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locking differential on Suburban

Got a quicky...

I recently purchased a 92 Chevy Suburban, it still has the original window sticker and I noticed it has a locking differential on the rear, as it is only 2 wheel drive.

Is this the same type of locking device, like the "air" or "electric" lockers one might buy to put on a 4x4? Or is it different?? I called a dealer and the guy told me it was actuated by cintrifical (sp?) force, but he confused me even more as to what I have.

My understanding is you have 3 types:

1) limited slip, which when both rear tires are lifted up, one wheel will actually turn the opposite direction, and when stuck only one wheel actually has power and on a 2 wheel drive vehicle if it's the power wheel that's stuck you're screwed. 2)posi trac, which both tires are always locked together and both always have power, so if one is stuck the other will always spin as well, hopefully freeing the vehicle. I also realize posi, is mainly used for racing to for better rear end hookup. 3)locking differentials, where they are either actuated, by air, electrically via a button, or like they said mine was by centrifical force. With these basically, only one wheel has power during normal driving, but as soon as a button is pushed or one wheel slips the other locks in and grabs forming a temporary "posi" rear end.

Am I correct or wrong? Is my locking rear differential basically the same as an air or electrical locker, just actuated differently, or do I have something differently. I would think my truck would be harder to get stuck than say a similar truck with limited slip. The service person I spoke with at a dealership said, I was wrong and that the locking differential will only actuate when one tire slips, then the tire that slipped will loose power and the other tire will gain power.

Who's right, who's wrong, what do I have??? Do I need to drive it differently on ice than a convential truck? I have an old CJ, and I know from that that 4X4's have to be driven differently than 2x4's, but as of this point, I haven't put a locker in it so I'm not sure what to expect out of this truck.

Thanks in advance...

Reply to
MASTER Brian
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I know the answer to your question, but I have one first..... Whats the master in MASTER Brian??????

lol ;) had to do it...

An open differential is one that has no locking of any kind.. one wheel slips, all power lost...

You and any other vehicle on the street has a limited slip differential.. I don't really care what people say.Unless you welded the pinions together, or installed a spool... (Don't worry if you don't know what that is),then you have limited slip.There are different kinds of limited slip.. Full time, and centrifugal are gm's most popular.. Nowadays most are centrifugal.. even when locked up there are clutches that are compressed to lock the differential, but do allow slippage if needed..The full time limited slip simply have the clutch packs compressed all the time.. If there wasn't slippage, your truck/car would hop around any corners..Special differentials, like Air lockers, electric operate much the same, as far as a stock configuration, they simply apply clutches to apply power to both wheels..To check and make sure you have a centrifugal locker put the rear of the truck in the air and in park... turn one of the wheels slowly, the other wheel should turn in the opposite direction... wow open diff right??? now turn the wheel faster and faster.. around 6 mph or so.. you should hear a bang and the wheel should stop spinning.. so watch your fingers for when it does.. If you can whip that wheel around fast and nothing happens, then you have an open diff, or a limited slip with problems... by the way the centrifugal lockup is disabled around 30 mph or so for safety.. can you imagine taking a hard right at 40 and spinning one wheel, when BAM.. the other wheel lights up and spins you out!!!! ... hope that helps ya... Bobo

"MASTER Brian" wrote in message news:e3Ggb.105$y snipped-for-privacy@news2.central.cox.net...

Reply to
Bobo

The MASTER is just a "royalty" thing I gave myself. I actually came upon it one night playing quarters with some friends!! I made them call me MASTER Brian before speaking to me. lol Kind of like a bulter would call his boss, MASTER.

I don't know where everyone seems to come up with the "other" meaning for it. I guess everyone has their minds in the gutters! lol At least that's what I'm assuming!

Know onto the rest, thanks for the reply. I guess Posi track has been mis-used or mis-interpretted over the years, or at least from my perspective, as I have always been under the impression, it is where both tires spin at the same rate! Hmmm.... I think of old muscle cars that would burn out, leaving two identical marks from both rear wheels. I guess I am kind of right and wrong on that. I thought they generally did that on older cars like that via welding the gears together.

Anyway, you said what other's are basically telling me, thanks for the input....

Reply to
MASTER Brian

"positraction" is Eaton's brand name for their limited slip differentials. I was going to go into the differences between selectable and auto lockers (which do NOT use clutches), limited slips (clutch type or gear type (Torsen)) and open diffs.... but I'll give you a link instead..

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Eaton supplies GM with the G80 locking diff and posi limited slips.

-Bret

differential..

Reply to
Bret Chase

From what I've just read then, the limited slip differential in my 02 Silverado will cause the whole truck to jump around if I have some but not enough traction? At least that's what's happening with mine....

Reply to
ConFewzHed

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