Differential Questions

[MaxChlan]

What experiences have you guys had putting LSD's in your trucks? Were there multiple types of diffs installed in 720's? 

 

On my I.D plate it reads "FS5W71B", which I think (correct me if I'm wrong datzenmike) denotes the standard 5 speed, followed by CA41, which according to post 10 on this page denotes a 4.1:1 C200 rear and an R180 front. Is this correct?

 

I was on a kick last night and found a company called Traction Concepts who sells LSD kits for open differentials. I have also heard that people like to take the rear differentials out of WD21 Pathfinders for their LSD needs. What do you guys think?

 

I'm not necessarily in the market for an LSD, but I am just trying to get an idea on what I need, and how much it will cost. If it helps, I have a 1996 XE-V6 Pathfinder in the field behind the shop. 

[datzenmike]

The name has changed but still phony...  http://community.ratsun.net/topic/6744-phantom-grip-2-way-lsd/

 

Run away from these. Real LSDs use special clutch discs and plates. This... thing... simply jams the side gears against the differential case, metal to metal. They were not designed for this.

 

 

Yes FS5W71B and C-200/R180 diffs.

[MaxChlan]

So, avoid it like the plague. Got it. So, what are some legitimate options?

[datzenmike]

They are not cheap. $600-$700. That's if you can find one.

[G-Duax]

In 16 years of importing, I only ever ended up with one C200 LSD, and that was by mistake !

Bought what I thought was an R200, but when it came in 2 months later, it was an expensive mystery.

Many months later my #1 son figured out what it was so I could finally get my investment out of it.

[datzenmike]

I think R-200 LSD can be swapped into the C-200. With some effort.

[MaxChlan]

That's what I have been reading. I forget the forum that I was on, but I read that the C200 is just the live axle version of the R200.

[datzenmike]

Gears are the same but you have to deal with the half shafts. .

[G-Duax]

The ring gear location is way different.

[Lockleaf]

To answer your pathfinder question.

 

V6 powered pathfinders were equipped with the h233 axle. They were equipped with clutch type lsds. They were also 4 link/coil spring axle instead of leaf spring.

 

You cannot just put the h233 lsd in your axle. You would need to swap axles. But you can't just bolt in a pathfinder axle either. You would have to cut off the mounts and weld on leaf spring plates.

 

Easiest h233 lsd install would be a d21 axle with a pathfinder lsd installed in it. That being said, there are 3 versions of h233 axles. Different widths, different spline counts, etc., and only some of those parts interchange between versions.

[84720FourWheel]

If anything I'd swap in an h233b, you could even get disc brakes if you find the right one, but there is a lot of fabrication involved.

 

If you go that route, stick with 95 and older Pathfinder's because they repacked the the clutch packs for the later models a lot weaker.

My 88 is stacked 125ft lbs breakaway from the factory IIRC. The later ones are more like 90 or less

[84720FourWheel]

Wrong thread

[Lockleaf]

If you go that route, stick with 95 and older Pathfinder's because they repacked the the clutch packs for the later models a lot weaker.

My 88 is stacked 125ft lbs breakaway from the factory IIRC. The later ones are more like 90 or less

This is totally correct. The older ones are the narrowest also. But you can take the clutch plates out of a second h233 lsd and add them in, building a clutch pack with as high a brakeaway torque as you want

[datzenmike]

I heard even higher than 120 and the later ones were like 30? Soccer mom's were complaining the tires squeaked when turning. Like the even needed an LSD as they never saw a dirt road.

[RasselFlassel13]

*cough cough* weld her up

[datzenmike]

There is that, but it's a very poor substitute. On good traction surfaces it will damage the axle splines and it definitely will wear out the tires. There is also no possibility of any break away allowing the rear wheels to rotate at different speeds which makes recovery in an over steer slide situation extremely difficult.  

[84720FourWheel]

Honestly, open diffs do better in the snow, they don't try to kick the ass end out nearly as much. When you're stuck is when you want the LSD.

 

I've been through snow up to the hood in my 720 before I wimped out and turned around because the drift was getting even deeper.

 

On the other side of the coin, I had to shift into 4wd to get my truck moving in an icy lot.