Limited slip

[S-west]

Ok well my truck has 3.55 sterling 10.25 full floater with limited slip. The truck usually spins only one tire. Even in the snow. Unless I let the clutch out very slowly while I'm stuck, in which case it will then lock together. I was just curious as to what kind of limited slip these are. I am aware there are many different types and I have only ever worked on clutch type differentials. I'm just looking to find out what kind my truck has. It feels good to post on hear for some reason other than I desperately need help fixing my truck haha.

 

[RLDSL]

Ok well my truck has 3.55 sterling 10.25 full floater with limited slip. The truck usually spins only one tire. Even in the snow. Unless I let the clutch out very slowly while I'm stuck, in which case it will then lock together. I was just curious as to what kind of limited slip these are. I am aware there are many different types and I have only ever worked on clutch type differentials. I'm just looking to find out what kind my truck has. It feels good to post on hear for some reason other than I desperately need help fixing my truck haha.

What type is it??? Worn out
Sorry, but thems how it is.
You have a set of clutches in there and they are long gone. Mine was worse than that when I got it., but a bit over 100k miles ago I rebuilt it and stuffed a new set of clutches in there, and have been running Amsoil 75-140 severe gear in there and it still feels like the day I put it together, that tail end is TIGHT. I can run with one side off teh ground and it'll pull
Part of teh reason these things die is nobody ever changes the oil in them. Even with the fancy synthetic in there, with all the heavy towing I do, the change interval is right about 50k miles. I challange you to find a dozen in captivity that have had their diff oil changed on schetule

If you go to rebuild that thing, be aware, its not like rebuilding a car posi, not by a long shot. I ended up going to a boneyard and getting a spare axle shaft and cutting it down and welding it back together to make a ool for turning the spiders in and out and where the manual says to compress the bell spring on one side to roll the spiders in, forget it, aint happening. get a chunk of all thread and some nuts and washers and run it through and compress BOTH bell springs so you will be able to roll the mess together, ( or you can follow the instructions and be like us, with 4 guys whailing on it hard enough to lift a 12 ft steel bench off teh ground and still not budging the spiders in ) Youll read all kinds of comments about slipping in an extra clutch.... not a chance with this rear the clutches in one kit will be sufficient

 

[sassyrel]

If you go to rebuild that thing, be aware, its not like rebuilding a car posi, not by a long shot. I ended up going to a boneyard and getting a spare axle shaft and cutting it down and welding it back together to make a ool for turning the spiders in and out and where the manual says to compress the bell spring on one side to roll the spiders in, forget it, aint happening. get a chunk of all thread and some nuts and washers and run it through and compress BOTH bell springs so you will be able to roll the mess together, ( or you can follow the instructions and be like us, with 4 guys whailing on it hard enough to lift a 12 ft steel bench off the ground and still not budging the spiders in ) Youll read all kinds of comments about slipping in an extra clutch.... not a chance with this rear the clutches in one kit will be sufficient[/QUOTE] you sound tooo much like me,,i did the same thing to mine,,about 13 years ago..all thread is great..esp the gr 8 stuff!!!!! and change oil in the diff????????? youve got to be kidding me...why,,who ever changes the rear axle,front axle, or trans oil...why,,,it aint necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RLDSL]

you sound tooo much like me,,i did the same thing to mine,,about 13 years ago..all thread is great..esp the gr 8 stuff!!!!! and change oil in the diff????????? youve got to be kidding me...why,,who ever changes the rear axle,front axle, or trans oil...why,,,it aint necessary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?? you mean diff fluid isnt a lifetime fill??? If I had a buck for everytime Ive heard that one......
I know the folks who owned my truck before me sure thought so. Its previous life was spent hauling one of those huge 3 + car wedge trailers for a used car lot and I know they never changed out that rear end oil, they just rode that thing hard and put it up wet...which would explain why I couldnt even drive on grass without getting stuck before I rebuilt that posi . I got hung up out back for 3 weeks once waiting for the ground to get bone dry so I could get back to the pavement

Now between teh good posi, 4 mudders back there and the low range on my brownie, I can go just about anywhere. Heck, up around Leadville Colorado, we were up running around on 4x4 only jeep trails with no trouble at all ( hey I had 4 tires back there driving

 

[riotwarrior]

99.99% of people just need a good posi/limited slip diff instead of lockers in all honesty. It is those of us whom refuse to settle for less than full LOCK that need lockers.

If you have two good posi's on a 4x your going places most cannot get close to, add lockers you are only going a tad further.

Sounds like you've got a dead soldier for a posi to me.

Rebuild time as Robert suggested.

