Re: diff locks

[steveb@newkla.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

It is fun to experiment with the difference between locked vs. open diffs!
Have you noticed the description in the QTC Owner's Manual about use of 
diff locking for competition?  You gotta like the fact that they weren't 
too scared to put that in the Owner's Manual!  

Has anyone actually experienced diff failure due to locking the diff under 
dry circumstances?  There is no doubt that you are going to suffer extra 
tire wear when both tires are turning the exact number of times in a turn, 
but I don't see any cause for increased heating in the diff simply because 
the diff is locked.  The dog gear ensures that there is no energy spent in 
the diff other than that coming in from the engine.  I could envision that 
happening with the anti-spin diffs that have a friction-based coupling 
between the output shafts.

Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com