Is LSD worth it?

[Chestnut]

You said you disagreed, and proceeded to agree with me? Winter driving is the only place it does anything a locker won't do better. The lsd "always working" is hilarious, have you ever been stuck on dry pavement? Wet pavement? What is it working to do? Give you the same ability to drive as the prius next to you on the road? As far as wagging the tail, ever run a locked dif on the wet pavement? Even there the locker destroys the lsd. There's a reason most drift cars run spools. A locker wins over an lsd everywhere but ice in my experience.

Yeah quick type didn't want to include details. Stuck, poor word, inconvenienced may be better? Impacted better yet? Going around a left hand turn and being heavy on the throttle with open or an unlocked rear you'll start to spin the inside tire. LSD is providing always providing benefit. Heck on my 1996 Ford ranger 4 banger could 1 wheel wonder around a corner in 2nd gear with 30% the power the jeep has.

I hear ya with drift cars there is a HUGE benefit to having both rear tires locked. But you probably aren't engaging your lockers on a dry day or during rainy weather or on pavement period.

Always working as in it's a mechanical device that is never turned off once the wheels try and spin at different speeds the LSD engages and tries to even out the difference. I don't know what diffs are in Jeeps if they are a 1 way 1.5 way 2 way, clutched viscous etc. I know nothing. What i do know is I have one and it works, well. Most of the benefit i notice compared to previous vehicles is on wet roads, gravel roads, or muddy roads.

For snow and ice I've driven 4wd with open and 4wd with LSD honestly once you engage 4wd it doesn't matter what the rear diff is doing.

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[Zachanadandy]

Yeah quick type didn't want to include details. Stuck, poor word, inconvenienced may be better? Impacted better yet? Going around a left hand turn and being heavy on the throttle with open or an unlocked rear you'll start to spin the inside tire. LSD is providing always providing benefit. Heck on my 1996 Ford ranger 4 banger could 1 wheel wonder around a corner in 2nd gear with 30% the power the jeep has.

I hear ya with drift cars there is a HUGE benefit to having both rear tires locked. But you probably aren't engaging your lockers on a dry day or during rainy weather or on pavement period.

Always working as in it's a mechanical device that is never turned off. It's always trying to make the 2 rear tires spin the same speed.

For snow and ice I've driven 4wd with open and 4wd with LSD honestly once you engage 4wd it doesn't matter what the rear diff is doing.

Poor driving technique causing the inside tire to unload is probably not the common use case of the gladiator but I've been there. If you're driving your truck like a race car I'm willing to bet a heavy sway bar in the rear is more of a benefit in hard cornering than an lsd though. These 37s are way too expensive to be turning on the locker on dry pavement, but I have been known to drift the roundabouts during a heavy rain. I 100% relate to the 15 year old maturity. Even if I wanted mechanical convenience I'd run a Detroit locker before an lsd personally.

 

[Jteakus]

No replacement for lockers off road.
Selectability is king.
An open diff (locker off) will tow better and highway better than a limited slip.
My .02

 

[FrankFrqnkFrank]

LSD plus BLD work for me

https://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com/2008/02/11/jeep-brake-traction-control-explained/

 

[MrClortho]

My favorite setup is a good LSD in the rear and a selectable locker in the front. I like how the LSD acts for daily driving, especially in bad weather than an open diff. On my JK, the factory LSD came apart at 30k miles, and I replaced it with a Yukon unit. It was a noticeable improvement because it more aggressively limited slipping than the factory unit and lent itself to more traction. The factory LSD is better than open, but prone to breakage (I've broken 2) and not as effective as the aftermarket ones in my opinion.

Open diffs suck in the rain...spin spin spin...

 

[BUZZHEAD]

It was a nice trip in the 70 s

 

[PsyRN]

If you're going to a Pink Floyd laser light show, probably.

 

[BUZZHEAD]

If you're going to a Pink Floyd laser light show, probably.

TED NUGENT CAT SCRATCH FEVER,RUSH,BLACK SABBATH

 

[hjdca]

I'm in a unique situation. I've scheduled a regear in the coming weeks. I already have onboard air, the switches, and budget ready to go. The goal/intent was always to get ARB lockers installed while doing the gears. Now that the day is coming up, I'm second guessing myself.

