Why I decided to install limited slip differential on my 2016 Innova

Traction control or even a brake locking diff cannot do what a limited slip or auto (unlocker) could.

BHPian Sankar recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Why not traction control?

1. My Crysta is a 2016 GX it does not have traction control.
2. Traction control brakes the slipping wheel to transfer the power to the other wheel.
3. Whilst doing the above ECU reduces the engine power to limit the wheel spin and maintain traction.
4. Traction control or even a brake locking diff cannot do what a limited slip or auto(unlocker) could.

Why a LSD?

1. It limits the slip and transfer a portion of the torque to wheel with traction.
2. Mechanical, simple, works. Does not reduce engine output if one wheel starts to spin. Note: Electronic limited slips are topic for another post or thread.
3. Traction control and limited slip differentials are different things and work differently. Some things can only be done with a LSD and traction control, if present, turned off.

Cons?

• Dont jack the vehicle with rear wheel in contact with ground and start the engine in gear or drive. Factory LSD equipped vehicles has a warning decal for this.

• A RWD equipped with an auto(un)locker or LSD will powerslide accelerating hard with rear wheels on slippery conditions. A high power RWD equipped with LSD or auto(un)locker will do it on tarmac. Eg. Mustang fails on youtube :-) Note: This is a pro for a pro and a con for a noob.

Not a con but limited slips even on very mild offroading are seen as a joke by those who have experienced some very poor performing factory limited slip equipped vehicles with much marketing hype in the brochure.

Whats a differential?

A differential helps the driven wheels of a vehicle turn at different speeds so the vehicle can turn easy without the inside tyre scrubbing. Electric vehicles also have differentials unless they have a motor in each driven wheel. This 85 year old video explains the function of a differential better than any modern tutorial could.

Around The Corner

The disadvantage of open differential is that if either one of the two driven wheels is on a slippery surface or in air the differential will send the power to the wheel with least resistance. Which is why we see some vehicles stuck with one wheel spinning destroying the tyre and the surface while the other wheel is sitting there doing nothing. It can not transfer the power to the wheel with traction.

Eg:

1. A TUV3OO, this terrain shouldn't have been an issue on a vehicle with an open diff but I think TUV3OO has very limited articulation. M&M offers MLD to fix this.
2. Xylo stuck due to parking spot selection error and bhpian tharian pulls it out with this Aspire.
3. Innova stuck on uneven terrain requiring a lot of revving to escape the situation.
4. This Crysta seems to be a ZX which has traction control but still spins.

In all the above scenarios a proper working limited slip differential, a selectable locker, a MLD or an auto(un)locker would have saved the day.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.