Trailboss,You have not seen the one wheel wonder?You must be joking or you are really not an avid ATVer.I've seen SO many 4x4 quads stuck with one wheel in the air spinning,while the one in the mud is doing nothing.I totally disagree with you because I have seen this happen more times than not.Very seldom do you ever see both front tires spinning for any length of time on limited slips.I could take you to our local riding area and show you so many 4x4 limited slip quads that are one wheel wonders.Sorry,but im only telling you what I've personally seen,===BILL

 

Not an avid ATVer? My friends and I got a really big laugh out of that one. Most everything revolves around riding for me. Bought my first atv in 1976 How bout you?
Well Bill I guess some people are just plain unwilling to understand how a limited slip differential works. Just because the wheel on the ground is not SPINNING does not mean that torque is not being applied to that wheel and PULLING it. I know the concept is difficult. but not if you have any mechanical background, but I do. Its what I do and have done to support my family for 25+ years I dont know how to be any more clear on this.

 

Trailboss450, you don't need to be more clear. This argument has been hashed out on this forum at least a hundred times. I've seen it explained by some very knowledgeable, or should I say well written people, and I'm convinced that the people that don't get it, don't want to get it.

 

Well since you all are so knowledgeable explain to me why the limited slip want out pull the polaris muchines...I mean come on fellows this is an unbiased opinion, I own the AC 500 and it will not mud or climb with the Polaris...And I don't care if you been riding for 25 years or been a mechanical engineer for 25 years...I like Bill C. can take you plenty of places here in WV where the limited slip gets one wheel up in the air and spins and will not go where the Polaris will go...and also fellows don't go saying I am putting the mighty Polaris on a pedastool, because I used to give the Polaris riders and owners hell because of the break downs...till I found out it was mostly the older models having the troubles but even then I never did fail to admit that Polaris was king in the mud and pulling. And since you guys are giving your storys I have one for you. One of my fellow police officers is a guide on the Hatfield McCoy Trail and they have hooked everything back to back with a rope and pulled them...nothing pulled any of the polaris from a suzuki, honda, kawasaki the polaris pulled them all, at that time being bullhead and trying to give my buddy a hard time told him no wonder you can't pull those Polaris they weigh as much as a tank...so he had me put another guy on the back of the artic cat, and to be truthfully the Cat had better tires being the titan 489's well guess who got pulled backwards I then rode some of the sportsman they had on the trail so that is why it became my next bike. Do you reckon all you mechanical engineers and people who have been riding 25 years it could have been because the Polaris had 4 true wheels pulling and if you want to see a limited slip start spinning tires or spinning as they rotate find you a nice big sportsman to hook it to and as you are being pulled backwards glance over your front end...Just ask Bill C. about this one and he doesn't even own one anymore...It really kills me when you guys are trying to make more out of this limited slip than even the major companys are telling you NO it is not 4 wheels pulling it is 3 wheels pulling and when you do see 2 wheels spinning in the front it is because the pressure is shared and it is not in a true bind...sounds like some of you need to quit riding back roads and get on some real trails that get your blood pumping and your limited slip slipping...

 

I do ride those trails but funny I never see you there. You must be watching ATV TELEVISION those days. I would rather learn it first hand than on TV. Really now, maybe you should stick to being a cop. Hopefully you know more about that.
Like I always say, Better to keep quiet and be thought a fool than to keep talking and prove it.
Really, I am not trying to be a jerk or anything but please stick to what you know is true not just what you personally think is.

 

Trailboss.you really are confusing me now.You quote ''Just because the wheel on the ground is not spinning does not mean that torque is not being applied to the wheel and pulling it''.Now that is ''YOUR'' 25 year mechanical background quote.Now I ask you this since you have 25 yrs experience.If the wheel on the ground is NOT spinning,how in Gods name can torque be applied to it and be pulling it with ANY benifit?If ample torque were applied,it would be spinning would'nt it?If thats not the case,why have ANY torque to that wheel if it cant supply enough power to spin the tire.It is a USELESS torque applied to that wheel.It would be like trying to tow a Mack truck with a 12 volt battery operated quad,sure ,you got torque to the wheels,but it aint going to move it.You stay to stick to what I know is true.This much is true,I see ALOT of limited slip 4x4s spinning only ONE front tire.

Remember,''it is sometimes better to be thought of a fool than to Type [in your case] and remove all doubt''.Maybe you should perhaps adhere to your own quotes.Good Day====BILL

 

My pickup truck is like that,when I get into trouble only one of the front wheels takes a turn at pulling in 4wd.

 

Tim 1,are you sure you are seeing things right on the Pick Up trucks front differential?Only ''ONE'' wheel spinning?According to the experts in here,Torque should be applied to the non spinning tire and be pulling it.

Could I perhaps recommend a great eye Doctor?[lol]

No chance you could be right either,we have to many people in here with lots of yrs experience on differentials.====BILL

 

Atving, you know that we are the same on this one. I don't see much of a problem in mud unless there are ruts where it gets uneven. In loose hillclimbs, you will find yourself spinning out at times on a limited slip. If you haven't done this limited slip people, then you either haven't found the right situation yet or you are full of it. Get one front planted good on an incline and an inch of air under the other and if you start spinning to the point that your rears don't have traction and you are suddenly going nowhere, take a look down. The front in the air will be humming right along with the rears that are just digging up dirt, and the grounded front will be sitting there doing its own thing! nothing at all save for an occasional twitch. If you are still moving forward, then of course both fronts are still pulling, but if you ever get it stopped, then that is the situation that I have posted about in about 3 or 4 different topics here. Go try it this saturday. I mean just look for spots to spin out. Find a deep ditch with an uneven spot, go up it till you spin out and sit there amazed as the truth is revealed. Granted, if you are still going forward, you wont see it, but get it to spinning out, and it wont be all four that are spinning if one is in the air. Just try it. Then come back and start talking about it again. If I said that it was any different, then I would be lying because I have done it myself numerous times. Most situations, a limited slip will pull you right on up, but if its too steep and uneven, spinnout city baby!

 

I really don't see what is so hard to understand. Try thinking of a limited slip differential as two axles connected by clutches. When resistance increases to one side, the clutch on that side begins to slip. But here is the really tricky part for some of you guys to understand, when resistance(in this case traction) is at or near equal BOTH WHEELS WILL PULL. I've never argued that a traditional limited slip wouldn't allow an air born wheel to spin while the wheel on the ground does nothing, because that is exactly what it will do. Now on to the new ap sure-trac that honda is currently useing on the Rancher and soon to be released Rubicon. This system works exactly the opposite of the way the afore mentioned system works, with the exeption of the fact that it too will spin both wheels when traction is near equal to both. With this new system, torque is biased to the wheel with traction, or to be more clear, the tire in the air should stop and the one on the ground should pull. This is the way it works on mine, and everyone else I know. So please tell me again what advantage your Polaris has over my my sure-trac equipped Honda, in a situation where the two rear and only one front tire are on the ground. My Honda will spin the three tires on the ground, and leave the tire in the air sitting still. Your Polaris will spin all four tires, including the one in the air. Now unless Polaris has devised away to get traction from air, I fail to see the advantage. Nuf said!