 

[Still Strokin]

IMO the ford factory limited slip, trac lok, whatever you want to call it is useless.... Put a detroit true trac in it , or auburn posi and never look back... Their not that expensive , and 9 times out of 10 they set up with no shim adjustments

 

[sassyrel]

IMO the ford factory limited slip, trac lok, whatever you want to call it is useless.... Put a detroit true trac in it , or auburn posi and never look back... Their not that expensive , and 9 times out of 10 they set up with no shim adjustments

 

[RLDSL]

Useless??? THis is the big myth. THey are generally MADE useless by owners not taking care of them, The owners manual is rather specific about service intervals, and they are not very long when used in severe service ( of which running on farm roads etc would be considered along with towing, etc ) so by the time folks get them second hand, well, they are useless, but if rebuilt and taken care of PROPERLY. they really pull rather nice. heck, I've pulled my 5er and my carhauler through some mud up to the axle and drug the things through without getting stuck, thats far from useless,
Now if I were wanting to do some serious offroading in deep sand or with steep rocks , that is a situation where you would want a locker , and lockers really do perform nicely on snow, with snow tires, but for all around driving, the posi isnt a terrible setup. Ive got about 100k on my rebuild and in about another 150-200k or so I may go to something different because I simply wont be able to rebuild it again ( physically, Im getting too worn out for that kind of fun ) but so far its showing no signs of wear.

 

[Still Strokin]

Yea I agree with you that owners made them useless as in : not taking care of them... What I mean is they are just very weak even brand new off the lot... The 91, 94, 2003, and 2009 all have had 10.25 and 10.50 rear axles with factory posi's ordered and in my opinion they suck. They rarely spin both rear tires like when stuck in wet grass or mud.... I think the break away torque is about 120-150 ft lbs... You can tell the trucks all have some time of posi but after driving other vehicles with aftermarket devices, the track loc seems useless lol.

 

[RLDSL]

Yea I agree with you that owners made them useless as in : not taking care of them... What I mean is they are just very weak even brand new off the lot... The 91, 94, 2003, and 2009 all have had 10.25 and 10.50 rear axles with factory posi's ordered and in my opinion they suck. They rarely spin both rear tires like when stuck in wet grass or mud.... I think the break away torque is about 120-150 ft lbs... You can tell the trucks all have some time of posi but after driving other vehicles with aftermarket devices, the track loc seems useless lol.

Question? Do you actually know how to USE a posi?
Im not trying to be a stinker here, but most folks have absolutely no idea. They think ithat in total stuck type situations that all they have to do is mash the gas and a posi is supposed to power them through with both sides flailing away. Thats not how they work, you need to apply a small amount of even braking ( applyng a bit of parking brake to set some even drag on both works great or a heal toe with the throttle and brake to feather it in) and you can manuver out of just about anything.

I turned wrenches at a jeep dealer when lockers were only seen on extreme racing vehicles, and folks used to traverse the world with posi units. You just cant expect a part to do all the work for you.

 

[79jasper]

That's good info RLDSL!!!
I for one didn't know that, but I also don't do any wheeling or anything like that.
And the 88 was the first truck I had with limited slip. But it wasn't driven very long, and never saw any dirt.

 

[warhog]

I'll back RLDSL on that info about how to use the POSI. You can also use that method if you happen to have one side off the ground so that it'll send power to the wheel that IS on the ground. been in enough of the situations!

I however am a tried and true locker fan. Eventually, when funds allow it, i'll be looking into an air locker, so I only have it when i really need it and don't need to worry about it if i'm towing on pavement.

 

[Still Strokin]

Question? Do you actually know how to USE a posi?
Im not trying to be a stinker here, but most folks have absolutely no idea. They think ithat in total stuck type situations that all they have to do is mash the gas and a posi is supposed to power them through with both sides flailing away. Thats not how they work, you need to apply a small amount of even braking ( applyng a bit of parking brake to set some even drag on both works great or a heal toe with the throttle and brake to feather it in) and you can manuver out of just about anything.

I turned wrenches at a jeep dealer when lockers were only seen on extreme racing vehicles, and folks used to traverse the world with posi units. You just cant expect a part to do all the work for you.

ANSWER: Yes, I actually know how to USE a posi.... I know the ford trac loc's need the torque biased to them to "actually" work correctly.... Whether it be with the emergency brake, lightly riding the foot brake, or feathering the throttle.... The detroit true trac doesn't need any "braking" to enact it... It's helical cut gears are inertia activated if you will ... How much power you apply to it controls its "lock up" for a lack of better terminology, since its not actually a "locker" like the detroit locker.... And last but not least............I also turn wrenches, on built 2.6 and 3.0 class diesel pulling trucks, 7.3 idi's, 7.3 powerstrokes, 6.0L powerstrokes, and 6.4L powerstrokes, dana 60 rear axles, sterling 10.25 and 10.50 axles, GM 8.5 axles, and Ford 9"

 

[icanfixall]

I did not know that... All I have is the one wheel peel open gear set. I really have never needed a posi setup.. Don't get off the paved roads much at all if ever... No grass parking here where I live.. The city wont allow it and I feel thats a good thing too...

 

[jhnlennon]

Any aftermarket traction aide device makes a factory trac look look sick. I would never bother rebuilding one, and I have rarely seen one that actually worked worth a darn even when new. The break-away torque, like already stated, is much to low to be of any real use. If one is set on a clutch type limited slip, then an auburn is the only way to go. A better option in my opinion, is a true trac. No clutches to wear out or worry about...