My question/concern is, is my LSD doing more than I suspect it is in day-to-day driving? Am I shooting myself in the foot by losing that functionality? I'm in the south and don't see any snow, but we do see a lot of rain.

would love to hear some input on this.

I do offroad/rock crawl moderately when the opportunity arises but its honestly used more as a daily more than anything. Sport S Max Tow

Where I live (So Cal) and the moutainous, rocky, boulder trails here, Lockers are indispensible. Otherwise, you are always "sending it" to get over the big boulders, and I hate the lack of control with that approach. Articulation, disconnecting the front sway bar is also key... I also really appreciate the 4:1 transfer case that the JTR has - even with 5:13 gears. For example, when we ran the Rubicon trail, I was in first gear 4WD Low for 3 days straight. Lockers on and off the whole way - fronts Lockers off during a turn and going downhill, fronts lockers on climbing boulders.
Rear Lockers or even LSD help, but, you really see the difference on climbing boulders when front lockers are missing.

It all depends what terrain you will 4wheel at. For me and where we 4wheel, it is a no brainer to get lockers with the gear change. In your case, in the south, it may not be needed.

Note: If you ever plan to travel to Jeep Badge of Honor trails in various states, you should seriously consider getting the lockers.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Where I live (So Cal) and the moutainous, rocky, boulder trails here, Lockers are indispensible. Otherwise, you are always "sending it" to get over the big boulders, and I hate the lack of control with that approach. Articulation, disconnecting the front sway bar is also key... I also really appreciate the 4:1 transfer case that the JTR has - even with 5:13 gears. For example, when we ran the Rubicon trail, I was in first gear 4WD Low for 3 days straight. Lockers on and off the whole way - fronts Lockers off during a turn and going downhill, fronts lockers on climbing boulders.
Rear Lockers or even LSD help, but, you really see the difference on climbing boulders when front lockers are missing.

It all depends what terrain you will 4wheel at. For me and where we 4wheel, it is a no brainer to get lockers with the gear change. In your case, in the south, it may not be needed.

Note: If you ever plan to travel to Jeep Badge of Honor trails in various states, you should seriously consider getting the lockers.

I don't think I was in 1st Gear 4LO for more than 10% of the rubicon trail in any of the dozen plus times we've done it. There is a lot of dirt sections where I don't even stay in 4LO, but you do you.

 

[hjdca]

I don't think I was in 1st Gear 4LO for more than 10% of the rubicon trail in any of the dozen plus times we've done it. There is a lot of dirt sections where I don't even stay in 4LO, but you do you.

I can see why you say that with your torque converter, but, I do not have one... I should have mentioned that... My bad.. lol.

I have a stick shift (manual) JTR, so, I was crawling in tractor mode, 1st gear 4low, with the clutch out, and feathering the brake when needed. I used 2nd and 3rd gear 4 low during the dirt sections at the end.

Same scenario for me for the Rock Gardens at Holcomb Creek Trail, & John Bull.

Note: I try never to work the clutch in the rock gardens - unless I have to stop... So, I am always in lower gears than the automatics. Sorry, I did not mention that.

 

[Josh00333]

Front locker w a lsd rear is probably the best combination there is.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Front locker w a lsd rear is probably the best combination there is.

Not for someone who does tough trails. Lockers front and rear.

 

[Puch]

I'm in a unique situation. I've scheduled a regear in the coming weeks. I already have onboard air, the switches, and budget ready to go. The goal/intent was always to get ARB lockers installed while doing the gears. Now that the day is coming up, I'm second guessing myself.

My question/concern is, is my LSD doing more than I suspect it is in day-to-day driving? Am I shooting myself in the foot by losing that functionality? I'm in the south and don't see any snow, but we do see a lot of rain.

would love to hear some input on this.

I do offroad/rock crawl moderately when the opportunity arises but its honestly used more as a daily more than anything. Sport S Max Tow

Sounds like your LSD is getting it done for you already. My opinion, keep LSD and get a front locker. I had a similar dilemma with my old MT. I ended up getting the front locker installed and used it three times in two years. I really only needed it one of those times.
I would do the front now and then do the back if/when the LSD wears out.

 

[Jefe1018]

For 99% of us an LSD and a lunchbox up front will easily get us up and over most obstacles we'd even dream of attempting - at least this was my experience in our family's old XJ.

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