Help!

I'm looking to order/buy an XLT with a V6, automatic, and stock 3.55 axle. Do I need the limited slip differential? What does this thing do anyway? And does it improve/reduce gas mileage? Sure would appreciate any and all help. Thanks all.

 

By your purchase of an XLT and auto it looks like you are not averse to paying a little extra to get exactly what you want...If that's the case...

1) Get the limited slip.
2) Get a V-8 Triton.

I'd also list 3 as get a manual transmission, but I'd get beat out of the thread by an angry mob of manual tranny haters wielding 2x4s...(I mean pieces of wood 2x4s, not trucks...)

 

A limited slip differential keeps both rear wheels spinning. The wheels will act like a normal open differential most of the time. Thus allowing one wheel to spin faster than the other in corners. The limited slip part comes in when one wheel is spinning much faster than the other wheel. When this happens a mechinism of some type locks in and forces the wheel spinning really slow, usually it isnt spinning, to spin.

 

The LS is a very nice inexpensive option. I highly recommend it, especially if you want to avoid the extra weight and cost of 4wd. The mechanism is a set of spring loaded clutch packs that will keep the rear wheels turningat the same speed and with equal torque applied until a preset torque differential is reached. I think its about 30%. So when one wheel can turn with 30% less torque than the other - it starts slipping and operates more like an open diff. It's great for boat ramps. It certainly will not save gas and I don't think it really costs gas although someone may argue that any heat loss in the clutch pack can be translated in to gas wasted, but that has to be a very small number.

BTW, like cpadpl says consider the 4.6 V8. It is a very sweet power plant and I don't think its that much more than a V6 considering the overall price of the rig. Plus a friend of mine just had his 97 V6 replaced at $3000. With 72,000 mi he burned up a bearng. As far as the manual tranny goes, well, just research it here carefully first.

 

Yes the l/s would be a good to have. there is some draw backs. the biggest being that if u live in a area with lots of snow/ ice if the dif locks up in a corner then it could push u through the corner into the ditch. the scecond problem is that they do wear out. also there are several different types have different locking mech. . they all sereve the some purpose. some will lock up faster that others and the ones that are for more extreme off road will lock up fastert that others.