Date:         Sat, 3 Nov 2007 09:40:17 -0700
Reply-To:     Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Loren Busch <starwagen@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Limited slip differential on ice or snow
Comments: To: Mike Collum <collum@verizon.net>
In-Reply-To:  <472C9DFC.9090909@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

RE: Care to explain your experiences?  (Experience is what you get when
you were expecting something else)

Here goes Mike.
First, I'm not saying that a limited slip differential is bad in any way.
If I could add one to my '90 Westy automatic I would in a minute.
Drove my first cars with limited slip differential in the late '60's while
selling Mopar, Chryslers and Plymouths.  Chrysler called them 'Positraction'
IIRC.  That was back in the days where a car salesman had a 'demo' to drive,
brand new car that was used as a personal automobile.  At that time I
skied.  So off to the mountains with first a Barracuda 340S, later with a
Fury III.  I currenty drive a '90 T-Bird with a limited slip differential
and have owned/driven at least one other car with limited slip.
First, for driving in snow/slush I LIKE the limited slip.  BUT, there is one
circumstance, easy to find, that will make the rear end slide all over the
place.  That's when you try to gun it and there is ice under both wheels.
The rear end will hop around all over the place and then surprise the hell
out of you if one wheel finally gets purchase.  The key here is DO NOT try
to spin your way out of a slick spot, take it easy. You can also get another
situation where you get traction one side then the other then back again.
To much gas and the rear end will tend to walk around.

All that said, you can get the same effect under the right circumstances
with a stock differential if the road conditions are just right.  And with a
limited slip differential and a big enough engine you can get the rear end
to walk across the street just like on ice.

Keep in mind that my original comment was aimed at the type of drivers that
Karl was talking about, those that don't know or refuse to acknowledge the
limitations of their equipment or have a mechanical failure, a problem with
the nut holding the steering wheel.  A common sense driver on snow or slush
or heavy rain isn't going to have a problem and the limited slip
differential will be a help just as the diff locker is on the Syncros.  But
remember that that diff lock on the Syncros is not engaged full time, there
are times that you don't want it.