Date: Sun, 4 Nov 2007 21:57:17 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Limited slip diff..comments.
In-Reply-To: <472EA960.1090806@charter.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Here's a cheater limited slip for those times you can't go due to one rear
wheel spinning :
You put the parking brake on about half way, the idea being to equalize the
drag on both rear wheels, so they both get driven equally, to get you out of
that stuck spot.
In Dune Buggies, there's such a thing as individual brake levers for each
rear tire. If the right one is spinning, you pull on the left brake's lever.
That should work !
Mud and grass can be really slippery. On any tread that can fill easily
with mud, the tire/mud contact 'friction' goes to zilch right away with
narrow gap tread filled with mud- happens quite easily.
Dry snow - I've always experience great traction in dry snow in Vanagons.
Wet snow, terrible. I think 2WD vanagons drive just fine in snow and on ice.
Done a lot of miles that way, with M & S tires too even, which aren't at all
optimized for winter of course.
'The Way' is dedicated studless winter tires, IMO.....I have Bridgestone
Blizzack studless winter tires ( 4 of them ) for my 'good car' ....a RWD
turbo Volvo sedan - I love these tires in snow !
Limited slip or locker rear ends can add minor handling strangeness in dry
conditions, I've heard.
And 2WD can only do so much. AWD or 4WD is what's really needed when it's
really bad. About the worst thing I've ever found to drive on is old snow -
very old snow, like in the spring time. I've seen a 4WD Land Rover spin
tires and not be able to move very well on old snow. That be some slippery
stuff !
Scott
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
John Rodgers
Sent: Sunday, November 04, 2007 9:26 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Limited slip diff..comments.
Like in the movie "My Cousin Vinny" - I have been stuck in the mud in
Alabama. And on perfectly flat ground - And on plain wet grass on
perfectly flat ground.
Maybe it's time I got a limited slip diff. I think I will, seeing as how
I have a tranny rebuild coming up.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Chelsea, AL
Don Hanson wrote:
> If you live in snow country, you should get your limited slip. It will
> help. That behavior someone mentioned with the rear end walking
> around...not likely to happen, and if it does, it isn't hard to ease up on
> the gas pedal, is it?
> Trying to get around in an "Open diff" vehicle in slippery conditions is
> fairly risky because you have to hit any hill faster than is prudent to
> keep going up, you get stuck all the time in dangerous places and have to
> lie down and chain up, you can impede the other traffic and cause them to
> try unsafe passes when you are creeping along with one wheel spinning and
> the other one freewheeling...
> I can't believe the Vanagon came without a limited slip..Mine is
worthless
> uphill or in sand or snow..I'll be having one installed very soon.. Till
I
> do, I am forced to carry around about 400 extra lbs over the rear wheels
and
> to 'Get a run at" steep hills or driveways with snow or slick mud..Or
drive
> my big fuel hog diesel 4x4 truck..
> Don Hanson
>
>
>
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