Sorry Bill for copying this from another post. I have the same discussion with Andy B in another post. No misinterpretation here . I know my facts. . If you look at ANY of my posts You wont find any of them that say that limited slip is a better or worse system. A locker WILL pull you through better in most situations. Handling is the key factor here.
Limited-slip differentials LIMIT the differential (the "slip") between the two front wheels. The main reason for wanting a limited-slip is to improve traction in a turn due to weight-transfer to the outside wheel. A limited-slip differential will allow slippage of the wheel with the least traction but it will still direct a SIGNIFICANT portion of the engine torque to the other wheel where it can do some good. This also holds true in a muddy situation or with one wheel suspended in the air. A locked differential on the other hand will cause your vehicle to want to (push) meaning want to go straight. LIMITED SLIP is kind of a happy medium between an OPEN differential (which I think you are confusing it with) and a locker.
I was simply trying to explain how the system works to someone who doesnt know. NOT BRAGGING UP ONE OR THE OTHER. When I get replies from people like you that havent the foggiest clue of how a differential works it makes me wonder? Isnt that why we all are here is to LEARN. Maybe just maybe I could learn from you too if you could direct your energy to sharing information instead of contesting what you dont know.
Also you wont find any of my posts boasting about my quad is better than yours, or your particular brand is junk. I dont see any point in that because they all have their place and use as far as I am concerned.. There is really no BAD quad.
I dont see any point in trying to explain it any further to you because you dont seem to have any real practical knowledge of the workings of an ATV other than how to take it to a dealer for repair.
And do you want to know the MOST IRONIC part? When you do it will be worked on by one of us so called dummies that are Nationally Certified Mechanics who have taken hundreds if not thousands of hours of training and continuing education and years of on the job experience just to keep you so called experts on the trail.
PRETTY SCARRY HUH!!!!!!

 

This weekend I watched a lim slipper unable to make "the hill." As he backed down, he got hung up on a tree, into a rut, and Yep! One wheel up in the air. Spinning. After towing him out, I went back to the same spot and drove out with my Scrambler, just to rub it in a little and help this friend choose better next time...which he will.

If Honda folks are happy with the compromise, then let them have it. I'll take my "flick a switch and you're in" 4wd anyday. (Incidently, so will most of the folks who come to visit the mountain with "other" brands)

 

Trailboss,no disrespect meant,but I try to NOT take my quad to the dealers for repair.Only if the quad is under warrenty will it go to the shop.To many of the so called ''Nationally Certified Mechanics'' have little knowledge of what they're doing.Case in point?The purchasing dealer of my 99 Sportsman made MORE problems for my 99 Sportsman,I finally wound up taking the quad to another dealer to have it repaired correctly.It spent two and a half months at your ''Nationally Certified Mechanic garage.You cant tell me how many hrs of training you Certified Mechanics have.Back in 1980,I was a Master Certified Auto Mechanic,certified in all eight catagories.I stood a Master until 1987.I than switched careers.So you and I disagree on front diffs?Big deal.I can only tell you what I have seen on the trail.You say that I dont have the foggiest idea of how a differential works.I suppose next you are going to try and convince me that im not really seeing just one front tire spinning?Im really tired of trying to get a Master Mechanic to understand that there really is just one wheel spinning in the front of ALOT of non AWD or locked diffs alot of the time.Enjoy your quad,I will to,good day====BILL

 

The traction is directly related to the color of the quad. Darker machine have better traction.
The altitude is another factor. The best traction is at sea level. The worst is..well ask Neil Armstrong.

 

Yes Bill I to use to face this in a previous industry I was in...I was an engineer in the coal mines...I have a degree in mining there was always those guys who had never been in a coal mines who could take a chalk board and show you how easy it was to run coal when you were standing outside, but when you get inside and had to cope with the obstacles it was a different story...seems it is the same way with some mechanics they can sit down and show you on a piece of paper how wonderful the limited slip works but when you get to the places that are not the idea text book location what happens...I know you guys are getting tired of hearing this but this some of the roughest country in the USA to ride they are getting ready to have a 2 day pull here and there will be professional riders here out the wing ****. The funny thing about it is that these pro riders always come down here and find out that this is not your man made tracks the last time a bunch came in here one broke his collar bone and the other broke his elbow...anyway sorry for rambling getting back to, to points of this post someone on here is still going on about how does the Polaris have the advantage with a wheel in the air...for gods sake this is not the point we are trying to make all we are trying to say is the advantage goes to the Polaris when all 4 wheels is planted on the ground...and to whoever said I was wasting my time watching ATV television man what is your problem what is your favorite show looney tunes...seems you need to waste a little time on the show last week and I will be happy to graft it to video so you can download it. It shows a rancher and a kawasaki spinning the proverbial 4th wheel, well I could of been imagining this, I am probably like Bill C. I have Polaritus this is a condition where you can only see Polaris bikes with 4 wheel spinning and there is no cure for it does this sound like your symptoms Bill C. hehehe.
Anyway seems some of you needs to glance at this ATV television seems they are putting the bikes in more of a bind than some of you, the guy trying out the sportsman was doing some pretty brave stuff this week...

