LOCKING REAR DIFFERENTIAL

[simcross]

Chevrolet pickups have a locking rear differential
I just wonder if it is really helpful or not??

 

[Stocker Steve]

Two wheel drive is better than one. An old hunting buddy had a 9 passenger Chev station wagon with posi track and snow tires. You had to high center it to get it stuck.

 

[msscamp]

Having some limited experience with locking differentials, I would have to agree with Stocker Steve on this one. However, if you are not certain I would suggest finding a sand draw or perhaps a mud hole and checking it out for yourself. Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Just my thoughts.

 

[simcross]

I know it would be helpful in those situations but do the situations come up often enough that a person needs the locking differential. On the new pickups I wonder how you lock it in and how easy it would be to shell the differential out

 

[Crowderfarms]

Chevrolet pickups have a locking rear differential
I just wonder if it is really helpful or not??

I'm not a huge fan of GM, but I wonder if it's posi-traction, or limited slip differential?

 

[flaboy+]

Chevrolet pickups have a locking rear differential
I just wonder if it is really helpful or not??

I'm not a huge fan of GM, but I wonder if it's posi-traction, or limited slip differential?

Probably limited slip. I guess it's better than nothing. I have positive trac in my Ford and it DOES make a BIG difference. I can back my cattle trailer up to the chute in wet weather in 2WD where others have to put theirs into 4WD because they only have one rear wheel pulling.

Is it worth it? Every penny if you get positive trac instead of limited slip as Crowder mentioned.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Chevrolets don't have true lockers in the rear, just "posi-traction", which is their term for a limited slip differential. No modern breed of truck offers a true locking rear (or front for that matter) axle, just a limited slip. The older Dodge Powerwagons offered a true locker, but they were ugly for turning on pavement and dry ground due to binding.

I consider a limited slip diff to be absolutely the bare minimum, and won't buy a truck with an open diff.

Rod

 

[Crowderfarms]

Remember the GM Clutch Type Posi's? How bout Detroit Locker's? My Dodge 3500 Has limited slip front/rear.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

The GM clutch type posi's still allowed for slippage between axles, and as such, were not true locking diffs. Or at least the ones that I remember. I don't recall Chevrolet having Detroit lockers, but I'm not a big Chevy man. When did they have Detroits?

Rod

 

[Crowderfarms]

The GM clutch type posi's still allowed for slippage between axles, and as such, were not true locking diffs. Or at least the ones that I remember. I don't recall Chevrolet having Detroit lockers, but I'm not a big Chevy man. When did they have Detroits?

Rod

They were not a factory option. Strictly an aftermarket product. Then you had the guys that welded spider gears. I always thought that was a brilliant thing to do. :lol:

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Then you had the guys that welded spider gears. I always thought that was a brilliant thing to do. :lol:

:lol: We had an old Chevy grain truck that the spiders went out on, so we welded 'er on up just to get use through the season. Gave a whole new meaning to "give me 40 acres, and I'll turn this rig around. :lol:

Rod

 

[EIEIO]

I've got an 01' Chevy 3/4 ton HD with a limited slip rear end and 4:11 gearing. If there is one thing I hate about the truck it's the limited slip rear end. It's great on the farm in the dirt and rocks but take it out on the road in wet, icy, or snowy conditions and I find it dangerous. The wife won't even drive it in those conditions with a bale of hay in the back of it.

The first time we had a problem we were on some real curvy roads and they were nothing but rain slick and I was doing about 50 mph. around a mild curve when the limited slip kicked in and spun us around 2.5 times and we ended up facing the other direction on the other side of the highway. The Lord was with us that day as it happened in Arkansas and usually where we were from there is usually nothing but a hillside or big ditch soon as your off pavement but we ended up somehow in a flat spot just off the pavement.

Driving in snow even in 4 wd. the limited slip will kick in and cause the rear to spin out to one side or the other. Don't have the information in front of me but the limited slip is supposed to kick in once there is like a 35% slippage happening on the opposite wheel.

Someone once told me I could add something to the rear end to help with the problem but I never have, just drive it careful in the above conditions.

Regarding posi-traction on trucks I thought I saw an add before with either the new Nissans or Toyota's having a push button rear locker.

J

 

[hillbilly]

Pull the filler plug on your rear end put a cup of automatic
transmission fluid in.
Drain it next spring and refill with gear oil.

hillbilly

 

[Crowderfarms]

Some limited slip and posi units require a special gear lube, or additive.

 

[Saltydawg]

Detroit Lockers are nice but they are noisy. On pavement you'll hear them clicking when you turn a corner and they are releasing the outter wheel.

They are different than a posi type found in factory trucks.

Posi and limited slip type rearend's use a friction material like your clutch does.(which is why some of them need special fluid...so you don't "soak" the friction material)

Detroit style lockers are more like a gear setup...they mesh teeth to lock the axles. Its all metal on metal. They are "bulletproof" but noisy.

I run a lot of Demolition derbies every year :). Locking your rearend makes a HUGE difference in the mud.(most tracks wet the demo area to keep speeds down) Course you don't put $500 Detroit lockers in demo cars....you weld the spiders together or use something known as a spool.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

Working at a chevrolet dealer i may be biased in my opinion but a limited slip differentail is the way to go it like having a open rear end when on the highway & a positive when you need it the later models use synthetic lube.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

EIEIO, it sounds like someone changed fluids in your diff, or else the dealer filled it and didn't add the necessary friction modifier. Drain it, refill with the proper lube, and add the approved friction modifier. I don't think I'd use the automatic trans fluid as was mentioned, as the newer breeds of rear diffs don't respond well to old style fixes (that fix worked great on the older diffs).

Rod

 

[EIEIO]

Rod, your post got me thinking as after like just a few thousand miles on the truck a local dealership said I needed the rear differential fluid changed out to keep the warranty intact. Cost a bunch if I remember right. Wonder if they screwed up and put the wrong stuff in? Never had a problem with it that I noticed anyway untill after they changed out the fluid. The truck only has like 40K miles on it.

Alacowman, does that sound like something that could have happened?

J

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I'm not sure about the newer Chevy diffs, but the old ones needed a certain API rated gear lube, plus a friction modifier (available from Chevrolet) to work properly. I'm not sure if friction modifier is still around, but your diff definitely needs some or else the wrong fluid was put in.

Rod