Hello Scotty,
I'm looking at buying either a used 2007 or 2010 Lexus RX 350 with 117/90K miles that states they have a Limited Slip Differential. Can you explain the advantage/disadvantage of having LSD ? If it needed repair what is the cost ?
Thanks,
Nightworker
Nice! many were educated by Marisa Tomei
Yeah it reminded me of the movie when I heard Limited slip differential. I haven't seen that movie in probably 20 years!
Can you explain the advantage/disadvantage of having LSD ?
With an open differential (axle with no limited slip features), when one wheel loses all traction (on ice, snow, mud, etc.), then the opposite wheel loses all power. The car doesn't go anywhere and you get stuck. You might have heard the term "one wheel peel".
That's where the term LSD comes from. It limits how much one wheel can slip, which allows some power to reach the wheel with traction and you get stuck less often.
If you never encounter poor road conditions then the feature is pretty much useless to you.
Cost is thousands. I don't know exactly how much.
LSD’s are often used in vehicles that are likely to encounter slippery conditions or do light off-roading but don’t require the cost or complexity of a locking differential. I’m not surprised to find it in an RX.
I agree with @imperator that it would be an expensive part if it had to be replaced, but I suspect that is a rare occurrence. LSD’s usually require more expensive gear oil than an open differential, but in normal use (ie, not a track or drag car) they should last the life of the vehicle.
Yeah it depends. Some have clutch discs inside that wear out. Some have complex electromechanical systems or special shear-thickening silicone fluids (non serviceable). Obviously the more you abuse it, the shorter the lifespan. You'd expect it to be durable from Toyota though.
Nice! many were educated by Marisa Tomei
Good explanation of how posi works, but an error there is that feature was not offered on the 1963 Tempest. The 1961-1963 Tempest used a rear-mounted transaxle and there was no limited-slip option. However the '64 Skylark did offer it. Additionally there was another car, other than the Corvette, that had independent rear suspension and offered limited-slip - the Corvair. A couple of glaring factual errors in an otherwise great scene.
{blackemo}:laughtertotears:
Your honor, I call Chuck Tobias to the stand.
Wait a minute... what is a " rear-mounted transaxle"? Are you saying the engine was at the front but the transmission was at the rear?
and there's more weirdness as I read ... it apparently used a "rope drive" - a torque shaft arcing in a 3 in downward bow .
This is alien stuff to me .
GM was into some some pretty strange and frequently half-baked engineering in the early 1960s for its compact cars.
Thank you.
Wait a minute... what is a " rear-mounted transaxle"? Are you saying the engine was at the front but the transmission was at the rear?
Yes, exactly. The base engine in the 1961-1963 Tempest was a slant-4 made on the cheap by removing one bank of the then standard-issue Pontiac 389 V8. The transaxle was in the back, and they were connected by a torque tube and slim driveshaft with no universal joints (commonly referred to as "rope" drive). The transaxle was adapted from the Corvair but unlike the 'vair there was no positraction option offered. The automatic transmission had the torque converter hanging off the back end of the transaxle, in the open. Power was transmitted to and from the converter via concentric shafts.
https://www.macsmotorcitygarage.com/secrets-of-the-1961-pontiac-tempest-rope-drive/
engineers were really creative back then. You don't see this kind of variety anymore. Most cars now are built the same ... probably dictated by reliability and manufacturing cost.
The 1961-1963 Tempest used a rear-mounted transaxle and there was no limited-slip option.
Here it is
That's it. The half-a-V8 4-cylinder engine could also be used as a paint shaker. 😆