so, i had a trak-loc LS installed recently, is there a breakin/service interval I need to observe here?

Just wondered, its not getting hammered off road or anything harsh.

did a search, didn't find anything on it in the forums.

 

Whats more important than anything is a couple good warm up and cool down sessions. So.. the first few times you drive it are when the break in happens.

Rich

 

its nothing to worry about just drive it.

 

unless you're going on any huge road trips or heavy duty towing... you're fine. Just needs to to heat up and cool down a few times. Also, i've heard its good to change the diff fluid after a few thousand miles, but I didnt change mine until a while later and it still looked brand new.

 

thanks folks, thats basically what I did, a few short shopping trips, then home, etc.

maybe when i change the fluid after a couple K, I'll put something stupid on, like a chrome pumpkin cover:D

I tell ya one thing, its much better to drive, no more one legger lurch, no spin around wet corners, no difficulty in dirt and mud ruts like before!

 

I've rebuilt a number of different limited-slip diffs and there's nothing much to maintenance. There are some things to avoid though. The #1 reason for frying an LSD is one-wheel slippage. This usually happens when there is too great a traction difference for the clutches to hold and the torque is too low to clamp the clutches firmly enough.

An example is driving uphill on an icy road. One tire has full traction and the other is on ice while torque is fairly low. The clutches are overpowered and the iced tire slips. A few seconds of one-wheel spinning will heat-check, warp or crack the steel clutch plates and the LSD will only work half as well (or worse) after that. The damage may not be immediately apparent as the uneven wear on the clutch friction surfaces may take a while to appear if only heat-checked.

Other examples are fast donut burnouts where the inside tire lifts a bit or doing a dragstrip wet burnout and sliding out or rolling out of the water with only one tire. Poof. Smoked clutches. Just be aware for times when it seems both tires are not spinning together and back-off the power to re-lock the plates. A bit of easy driving after a hard session is good to keep the lube flowing and cooling the plates for a few minutes.

I found that adding about half the normal LSD lubricant additive still prevents chatter and popping while generally improving the clutch holding power. You can also upgrade your clutch packs and spring(s) if you find it's an issue with your style of driving. On the other hand, if you're burning clutches, it's probably time to get a geared locker.

Hope that helps,
David

 

So True!
Thanks for the great post.

 

W427: awesome info, thanks!