or if you are stupid or have lots of money to waste, mudding.

 

[Redfisher1974]

Does the wife need all that junk in her trunk? Probably not, but its fun when you wanna play.. know what i mean?

 

[drmoreau]

Good tires and airing them down off road is probably more important than fancy hardware. I have driven our 2004 Wrangler 4x4 with no lockers everywhere my friends go. And they are all pimped out. I just go slower and more carefully. 1000s of miles all over the desert west. Carry a portable compressor to air back up when you hit the pavement.

 

[Mike Wenrich]

I do carry the portable compressor and I do like the idea of the LS for insurance. We like the desert and will likely be there with a new truck but where we go I don't believe it would be a deal breaker to have or have not. We don't wish to be those folks who show up on news at eleven that got stuck in the desert on a remote road with no other vehicle with us and no water, and died of heat or cold exposure. You can't fix stupid. But the reason I asked this question in the first place is that I did not know the capability of the truck w/o L/S. Even with L/S I carry a piece of carpet to place under a wheel if slipping in soft sand. And a shovel. I now have a lot more knowledge in my tool kit and would prefer the L/S but finding an affordable new truck right now is a challenge. A 2023 would be okay if the only missing option is the L/S. If that happens I hope I am right. If not....Ol' Mike will be in the news.

 

[PJ Snyder]

What is the difference between the anti spin rear axle differential and the electronic locking rear axle?

 

[mdc1990zr1]

I had a 89 Chevy 1500 that was 4wd without posi and it was fine in CT winters. I never got stuck anywhere.

I had a 1992 Chevy K1500 (4WD) that had the G80 Eaton gov-loc in the rear. When engaged , I would have two wheels tuning in the rear and the one in the front for a total of three. You can't get that with a limited slip differential. Everyone said it was a limited slip, one Chevy dealer even added 4 oz. of limited slip fluid to it. They would even argue that it was limited slip. It was NOT! It was a mechanical locking differential that used a low speed differential to engage the other wheel and make it a locker. That rear end was awesome. My 2010 and 2016 GM 2500HD both have this G80 in them and they are awesome in a 2WD truck. I believe the locker in our Rams is the electronic Eaton differential. It is a locker, not a limited slip. According to Eaton, it took straight 80W90 gear oil with NO limited slip additive. The dash switch in our Ram says 4WD lock.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

Without limited slip rear you won't have 4 wheel drive.

Run that by me again?

 

[ramffml]

What is the difference between the anti spin rear axle differential and the electronic locking rear axle?

Limited slip is a mechanically locking diff, when one wheel spins faster than the other the LSD will automatically/mechanically lock the diff so that both wheels then gain traction. It may take a second or two of good spinning before it locks. Then it releases again once the forces are back to normal.

Electronically locks diff is something that the driver can control; you flip a switch and the diff is locked until you turn it back off.

While both diffs are locked, there is no difference. The difference is how they are locked (automatic vs manual), and the control that is given to the driver with the manual locking diff. However, the e diff has a downside in that the driver needs to take action, whereas the limited slip is always automatic and doesn't require driver interaction.

If you're doing true offroading and rock crawling, the manually locking diff is preferred. If you're not offroading, the limited slip is generally considered a better option (or just as good depending on who you talk too).

 

[ramffml]

Run that by me again?

Semantics, what does "4wd" actually mean?

A 2wd truck with open diffs is actually a 1wd truck; the second one wheel in the rear loses traction, you won't go any further. Both wheels do get the same amount of torque when traveling in a straight line and when both wheels have traction, but if either wheel loses traction it's game over, all the torque goes to the spinning wheel and the wheel with traction won't turn or help you out. So this is the same effect as if you actually had a single drive wheel which then lost traction, you're not moving.

A 2wd truck with a locker/limited slip, is a true 2wd truck. When the locker is engaged, you have 2 wheels which can provide movement as long as they have traction.

A 4wd truck with open diffs is actually a 2wd truck; if your left side of the truck hits a ditch and you lose traction on that side, you won't go any further; both the front left and rear left spin, the torque is "lost" to those spinning wheels and you won't go anywhere.

A 4wd truck with a center diff lock and with a locking/limited slip in the rear, is a 3wd truck; now when you hit the ditch on your left side, your rear wheels are locked so the right wheel will still get torque and provide you with movement as long as it has traction.

A 4wd truck with a center diff lock and front/rear lockers is a true 4wd; all diffs are locked, all 4 wheels turn at exactly the same speed, you only need traction at any single corner to get you moving again.

 

[br427]

My current 2004.5 2500 has a limited slip rear but honestly I can't tell if it has ever engaged. I believe once in soft sand in the desert I felt the rear end switching back and forth for traction. Considering I have 4WD and wish to buy a new truck, is limited slip necessary? Our climate does include snow occasionally but not to any great extent and black ice once in awhile after a storm. Most roads I drive are paved so mud is not an issue and if I get in sand I have used the 4WD to make sure I have traction. We do have mud slides off mountains in severe rain events. I would like to know what the more experienced drivers have to say about this. Looking on line at 2023 trucks I can't always see the MSRP invoice but when I can, most do not have the feature.

Why would you not get a posi rear for the small amount it costs? Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

 

[kdoublep]

Semantics, what does "4wd" actually mean?

A 2wd truck with open diffs is actually a 1wd truck; the second one wheel in the rear loses traction, you won't go any further. Both wheels do get the same amount of torque when traveling in a straight line and when both wheels have traction, but if either wheel loses traction it's game over, all the torque goes to the spinning wheel and the wheel with traction won't turn or help you out. So this is the same effect as if you actually had a single drive wheel which then lost traction, you're not moving.

A 2wd truck with a locker/limited slip, is a true 2wd truck. When the locker is engaged, you have 2 wheels which can provide movement as long as they have traction.

A 4wd truck with open diffs is actually a 2wd truck; if your left side of the truck hits a ditch and you lose traction on that side, you won't go any further; both the front left and rear left spin, the torque is "lost" to those spinning wheels and you won't go anywhere.

A 4wd truck with a center diff lock and with a locking/limited slip in the rear, is a 3wd truck; now when you hit the ditch on your left side, your rear wheels are locked so the right wheel will still get torque and provide you with movement as long as it has traction.

A 4wd truck with a center diff lock and front/rear lockers is a true 4wd; all diffs are locked, all 4 wheels turn at exactly the same speed, you only need traction at any single corner to get you moving again.

Where can I find a 3X3 badge? Lol!

 

[Compu-Doc]

Your right it needs a TrueTrac .

Absolutely correct
A LSD will wear out and need to be replaced at some point...my TrueTrac is a beast

 

[2milehi]

One bad thing with limited slip is surfaces that are just starting to get slippery. A truck has a light ass end. The back end of a posi truck's back end will break loose sooner than a truck with an open rear end.

 

[Norwain]

My truck is 4wd without limited slip, and when the road is wet, it spins out very easily. I usually put it in 4wd when the dew falls. It sucks. You’ll be sorry if you don’t.

 

[star_deceiver]

My 6.7 had a Torsten. My 6.4 had the plate style LSD. My 3.6 has an open diff. They all had the best studded Hakkapeliita winters. Never had any issues in winter and at best I drive like an idiot.

Your choice in tires for your application is the best place to spend your money.