10b Differential interchangeability and LSD up front

[Kocher93]

I searched CK5 and other sites and can't find my answer so here it goes.

As my truck sits in the driveway I have a 10b front and rear, 30 spline. LSD out back and an open up front. Getting my 14 bolt regeared and pretty much throwing it in next time I have a couple days. On my new set up I'll be running 5.13s on 37s and a spool out back. My front will be a 8 lug 10b with an open diff.

While reading a build on pirate there was a couple people saying that an lsd can make the axles last better than an open diff . I have no knowledge of what an lsd does compared to a open, but I'm sure someone will enlighten me. So the question: Will an LSD keep my axles alive longer than an open? and Can I put the LSD from the rear 30 spline 10b to the front 30 spline 10b?

 

[big dan]

I don't know about your axles lasting longer than open diff but an lsd provides better traction without causing too much stress and is still easy to turn. My dd has a clutch type lsd up front with stock 28 spline axles and never broke one. In rocks it definitely has downfalls but my dd doesn't see rocks, mostly muddy fields and trails that I use for hunting.

As far as interchangeability (don't know if this is a real word but Im gonna use it) as long as spline count is the same it should work. My lsd came from a Camaro with a 28 spline 8.5 rear.

 

[Kocher93]

Ok, I thought they were interchangable just had to make sure. The way I'm seeing/understanding is that with an open say a tires off the ground and spinning and it gets traction, boom axle breaks. With an LSD it reduces the amount the one tire will spin and less destructive force. Any input on this?

 

[Greg Ducato]

I have never heard of this theory and doubt it's practical validity as it applies to the average truck. There seems to be an abundance of "experts" over on the Pirate site IMHO.

 

[blazinzuk]

10 bolt rear should be 30 splines. 30 spline fronts came stock in the later years I think starting in 88 and newer so just blazers and burbs.

You can put a stock LS from the rear in the front given the same spline count. Nothing terribly unusual about the differential itself.

It is easier on a front if both tires are spinning, given the exact same conditions. The problem arises when you have a LS up front your capabilities increase so that in and of itself can increase the amount of stress on your axleshafts.

The problem with the stock style LS in a 10 bolt is the fact it is a gov lok. It doesn't engage at lower speeds with the tires moving very slowly, there has to be a speed differential to engage it. In addition it has small moving parts that tend to break quite a bit

So while adding a LS in the front of a 10 bolt will certainly help off roading capability and actually decrease strain by spreading the strain over both sides of the axle using the stock gov loc is not the best idea. Although if I had a stock gov lock kicking around I would probably put it up front just to see how it acted

 

[yakmastermax]

so just to clarify a LSD meant to go in the rear 10 bolt will fit in a front 10 bolt? what about a D44?

 

[Deuling]

so just to clarify a LSD meant to go in the rear 10 bolt will fit in a front 10 bolt? what about a D44?

D44 is a negative

 

[Kocher93]

Its not a gov lok previous owner got it out of 4wp. Im unsure the brand ill check as soon as i do the swap. Believe me if it was a gov lok with the way i drive it'd be broken 100 times over by now. So it is true that the lsd would reduce the load on the axle. Now it my head i see both tires turning because its a lsd and say Im completly lock on steering, wouldnt the smallest amount of gas break the shafts? Or is that where the slip comes in.


Horribly typed on my Galaxy S3

 

[496truck]

First off, you NEED to know what type of diff is in the rear before deciding to put it up front.

I wheel my truck pretty good with a locker in the front (Lockright specifically). An LSD or locker will give and let on axle turn faster than the other for steering purposes. So, no, you are not in danger of snapping an axle just cause you want to turn.

Having the locker in the front of mine has allowed me to wheel with less gas pedal. In that sense, being lighter on the throttle to get up/over obstacles, is easier on the parts. My last wheeling trip we had a couple open diff rigs. You could clearly see how much effort those rigs needed to get up those rocky hills opposed to the locked rigs just walking up. Obviously the terrain you wheel and how you drive are the main factors with breaking stuff so YMMV.

 

[dyeager535]

Now it my head i see both tires turning because its a lsd

The problem with that statement is that it's a limited *slip*. I'm not sure I've ever seen someone recommend limited slip for the rear, in a wheeled rig, and there is a reason for that.

Trucks are heavy. If you have one tire completely off the ground, the load on the other tire is likely to be massive, and enough to "slip" the diff, meaning it's worthless.

No disagreement that it will work better than open, and be no worse than open, simply that having been designed to slip, it may slip when you don't want it to. I have a suspicion that's why the Gov-lock was used in trucks (even S10's) while the cars used true limited slip diffs, when so equipped by GM.