I want LSD!

[jwfchase]

Can any of you "Do-It-Yourself-Mechanically-Inclined" folk weigh in on this:

1.) Can an open differential equipped Delica be retrofitted with a limited slip differential?
2.) If so, how can I go about about finding this part?
3.) If I find this part, about how much should it cost?

Thanks!

[Mystery Machine]

1.) Can an open differential equipped Delica be retrofitted with a limited slip differential?

I have swapped open diffs/LSD's on L400's with no compatability problems before.....I can't see why it would be any different for an L300? (one of my L300's has an open diff - the other has an LSD, but I've never considered swapping them!)

2.) If so, how can I go about about finding this part?

Tricky one for me to answer seeing as I am over here in the UK - but contact Mardy Delica or Glenn @ CCAutos because I know they can often get their hands on a whole range of parts....

Failing that, try and establish if any members who have an LSD might want to swap it for an 'open' and some cash? Here in the UK, a lot of L300 owners (95%) wouldn't even know what an LSD is....or the benefits. Wave some readies under their nose and they'll possibly consider letting you frag their back axle? My theory - if you don't ask, you don't get.....

3.) If I find this part, about how much should it cost?

Tough one to call seeing as I don't know the demand/pricing of parts on your side of the world - but here in the land of constant rain and roast beef, I would say that $300CAD (£150) would be a fair price....

Hope that is some help to you??

[BCDelica]

1: Yep, they are identical in size. Pull the rear axles out (not all the way) and drop out the old in with LSD. I want another LSD, too.

(one of my L300's has an open diff - the other has an LSD, but I've never considered swapping them!)

Is it the Mud Monkey that has LSD?

2: Glen has sold a LSD, but they aren't very common (I know, I keep asking for one also). Interesting idea, two or more fragged back carriers from England. Mmmm.

3. $300 would be a good price, $600 would be the expected price for a LSD carrier. For this reason I was seriously looking at lockers, mainly the aussie lokka for the rear. It's a very hard discussion, I know what locked diff'ed vehicles are capable of (too many times I park and hop in the locked Zuk to carry on); but an open diff'ed Delica is better (IMO) on ice and snow. My open diff'ed Delica with 4 vbar chains can climb steeps with the same Zuk (chained front) in foot deep snow.

[mararmeisto]

I understood LSD came on all the Super Exceeds... Yea? Nay?

[BCDelica]

Having had a Super (late 91 model) with the rear wheels off the ground to check and no finding LSD, I would say Nay.

But these gizmo's come in so many trim levels, they're like snow flakes - no two are alike. Though I'm not mechanically knowledgeable enough to know if a poorly functioning LSD would pass this test; eg. lift both rear wheels, turn one, your wheels turn the same direction you have LSD, wheels turn opposite directions you have an open differential. Go ahead, tell yourself it's not a bad thing to have open diff's, really. Open diff's aren't so common just because they're cheaper to build, but they are safer on really slippery stuff. Those of us who want LSD, or lockers, want get farther and get back with less chance of getting stuck. Yes, I know the more traction your vehicle has when you do get stuck, you're just more stuck when you get stuck (recovery gear, don't leave home without it).

Do the people whom work on Delicas regularly have input?

Kev

[EricN]

I have the LSD in my 90 Exceed. Cant say it is the best LSD I have seen. It needs alot of brake input on slippery stuff to get it to activate (most LSD's do anyways, this one is just bad) Ask yourself why you really want it. The best use of an LSD is in a high power muscle car on the street or in a front diff. Well we dont need to worry about breaking traction on anything other than loose gravel. On ice or snow, LSD is USELESS unless you use the brake. All it does is make you lose stability. If you are off-roading on gravel roads, then LSD would be usefull but in that case, I would track down an air locker instead of an LSD.
And swapping in just the diff case is pretty easy if you know how to setup gear mesh. I had my LSD out, apart, in pieces, and back together and installed in about 3 hours start to finish the day before I had back surgery.