 

There are mechanics that fix things, mechanics that charge for BS work and other garbage, and then the large group that are complete idiots. That percentage had MECHANIC as their life long goal. This whole thing here was not about torque transfer, or limited slip vs. awd or a locker. It was simply about whether or not a limited slip differential would spin the front tire in the air in certain circumstances while the planted front tire sat doing nothing. It is totally obvious, no matter what atv brochures, dealers, or mechanics say that it will indeed do this. All of those who claimed against it in this topic and in the one in the AC forum have done nothing more than make themselves look like complete jackasses. Sometimes you just admit you are wrong and drop it. I've done it. Not too proud to do admit when I am wrong, but I would be a bold faced liar if I said that on this subject. Take you godforsake limited slip atv out and try this and see for yourself. Damn, is it that hard. Everyone says "I'd rather ride than argue" Bull crap! If that was the case, then you would have already proved yourself wrong and then case closed. Atving and Bill, I must commend you on adding your experiences to this topic as well as the rest that know the truth. We aren't getting this crap out of technical information or other literature, we are getting it out of going out and doing it. There is no substitute for experience. In this capacity or any other, but I must say somebody has wasted 25 years or come up with some major amnesia.

 

Well now I really feel silly. All this arguing about the limited slip operation was all a big mistake. Here I thought you just didnt understand it when in reality the problem was that you just cant read. Where in any of my replies did I say that the wheel in the air would not spin? Of course it will, it has to. One or both of the wheels will spin anytime the driveshaft turns. But as I said and continue to say is that torque is still being applied to the wheel that grips and it is still TRYING to turn, but with a lesser degree of torque. A wheel that is trying to turn is still going to help to move you even if it doesnt spin The" planted "wheel is not doing "nothing" as you say but it is doing what it can to pull, but not enough to spin it.
There truly is no more to say on this subject. If you dont get it now you never will.
Now, because I am still willing and able to learn. And am fairly new to this forum environment. I am going to take some VERY GOOD advice I got from some intelligent people in this forum who are more experienced than me in dealing with guys like yourself. And stop wasting any more of my precious time on dolts like you . I am just going to sit back and watch and read and probably laugh as you blissfully bicker with everybody about how facts are wrong and you are right.
Open your eyes and minds and just maybe some good sense will sneak in (or you will learn to read)
I still wish you all happy trails! and truly do hope to cross paths sometime so you can show me how much more difficult your trails are and what superior riders you are! I'm sure I will be really really impressed.

 

EEE-Gad..the lemmimng wishes (almost)that this would stop and go away,but we ARE having too much fun!When I claimed I didn't understand something I at least offerd some proof by those that do.Do you have to be a "mechanic" to have an SAY? Of course not.Almost every Polaris rider knows about the" 3 wheel test on the hill" and I can almost say with conviction Most Honda riders know it too!I found out by testing on a steep hill and guess what .. no traction.. to remedy I only had to back up and apply the GAS..
I ride with 4 Polaris dudes and they do have their good points..we like to trade rides ounce in a while..and I still prefer my Honda..it's just a personal thing ,you don't have to agree !
They like their Mud deep..rack high,...and they are amazed the Honda goes where they do. The only time they beat me was in 4 ft. of loon crap..our stuff is different than clay..I sadly watched as they winched my poor Honda out! I made up a sign ..Honda parking lot,,and stuck it there! I plan on removing it with the help of bigger tires The Polaris riders had mudders, while I still had my stock dunlooops!! I guess my point to all this is that in real world situations our limited slip works just fine.
Some Polaris riders seem to think Hondas cant or wont GO where they can...maybe you haven't met the right Honda folks yet...I've gone by others on stuck machines...but usually it wasn't the machines fault but rider inexperence...sad but TRUE every one learns sometime!!
Why can't we all get along and agree????
BECAUSE IT'S BORING!!
Sunshine in Minnesota..IT'S ABOUT TIME!
Ride on...Bill

 

Hey Bill450es,
Definately get some better tires. The stock tires on the 450 are almost worthless for traction. Our neighbors were doing some construction on their farm next door to us and were digging up black dirt. There was a steep hill (very steep) about 12 feet high. We would climb this hill for hours because it was fun. With the stock tires, trying to crawl up the hill, we has some traction problems and wouldn't make it up. (unless we had some speed) After the 27" Blackwater tires were put on, I sat in amazement as my dad slowly climbed the hill in first gear with absolutley no slippage in traction. When he got to the top, the front tires were in the air and he held the pose by just keeping on the throttle a little bit. It was pretty funny. The point is, he didn't even need 4wd at the time and the tires made a HUGE difference. It now walks through the mud holes that we didn't have a prayer with before. I could go on and on with examples of how much better these tires are, but like you say, you gotta do it yourself.

 

Hey Mr. @assham, please explain to me, how while high centered in a mud hole, and stuck I might add, my Rancher was able to pull itself out by spinning both left side tires. You see Mr. #assham, I had to lean to the left with all my weight, to get the left side tires to bite terra firma. So in affect both right side tires were in the air, or more correctly in the water. According to you Mr.%assham, What I did out on the trail is impossible, or could it be that you have no experience with the new Honda Differentials? If that is true, you my friend are the idiot, for wadeing into an discussion with out all the facts.