A Torque-Sensitive Front Differential VS. A Limited-Slip Front Differential? Which is Better? Why do some Honda 4x4's have it and some not?
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2K4 Polaris Sportsman 700
3000LB. Warn Winch
'27 ITP 589 M/S Tires

2001 Honda Rancher ES (FOR SALE)
2.0 Warn Winch

 

apparently no one knows. In magazine shootouts, it says the Foreman ES's 4wd System is superior copared to the Suzuki Vinson's Limited Slip. IM JUST CURIOUS?.. IF YOU KNOW SAY SOMETHING.
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2K4 Polaris Sportsman 700
3000LB. Warn Winch
'27 ITP 589 M/S Tires

2001 Honda Rancher ES (FOR SALE)
2.0 Warn Winch

 

A limited slip diff is a slightly "dumber" or passive version of "positive traction." Basically, it attempts to limit the amount of wheelspin that a normal open diff would offer. If you have an open diff and you hit a mud hole with one wheel in and the other out, the dumb part is that the loose wheel will spin in the mud. A limited slip diff will apply some, if not all (or equal amounts) of power to both wheels to allow you to keep pulling even it one wheel is loose. Positive traction means that both wheels are spinning at the same speed and power level.

The smarter and more "active" torque-sensing setup allows the computer, transmission, and wheels to be controlled more directly as needed to apply the power where it is needed, when it is needed. The idea is to apply the most power to the wheels that have traction.

Money, engineering, and complexity would be reasons that it would be offered in some installations and not others. It is nice when you have it and need it. It is bad when the computer and sensors get out of whack and nothing works.

I think... (corrections are welcome)

To make it even more fun, look at the axle ratios on the front and rear of current jeep wranglers. They show a slightly different ratio on the front axle than the rear. If I recall correctly, the front is slightly higher (spinning faster) than the rear. It is very slight, but they are not EXACTLY the same. Weird.

 

A while back, somebody posted the "bias" for the different differentials out there. The bias is the percentage of power that is sent to the wheel that has traction. The current Honda torsion sensing diff is 70% of power to the wheel with traction, which is pretty respectable.

The Rancher has a slightly higher final gear ratio in the rear than it has in the front. This is done so the back is pushing a little harder than the front is pulling. This keeps the steering a bit lighter. The back has to slip a little, before the front really grabs. I imagine that all the Hondas are this way????

 

The suretrac, is a torque sensing differential and the clutch pack is a speed sensing differential.
Both will give true 4wd, when the tires have equal traction.
As long as the fluid is keep clean, the suretrac will never wear out...the clutch pack will.
The suretrac doesnt need friction modifiers, the clutch pack does.
Theres a trick which can be done on the suretrac, that cant be done on speed sensing diffs. Because a torque sensing diff works on bias (which means one side provides the bias to the other side), when the one front tire becomes air born, like going over a log...or is slipping in the mud....a bit of front brake, will put drag on the tires which has no load, and this will force the other side to turn. This is the so called honda locking front diff....the front brake.
Im not sure why they say the honda was superior to the suzuki. They are both torque sensitive, but the suzi uses cones, and the honda uses face plates and keys. Both accomplish the same thing. Maybe one has more mathmatical bias than the other.
All newer honda 4x4 use the suretrac...the clutch pack i think, was last used in 2000.
Heres a good read on the suretrac, if youre interested.
.pdf document