Well.... I can tell you from personal experience what a difference the LSD makes in the rear end. My Sportage came from the factory without one. It's a 98 and you had to check the box when ordering it. I got it off the lot and didn't get to select the box. I would have if I would have ordered it, but oh well. I drove it for a couple of years and thought it was doing OK until one winter when I put it in 4 wheel drive to get up a hill while sitting at a stop light. No go forward <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />. My neighbor pulled around me in his 2WD truck with a LSD and ended up pulling me up the hill. My front auto locking hubs were frozen open with crud. I installed the manual locking hubs, but also went looking for a traction aid of some kind. The dealer I got it from told me they could get one and install it for about $1,400.00 <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />. I told them to go jump in the lake. I got on the net and started looking. I was able to find out that Eaton actually made the factory LSD for KIA and was able to get my hands on one. I installed it in my driveway and went wheeling that weekend. In places where I had to use 4wd before I was able to just walk through in only 2WD. I started looking for harder trails and soon found myself passing up fully outfitted Jeeps. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />
The 2000 and up 4wd Sportages came equipped standard with the LSD in the rear and people don't know they have them.
Even if you have 4wd if you get one wheel in the front and one wheel in the back that do not have traction the differential will not transfer power from the wheel that is slipping to the one that is gripping unless you have a traction aid. ItÆs like water; it goes to the path of least resistance. A traction aid such as the LSD in the rear of the Sportage uses clutch plates to provide grip to the wheel that is spinning so more power is pushed to the wheel with grip. This is what allows you to continue to move. Without it, even in 4wd you will just sit there spinning one front tire and one back tire.
IÆve had my LSD in for a number of years now and used it enough that now there is a lot of slip. So, I would like to rebuild it. Unfortunately Eaton does not offer the rebuild kit any more. At one time they did and also offered heavier springs that you could install to increase the split ratio, but they donÆt offer it any more. So, Dennis, your idea really interests me. Send me a PM when you get a chance. Thanks.
Logansportage <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />
