Limited slip rear axle

[johnrb3b]

So I'm thinking of a re-gear and slightly bigger tires on my 2010 JK, partly to overcome the down side of my 3.21 axles with the 6-spd.

For only a little bit more, I can get a limited slip rear. Do any of you think it's worth anything at all. I don't think I'll ever do anything that'll need lockers, it'll still be my daily driver so I can't risk breaking it.

So is limited slip really worth it for medium off-road playing?

[Smirty]

I think Jay has a limited slip in his XJ if I am not mistaken and I think he would say it does a pretty good job when he wheels. He rarely gets stuck...but I would suspect it has something to do with the fact he has been wheeling for a long time.

[Ggg]

Depending on how much money that option or part is I would opt for a Auburn true track LSD. It is a very good limited slip that does not use friction material which wears out.
Another thing to know about lockers and LSD is you must have a spare tire that is the same size a the tires you are running.

[Lukesdp]

I have a limited slip in my rear axle. It definitely helps in slippery conditions. You can really feel it when accelerating out of a turn with some wheel spin. But the JKs have traction control, so I don't know how much good it will do you.

[Jeepinjay]

I like my limited slip in the rear for daily driving. As long as both wheels are on the ground they will both have some power to them. I have a lock right locker in my front axle for the difficult trails. I am finding that mud tires are not that great for daily winter driving.

[Ggg]

I have a limited slip in my truck (track-loc) and I rebuilt it with new parts and extra shimming abut two years ago. When it was fresh it was great but as with all clutch style LSD it has worn and does not grip like it used to. On equally slippery snow I need to use the brakes to help the other side engage.

[xtrm4xjp]

Depending on how much money that option or part is I would opt for a Auburn true track LSD. It is a very good limited slip that does not use friction material which wears out.
Another thing to know about lockers and LSD is you must have a spare tire that is the same size a the tires you are running.

Um, just to clear things up a little here, I think Greg is a little confused. Auburn limited slips do have friction material. Although it is not like convention limited slip because they use a cone design, the cone still has a friction material on it. A True Trac by Detroit (AKA Eaton since they own it) is a gear driven limited slip. Although this does not wear out it has it down falls too. With all of the smaller parts inside they don't tend to take as much abuse as a conventional style limited slip.

As for it being worth the money? Bueaty is in the eye of the beholder. I have run them but in the rear on the trail I have been less then impressed (true trac, snd factory). Of all the limited slips it seems on the trail that the Auburns work the best but even those are limited as to how much they will actually hold. Personally, I would save a little longer and invest in an ARB if your going to see mostly street use. Yeah it's expensive but they are definitely worth it IMHO

Anders

[Ggg]

You are correct, I was talking about the gear driven Detroit True trac not the Auburn.
Just before posting that I was having a conversation with a guy on buying a Chrysler 8.75 center section with a true trac and it turned out to be a cone style Auburn not a Detroit, hense I had the name Auburn on my mind.

[johnrb3b]

Thanks for all the answers, as usual they generate more questions.

How long does it take to "wear out" the friction elements in a limited slip like the Jeep factory? Assume conservative daily driving with occasional medium off-road days. Are we talking several years, or what? Do I really need to worry about life span? I do hope to keep the JK for a loooong time.

I've had one person state that the limited slip kicks in before the computer traction control on his JK. This would seem to be an advantage since the traction control involves selective braking on the slipping wheel. With the JK traction control, you must gradually increase power to the wheels to help compensate for the loss of the power sent to the wheel being slowed by the brake, thus sending more power to the non-slipping wheel on that axle.

I've been told it works almost as well as limited slip if you know how to use it.

It's only a few hundred bucks more to replace my rear axle with a limited slip, compared to re-gearing the existing axle. It's $800-900 to re-gear and $1,200 for the whole axle.

Anybody think it's worth it?

[Ggg]

Lifespan will depend on how many miles you drive and how often it must slip. It has been two years since I rebuilt my trac-loc and it is showing signs of slipping too easliy now on snow/ice covered roads. At times this winter I needed to work the brakes to get it to engage. I drive 25-30,000 miles a year. Every time you turn a corner the clutches will slip, so possibly city driving will wear it out quicker than out here in the country.

[johnrb3b]

Hmmm.
Makes me wonder if it's worth it. I sure don't want some high maintenance thing that needs rebuilding every few years.

[Ggg]

John is your JK 2wd or 4wd?
I am thinking since the JK will be your primary daily driver and if you have 4x4 it will only get used in snow. I would say go with a Detroit true trac. I think any mechanical locker will be a bit much for a daily driver and may become an issue with their quirks and noises on the street. Now if you were wheeling this JK several times a year then thats a different story.

[johnrb3b]

Yes, it's 4wd.
And yeah, it'll see more snow than off-road trails. :(
So is the Detroit Truetrac the only non-friction type limited slip?
Are there any down sides for daily driving?
Is it noisy, jerky, full of surprises on slippery surfaces?
Does it cause undue tire wear?
Or is it one of those things that really delivers what the manufacturer claims?
The price is certainly right - about $400.
That's the same as the extra cost of a Jeep factory axle with limited slip in it compared to just re-gearing my existing axle.

[Ggg]

There used to be a Gleason torsen, then the Torsen that was used in the H1 Hummers, but I do not know if they are made anymore. So as far as I know now days it may be the only one of its kind, almost all others use some type of friction material. It is quieter than a detroit locker and smoother acting, you will notice it a little when driving. I do not think it will cause any increased tire wear. The only down side if you can call it that is on very slick surfaces or with one tire in the air you may need to modulate the brakes to create some drag so it will grip. A side effect with all lockers or LSD's is they are more prone to fishtailing because once a wheel breaks loose they both do and allow the car to loose side bite.