[BCDelica]

I have the LSD in my 90 Exceed. Cant say it is the best LSD I have seen. It needs alot of brake input on slippery stuff to get it to activate (most LSD's do anyways, this one is just bad) Ask yourself why you really want it. The best use of an LSD is in a high power muscle car on the street or in a front diff. Well we dont need to worry about breaking traction on anything other than loose gravel. On ice or snow, LSD is USELESS unless you use the brake. All it does is make you lose stability. If you are off-roading on gravel roads, then LSD would be usefull but in that case, I would track down an air locker instead of an LSD.
And swapping in just the diff case is pretty easy if you know how to setup gear mesh. I had my LSD out, apart, in pieces, and back together and installed in about 3 hours start to finish the day before I had back surgery.

Sounds like you wanted to get your money's worth out of your back surgery.

Kind funny but I caught myself before Christmas in my van, with open differentials, working the hand brake (out of habit) when a back tire was sitting on top of the snow and spinning without digging in. It didn't help at all.

[EnviroImports.com]

First I have to say , I havent been following this thread much, but its actually easier to swap out the whole rear diff than to just slap in a new carrier, now some of you are right now saying , no that cant be, but if you want to simply put in the new carrier, you have to have it done profesionally, YES you can pull the axel shafts, very easy, pull the third member out , again very easy, BUT when it comes to putting in the new carrier or a locker air, ox, lincon what ever you need to have the gears shimmed to know the Back lash or you will have the nastiest HOWL , slapping and you will NOT be happy, and then you will end up having to take your now probably damaged 3rd member to a professional to have it re-built, and NO that wont be cheap , and no I dont set up diffs so im not trying to sell anything here.
when you take your gears out they go back in super easy as they were profesionally dialed to make them work, when you put in new, you dont have the dial guages or probably the expertise to measure how much of the ring and pinion are actually touching and where the pressure is, if you screw it up, you will break wring gear teeth and that is like throwing a hand full of bolts in your oil , just going to gernade after that.
If you really want to have LSD or a locker, either buy a third member with it allready in or the whole axel to swap

and PLEASE if you dont understand what all these terms are Please dont even think of trying this swap.
just to put a question out there after all that, If I put up some quick to swap & much heavier duty complete rear axels with LOCKER up for sale, how many people want one, No I dont have a price yet, but if I start searching I would like to know how many people actually want this, or for that matter , how many people would want a SOLID front axel to swap into their Delica?

Noel

[coaxial]

This site will tell you your specific van's specs including if it has LSD. Easiest way is to put in your VIN

http://cars-directory.net/specs/mitsubishi/delica/

[delicat]

Hey Coaxial, are you sure it works? I put my VIN in the search bar at the bottom but no results...

[coaxial]

*how* it works I am not sure, click on one of the years and you will see the codes. I know it does work as Glenn @ coombs showed me the site.

[EnviroImports.com]

are you puting in the ORIGINAL vin or the one on your reg papers?
put the one in that is under the tab stamped into the body, either beside the drivers seat or behind the drivers calves under a flap of carpet.

[Weasel]

So has anyone actually fitted an air locker/air lockers to a L300? All I find on google is aussie L400s... And these threads give the impression there is a maze of different possible incompatibilities to worry about...

[EnviroImports.com]

yes an air locker will fit and work, they arent cheap and there is no reason to go air locker unless your doing some serious off road and you upgrade the rest of the weak links, its not something the average person can install them selves, for the cost of an air locker and install, you can put in a much stronger entire axel that has an electric locker built in and has one ton chev toughness with out the plow effect of the corperate 14 bolt axel,
A detroit locker is a fairly easy drop in, much cheaper than arb and one ton strong with NO airlines to snag or freeze....

[jwfchase]

I am not a hardcore off roader- I think a locking diff is probably a little beyond my needs. Here's a situation on snow I would like to avoid though: I watched someone with some model year of Ford explorer who had gotten themselves stuck. They were driving on a packed and sanded logging road. The ditch on the right side had snow drifted in so they couldn't see where the road ended/ditch began. I think they had moved over a bit too much to let someone by coming the other way. The driver's side (left side- just in case you've forgotten this wasn't a Deli ) tires were on packed and sanded road. The front right tire was on packed but not sanded snow. The back right tire was in very loose, soft snow where the ditch started to drop away. It was in 4-wheel drive, but the only tire that seemed to be getting any power was the one with no traction. So, what "basic" 4wd equipment (LSD?) will keep ME from getting stuck in that scenario?...