I can understand why a locking diff would be good while climbing rock. (I used to do some rock climbing with my ******.)

Honda made a change to the 450 Foreman in 2002. Really, I'm wondering if the change made it less of a 3 wheel drive than 2001's and older 450 Foremans.

 

Uhh you have 2 and 4 wheel drive slect there buddy.

 

yes i know i have 2 and 4 WD but i was asking if its TRUE 4WD

 

NO!!!!!! "Limited Slip" IS NOT true 4x4!!!

Coyote Chaser, if you did some rock crawling back in the day with your *****'s then I am almost POSITIVE you know the difference between full lockers and limited slip in trucks in rock crawling situations!!! Apply that to quads its pretty much the same!!! Rock Crawling up at "my mountain" is pretty much the only use of my Grizz and I wouldnt own a quad without a diff lock!!! After all, I have limited slip AND diff lock if needed!!! Thank Polaris for starting the TRUE 4x4 machines!!

 

Limited slip is true 4wd and will spin 4 tires most of the time. A NON-true 4wd would have an "open" front differential and would TRUELY be 3wd ALL the time. For limited slip, unless you put alot of stress on one tire (ie: stuck inbetween two logs and all other wheels loose traction, getting up on a big rut and all other wheels loose traction, get on a rock and all other wheels loose traction) Other than that, if you going through some normal mud or something like that it's going to spin all 4 tires. Ever seen a car or truck with a limited-slip rear differential? Do a burnout and it will leave TWO nice long black marks. But you put those rear tires in an awkward position and put alot of weight and stress on one wheel and it's going to only spin ONE wheel. Understand? Most people are so shady when it comes to limited slip. They think a Honda is always "3wd" and it's very childish and ignorant the way some people think.

Simply put, if I thought that I absolutely needed a front locker I would have either bought a bike that already comes with one or bought an aftermarket locker. It's just a different feature that Honda puts on their bikes. Different strokes for different fokes....

 

So far, my Foreman has always spun all 4 wheels, no matter what I've been doing with it....snow, mud, rocks, logs.....whatever.

 

The newer Hondas have a different version of limited slip than anything else on the market. Take a look at Popular Mechanics review of the Rubicon.

Rubicon 400 ??

 

Even if the differential on the forman works well when new, it WILL WEAR OUT, thereinlies the problem. I have a '98 forman 450s, and after about 2 years of good going, the differntial went south.

Now I have a spool locker ($35) from highlifter. Makes steering a little stiffer, but it keeps with hondas tradition of simplicity, light weight, and functionality.

Now my bike rocks in the mud and is far superior to anything else on the market!!! I also installed a warn 424 kit, which again keeps the machine light, simple and functional.

 

Say what you will Yellow, but if it doesnt ALL the time regardless of where the tire is(up in the air, logs etc.) then it's NOT "true" 4x4! Example, go out to any place where people have rock-crawling jeeps, hybrids, trucks, etc! Check and see if ANY of the big Rigs you find have a Limited Slip Front Diff! This is an off-topic but it relates in some extent!! I had a Toyota Tacoma with a Limited Slip Rear differential! In gravel on Flat ground, I can spin both rear tires and while in 4x4, I can spin all 4 tires on flat ground!!! However any articulation of the rear axle while off-road and I'm back to pretty much 1 wheel drive in the rear! LOL! However my Tacoma was the TRD package equipped Tacoma, had a button that you could push that would "LOCK" the rear axle and there would be NO slippage, and trust me when I say this, I DEFINATELY saw a HUGE difference in off-road situations!!! So honestly, a quad isnt "TRUE" 4x4 if it isnt guaranteed that all 4 tires will spin regardless of the situation!! Also, I can tell a HUGE difference between my Grizz in limited slip mode 4x4 and when its in diff-lock mode!

 

I have a 1998 honda foreman and the differential seens to be ok but i know that if i had a true 4x4 it would make it trough a lot more.