Just curious of everybody’s opinion on Honda’s Front Limited Slip Differential? I usually ride on mostly packed cross country and railroad trails. I do cross multiple water holes and crawl up steep, wet, and rocky hills and I’ve had no problems with it. I guess, if your big into mudding a locking differential would be more appropriate but again for what I ride Honda’s LSD works just as it should.

 

Have yet not been able to go where I pointed my ATV's. No, I will never sink it to the top of the gas tank in either mud or water. I have climbed very steep and rocky trails. I have gone places where I made it alot easier than my friend did on his 500 HO, true 4-wd. I however don't believe it has anything to do with the ATV's.

I ride mostly in the Wasatch Mountains in Utah and so far have been more than pleased.

 

The front diff on the rubi works great in the mud for me and even with 27's, I was shocked. I find that it is in the rocks and going up dry creek beds that most people don't encounter that has big rocks everywhere one of the front wheels is pushed against a rock and only three wheels spin, but if your front brakes work good then if you use the brake trick you can go anywhere because your tire will pull off the rocks and it will not be in a bind anymore. The diff is good but a pushbutton locker would be great, keep in mind you can get other atv's of the same class for the same price and they have all of there great features on them from the factory. If I were to add a locker, disk brakes and a 424 unlocker to rubi I would be out a thousand more than what I could buy another brand of atv with all of these features for and in the same class. Honda is starting to come around and I am glad.

 

What is "the brake trick"?
Getting a new Rincon tomorrow and that sounds like it might come in handy )
~Tim

 

The "new" torque sensing limited slip differential in the Hondas is, in my opinion, somewhat better than the old one...it does make the quad easier to steer and it works better when all four wheels are on the ground....but when one wheel loses traction or is in the air, the diff does NOT do what honda said it would do....as soon as this happens, the wheel with no traction is the one that spins, with no power going to the wheel with traction.....therefore the only tires pushing are the two rears.....2 wheel drive....yes, you can get the power to switch by tapping the front brake, but by that time you're more than likely to have lost momentum and are stuck....in my opinion, when 4 wheels are on the ground it's 4wd,...one in the air and it's 2wd....not bashing here, i have a honda.

 

Actually it will be 3 wheel drive, as the rear axle is solid and there is no slippage, and 1 of the front wheels will always turn!!

The limited slip unit work reasonably well when new, but now mine is 4 years old and even with correct maintenance and diff. additive it now slips more then it limits slippage. Just the same, I put my bike through alot and it rarely lets me down, but the 27" Blackwaters have alot to do with that.

My next purchase will be a Detroit Locker from HL, unless a button or lever operated unit comes on the market.

 

When I had my p360 with the front diff control my husband drove the Rancher. Seemed that the Rancher never needed a diff lock! It went everywhere. When it was stuck, anything else would have been, too.

 

Yes the rear is solid axle and no slippage...but my point is that the front wheel that is spinning is the one with no traction (in the above mentioned situation)....therefore the only wheels prviding push are the rear wheels....2wd...the tire in the air that is spinning may as well not be.

 

Your absolutely correct GreatCanadian, a solid axle bike with 1 front in the air is actually 2 wd, as you can't count the 1 in the air spinning freely as a drive wheel! My opinion is limited slip shoud be renamed to UNLIMITED slip. A front dif lock on a solid axle will help this by giving you 3wd when 1 wheel is in the air, but independent sus is a much better off-road bike with it's ability to keep 4 wheels on the ground much more effectively.

 

When you have one front tire off the ground pump the front brakes lightly and the one on the ground should catch and pull you through most situations.