Curious if any one could explain the diff and pro's and cons of each,

LSD on yamaha's
diff lock on other models
viso lock from can-am

I am not bashing and do not want any bashing...I have searched yahoo, google, but i need some lamens terms....

 

Limited slip differential, whether on Yamaha or other brands, is a spring loaded clutch like set up, which is "full time" 4wd, allowing the outside wheel to "slip" and turn faster when turning, but also has the effect of "unloading" the wheel with the most traction and spinning the other wheel, ( hence the 3 wheel drive complaint),which can be overcome by lightly applying the front brake to "load" the differential. Diff lock is an electric or physical meshing of the front differential gear, "locking" the two front axles, putting equal power and traction to them, but also makes it a bear to steer, since both wheels pull equally, the outside wheel tries to spin faster(it goes farther in the outside arc of the turn)but can't, and causes the steering to be very heavy and "pulls" very badly. Viso lock (Can Am's drive system) uses a fluid drive system that uses the slip or spin of a wheel loosing traction to transfer power to the side with traction, without the steering problems of a locking system. Polaris is similar, but uses speed sensors detecting spin on the rear to engage magnetic clutches on the front to give all wheel drive when traction is needed, turning off when no spin is detected. I hope this helps, it is the best I can explain it, I'm no expert, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night !!!!!

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: upongame

Curious if any one could explain the diff and pro's and cons of each,



LSD on yamaha's

diff lock on other models

viso lock from can-am



I am not bashing and do not want any bashing...I have searched yahoo, google, but i need some lamens terms....</end quote></div>


LSD is a strong hallucinogenic drug. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I didn't know you could get that on a Yamaha. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

95wolv is right about limited-slip letting the outside wheel turn faster on turns. That's just like a car or truck. If they didn't have a differential they would skid one wheel. But in 4x4 it tends to send all the power to the wheel with the least amount of traction. So if one front wheel is in the air it will spin real fast while the tire on the ground just sits there.

Anything with a lockable differential will act the same way until you lock it. Then it will have full power to both wheels, 50% power on each side. In laymen's terms it basically acts like a solid axle with no differential. Not impossible to steer but not easy either.

Visco-Loks from what I've read and seen will sit and spin one wheel for awhile until it figures out it's spinning. Then it will finally lock in and have full 4-wheel drive. Watch from about the 4 - 5 minute mark on this video to see how Visco-Lok works when only one of the front tires has traction. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0D9H-LwImYI This is probably why Polaris only used it for one year on one model, the 2002 Magnum 500 RMK.

 

So the best for mudding is the diff lock on like that sportsman xp....Also thanks i will let my wife know if she is getting stuck to lightly apply the front brakes, since her wolvy has lsd......

 

What do clutch kits do????

 

In Lames tere allows the belt dive to engage softer or harder depending on aplication needed for faster lauches or to turn bigger tires.