[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Sutripta

^^^
And snow chains and studs are normally banned on proper roads for the same reason.

My reason for asking you was because you have snowchains, have you ever used them in mud, and if so, your comments.

Regards
Sutripta

No, I have only used them in snow. Never in mud. I have ventured in mud only once, and got royally stuck. Never tried again.

[Ragul]

Folks
I've decided to put an LSD in my Gypsy. Is the Eaton Helical gear Truetrac suitable for the rear axle? The product literature only mentions Chrysler, GM, Toyota etc but no Suzuki.

Thanks
R

[headers]

You could go for powertrax better than Eaton and some of us have used it.

[Ragul]

Originally Posted by headers

You could go for powertrax better than Eaton and some of us have used it.

Thanks. This doesn't look like an LSD - it is a fully locking diff.
I was looking at this - http://www.tractionconcepts.com/Suzu.../tcxsz4528.htm
Seems to be friction plate type. There are allegations this was earlier known by the brand name "Phantom Grip" and that it has destroyed many Axles.

This is an old thread and a lot of good stuff has already been discussed in this thread. Moving away from generics and fundamentals already explained - I would like to weigh the pros and cons of this design before I go for it.

Ragul

[headers]

Personally I'd prefer a full locker than a LSD as there is positive traction at all times. Setting up the locker correctly is the key to proper operation!!😋

[ralto]

Originally Posted by HillyThar

After doing much research, I have decided to plunge for a rear differential locker, specifically the M Locker from Eaton, am going to fit it in my 2012 CRDe Thar, now clocking 75000 kms.

Hi, how was your experience, after adding the lockers, specifically on snow/ice?
Was it worth the upgrade and how did it affect the drive ability?

[HillyThar]

Originally Posted by ralto

Hi, how was your experience, after adding the lockers, specifically on snow/ice?
Was it worth the upgrade and how did it affect the drive ability?

I have sold off the Thar since once it clocked 100k+ kms and I was just too tired of it's shenanigans. On the LSD, the Eaton LSD is the same one that's was put as standard in the updated Thar, and it was a relatively simple fit.



Was it worth the upgrade, yes. I have 4 months of snow and ice a year, and wanted to get all the tools available to make the drive as safe as possible, and the LSD is one of them.



The Thar's back does have a tendency to go out on ice, esp on icy curves and on steeper inclines, and it did help there over not having an LSD. That said, after driving on snow for 6 years with the Thar, I was always on tenterhooks when driving on snow, and the Thar, despite the 4L and LSD, never gave me full confidence on snow.



The trouble with our mid hills is that the temperature does not get very low at night, and warms up enough in the day to melt the snow, and it freezes again at night, accumulating a layer of black ice that makes driving very treacherous. I took the Thar pre-LSD installation in January to Kibber, where day temperatures were around -8 to -15, and driving on compacted snow on those temperatures was not a problem at all with the Michelin Cross Contacts, but even a few inches can trick you in the middle Himalaya's!


To conclude, your mileage and experience on snow is dependent on many factors: Tyres, Temperature, Centre of Gravity etc, but adding an LSD to the arsenal will only help.

[DirtyDan]

Originally Posted by HillyThar

. That said, after driving on snow for 6 years with the Thar, I was always on tenterhooks when driving on snow, and the Thar, despite the 4L and LSD, never gave me full confidence on snow....

The trouble with our mid hills is that the temperature does not get very low at night, and warms up enough in the day to melt the snow, and it freezes again at night, accumulating a layer of black ice that makes driving very treacherous.

To conclude, your mileage and experience on snow is dependent on many factors: Tyres, Temperature, Centre of Gravity etc, but adding an LSD to the arsenal will only help.

Ice has wrecked many an intrepid 4X4 vehicle and driver in North America. Black ice is especially nasty as you may not see it until you are on it, if then, and that is too late. You can, perhaps, go much better than 4X2s only to find that you can't stop. 4 wheel drive doesn't help you much stopping. The other thing that often happens is that you and your wonderful 4X4 are handling the the deep snow only to come to a point in the road that is blocked by a whole herd of 4X2s who should have stayed home and who are roundly stuck and have the road impossibly blocked. In this case your 4X4 provides no remedy. Sometimes it is wiser to park it and stay home and tickle Sunita. Despite all of that, when the conditions are right, four wheeling in the snow can be a blast!