Still confused about limited slip differential

07streetbobrider

New member
I bought my jeep with the optional limited slip. When I took off the cover a few weeks ago it looks like an open diff. Last weekend I spun them in the dirt and was told both tires were spinning so I was convinced it was limited slip. I just watched a video of a 2015 JK Willys with limited slip jacked up and both wheels spun in the same direction like I always thought they should. I just jacked mine up and they spin in the opposite direction. If it wasn't limited slip would both tires spin in the dirt? Why don't mine spin in the same direction when lifted off the ground? Also I turned the traction control off when I spun the tires.
 
I bought my jeep with the optional limited slip. When I took off the cover a few weeks ago it looks like an open diff. Last weekend I spun them in the dirt and was told both tires were spinning so I was convinced it was limited slip. I just watched a video of a 2015 JK Willys with limited slip jacked up and both wheels spun in the same direction like I always thought they should. I just jacked mine up and they spin in the opposite direction. If it wasn't limited slip would both tires spin in the dirt? Why don't mine spin in the same direction when lifted off the ground? Also I turned the traction control off when I spun the tires.

My WJ is almost identical. It has LSD as well, but even with the cover off, you CANNOT see the clutches inside the carrier. Mine works off of some kind of centrifugal fluid design where one wheel has to be spinning really fast (slipping) before that causes the other wheel to start spinning the same direction. If I lift mine up and spin one rear wheel, they also do not spin in the same direction.

Here's a promotional video on mine explaining it, I assume the differential part may be similar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PmxnShlfZI
 
Ok I think I got it...the clutches are on the outside of the side gears so you can't see them. When torque is applied it pushes the side gears out a little which engages the clutches. So when lifted and spinning the wheels there's no torque so not engaged..thanks!
 
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