Locking Diffs

Joey D · Jun 12, 2004

Alright I was driving across the state today after taking my girlfriend over to Grand Rapids, (she'll be going to Europe this summer for a few week, YEAH free time!) Anyways I was coming home on I-96 and I got off the freeway cause well I needed gas and I was hungry. So I exit, and go on to the avenue type road. Now here in Michigan we have these stupid turn arounds on avenue type roads. I can't explain them, since they are so stupid. So I go to turn around on one of these.

Now here is were my problem starts. It's been raining for days now and the roads are really wet. So I go to make this turn around and no one is coming since its like the middel of the day in some pretty small town. So I come to a stop the start to turn and this guy in the out side lane thinks he should be in the lane I'm turning in. So I floor it thinking oh I'll be fine, but I guess I have locking diffs cause I spun around like nothing else. I ended up in some evil looking mud.

Well there is not damage to my truck, but I was stuck in the mud for a while. Some local came by and helped me get out. But by that time I was soaked, dirty and slightly pissed. So I walked to the local Wal Mart and bought some clothes, some soap and some towels and made use of there bathroom.

So a trip that should have taken a few hours took me all damn day.

So help me out, why the hell would me lowered SUV possibley need locking diffs. I thought only 4x4's needed em so they didn't get stuck.

And for your veiwing pleasure here are the wonderful pictures I took when I got home. Ya I had to put em on the web, minus the retardness of me.

Ya so look at me the moron :dunce:

Unknown Variable X · Jun 15, 2004

2 wheel drives need them so they dont get stuck and for towing so you actually pull something instead of peg legging it with all the power going to one wheel.

WAREAGLE · Jun 15, 2004

its better than open diff.

thinkers · Jun 15, 2004

They're are very few, if any, locking differentials on light duty production vehicles. The vast majority of differentials are limited slip design. Limited slip diffs transfer power to the wheel with the most traction. Under hard acceleration in a limited traction condition it will spin both wheels, because neither wheel has traction both wheels will spin until one wheel starts to grab the road and away you go. Locking diffs are for off road or low traction situations only. Locking means that both wheels on that axle are locked together, they rotate at the exact same speed. When a vehicle goes around a turn the inside wheels turn slower than the outside wheels, they travel a shorter distance in the same amount of time. Two things can happen, everytime you turn ,no matter how slow, your inside tire would try to go the same speed as the outer tire , it will do a mini burnout. Or the spider ( side ) gears in the differential will grind them selves to powder.My guess is that you had too much throttle and not enough traction. Sorry to hear you went in the ditch. I feel your pain, I've been there too.

Joey D · Jun 15, 2004

Ya I finally got out under the truck, the only thing that seem to be damages is a small dent in my frame rail, however that happened.

I hate lockers, I really wish I would have completly looked at the sticker to see what all was on the truck before I bought it. I just thought all normal cars were normal and off roader and dragsters needed lockers.

Jay · Jun 15, 2004

If your diff was locked the tyres would skip as you took turns, I dont know alot about Blazers but I doubt the differentals are fully locked.

Joey D · Jun 15, 2004

I don't know they are the lockers that are an option on the Blazer and S-10's. When I take a turn around my tires chirp and my truck rocks a little like it can get traction.

Locking Diffs

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