Wrapper

On Sun, 8 Oct 2006 11:52:51 -0500, "Noon-Air" <Noon-Air@comcast.net>
wrote:[color=blue]
><dc.nc@verizon.net> wrote in message
>news:1160320920.415093.181920@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...[/color]
[color=blue][color=green]
>> I'm looking at a 2006 4x4, 4 cylinder, manual, with SR5 package. This
>> does not have limited slip, and is not an option.
>>
>> I live in southern Calif so seldom see rain or snow. Several times a
>> year I might go to the ski areas, but then you primarily have fresh
>> snow, and I'm just on the roads.
>>
>> The main reason I'm looking at 4x4 is to go to hiking areas. Most of
>> the areas I visit only require high clearance, but the occassion road
>> is rated as recommended for 4x4.
>>
>> So my needs are driving in fresh snow on roads, and on the easy end of
>> off-road 4x4. It seems that even the TRD package does not have limited
>> slip either, so given that I don't go on really crazy roads, I assume I
>> would be ok without the limited slip or the locker that the TRD does
>> have.
>>
>> Do I have this right?[/color]
>
>If you have RWD and a manual trans, there are not too many places you
>*can't* go. 4WD is only to get you out of a mess that you made when you were
>someplace you probably shouldn't have been in the first place.[/color]

A 2 wheel drive truck without a limited-slip or locking differential
is really a 1-wheel drive truck - if you get one rear wheel into mud
or sand you are not going anywhere, it will just spin.

Same thing with an open-differential All-Wheel Drive system - the
unlocked center differential and the axle differentials will send all
the power to the one slipping wheel.

A part-time (conventional) 4WD vehicle with open differentials is
really a 2-wheel drive, one in front and one in rear. Same problem,
if both ends have one wheel slipping, you don't move

If you want "Stuck Insurance" you want (in order of effectiveness) a
Part-Time 4WD System, or a Full Time AWD system with a lockable center
differential, or a 2WD, all with some sort of locking differential in
each powered axle.

You can go quite a ways with 2WD and a locker of some sort. And
even with an open differential, driving smart helps a lot.

The factory choice is usually a clutch-style limited slip, and they
work fine. If you go aftermarket you have several choices, the ones
that you will like for street driving are the ARB Air-Locker or the
Gleason Torsen worm-gear limited-slip.

You will NOT like driving on the street with the (IMHO Off-Road Use
Only) Detroit Locker - it is an inertia-activated solid spool clutch
system, and it will kick in and lock-up on every tight street corner
with much wheel skidding and squealing. Anyone driving the truck that
doesn't know what is going on will swear the rear end is about to fall
out from under the truck, and they chew up tires fast.

--<< Bruce >>--