Limited slip in the front?

[emsherer]

I have an 85 K-10 4x4, basically a good old work truck. I want to install a limited slip diff in the rear Just to improve winter drivability in the snow. What are your thoughts about a limited slip in the front also to make this truck almost unstoppable in snow. I live way up in the mountains and need to be able to go in winter. Thanks

 

[mtnmankev]

I get both snow and horrible mud being off the grid, and I put limited slip in the front (so far) and it makes a HUGE difference.
It's best in the front if you have part time 4x4.
Someday I may put it in the rear.

 

[Danderson]

I put an Eaton Detroit Truetrack in the front of my 1977 K10 and I've been very happy with the results. I have a cabin on top of a mountain and to get to it I have to drive about a mile of gravel/dirt road that gets very slippery when it rains or snows. Before I made the change the truck used to struggle a bit, but now it climbs like a mountain goat. It made a really big difference.

I looked at most of the available limited slip units before I settled on the Truetrac. It is a bit more expensive, but there are no clutch disks to wear out and no special fluid or additives are needed like with the clutch units.

 

[Craig Nedrow]

I installed this in my 14 bolt FF with an open diff. Been running it for a couple months, and very pleased. My front is a Dana 44, and Yukon does not make diff unit like this, and BTW no clutches to rebuild. Since Grizzly does not make a lunchbox locker, I will use the US gear Spartin locker.
gG here: http://www.usastandardgear.com/diff...125&DiffName=Dana+44+Front,+Standard+Rotation

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[trukman1]

I installed this in my 14 bolt FF with an open diff. Been running it for a couple months, and very pleased. My front is a Dana 44, and Yukon does not make diff unit like this, and BTW no clutches to rebuild. Since Grizzly does not make a lunchbox locker, I will use the US gear Spartin locker.
gG here: http://www.usastandardgear.com/diffdetails.aspx?DiffID=125&PartsLink=PartCats.aspx?SearchMode=Diff&TypeID=3&Type=Dana&DiffID=125&DiffName=Dana+44+Front,+Standard+Rotation

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That resembles my Detroit Locker. Great for locking both wheels together but can get a bit tricky in the winter as the rear won't have enough friction on slippery roads to unlock causing some interesting driving characteristics, to say the least.

 

[cptsnoopy]

I installed a limited slip in the front of my 81 K20 and have only tried it once in the snow on a highway near Mt Hood. It was scary to drive over about 30mph. I unlocked the hubs and put the truck back into 2hi. Was able to drive without it trying jerk the front left or right after that. If the conditions had been worse, I think it would have been an advantage over no limited slip as I would have been traveling much slower.

 

[AuroraGirl]

Are you supposed to exceed 30 or so mph in 4wd on a road, though? I just know it typically is very clear about short distances, not high speeds, not while turning(esp at speed) and not on pavement unless straight line? newer CV, complex systems, etc make that doable but these are cast iron and all direct processes

 

[77 K20]

I have the Eaton truetrac in the front and a detroit locker in the rear. When in 4wd it is awesome in the snow. I can still turn sharp without the front end pushing like if it was fully locked.

When the highway is fully snow covered I've driven in 4wd at 45-55 mph for 2 hours or so. Everything was fine. The truck used to be a full time 4, so no reason it can't still go at highway speeds (when the road surface is slippery- snow, gravel).

Why not on dry pavement? With a part time kit 4wd locks the front and rear driveshafts together. When it was full time then the front and rear driveshafts can spin at different rates for going around corners.

 

[dvdswan]

Adding a limited slip to the front will make a huge difference without a doubt.

As for driving fast in the snow, just because you have traction to drive fast doesn't mean you have traction to stop. Drive according to the conditions you are in. Just a simple fact, I can't count the number of people the have 4WDs and haul a$$ down the freeway passing everyone else doing 40 because of the conditions, then a couple miles down the road they are in the median flip on the lid. Common sense is a real rare quality in this day and age.

 

[77 K20]

That was why I only said 45-55. All the rest of the idiots are still doing 70.
Any slower and I'd get run over.

Driven for over 30 years in the snow. The only slide off I had was my first winter. No damage, but by dad's blazer was stuck bad.

 

[dvdswan]

@77 K20 wasn't point at you just pointing out about the ones that haul a$$.

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have the Eaton truetrac in the front and a detroit locker in the rear. When in 4wd it is awesome in the snow. I can still turn sharp without the front end pushing like if it was fully locked.

When the highway is fully snow covered I've driven in 4wd at 45-55 mph for 2 hours or so. Everything was fine. The truck used to be a full time 4, so no reason it can't still go at highway speeds (when the road surface is slippery- snow, gravel).

Why not on dry pavement? With a part time kit 4wd locks the front and rear driveshafts together. When it was full time then the front and rear driveshafts can spin at different rates for going around corners.

I'm talking about a part time case, full time was designed to allow that. I'm just going on general knowledge, dry pavement I said because inevitably you're going to turn or not go perfectly straight and each tire being very well planted puts strain esp in turn