For regular street driving, is it worthwhile to go to a limited slip differential? I'm trying to decide if it's worth the upgrade. I'm currently driving a 302 with a 3.55 rear gear. Any thoughts?
If you are driving it on the street there is no advantage to a limited slip. What you might gain in traction on dry roads you lose in wet or snow. Since where I live it is wet more often than dry it actually is worse driving with a limited slip rear than with the open rear gears. I have tried it both ways and I find it safer to use the open differential.
Agreed. Limited slip will put you sideways in the snow real fast. My Jeep has trac loc in the rear and its a nightmare in 2wd in snow but when you couple it with 4wd it works great.
Mine's getting a limited slip for sure. I don't want it for additional traction so much as I want it so I can get sideways!!!!!
If you run the limited slip on the road you are going to have to get used to being real conservative or you will be "sideways" at the wrong time too often.
If you live in Northern Michigan, you shouldn't need to ask that question. You will want it even more if you upgrade that 302. I say go for it. Lee "THE MAV" Richart
It's all in knowing your car and how much right foot you can give it. My GTO would spin at the drop of the hat and I did just fine with it.
I have had both types in my cars and it seems the less power they had the harder they were to control. The biggest problem was driving down the road and have the conditions change before i could adjust..... Not a pretty site. I have never had a "problem" with the open differentials other than blowing two of the 7.5" ones out in my 200" powered falcon with one of my transmissions in it.
I agree totally. As for "getting sideways" that's something you learn to avoid when the situation arises. It's called "experience". Limited slip will get you out of the snow faster than an open diff. Especially if and when you put the tire chains on.
Snow is pretty easy to deal with when running a spool or posi rear end. The one that throws you is when you are driving and run into a tiny bit of water on the road after a long dry spell or when you run into a patch of black ice. Those are the kind of things that always surprised me. It is much easier to control a one wheel wonder in those conditions than it is with a locked rear end. If one wheel spins the other can still track but with both spinning.... well you get the idea.
