How can you tell the difference between positive traction and limited slip traction?

Answer 1

Here's the difference, correct me if I'm wrong.

Posi- positive locking differential. Like (lock right). Actual physical meshing of metal pieces, using spider gears that are spring loaded. Which will override in turns and click to allow wheel speed difference, and fully lock and mesh on straight aways allowing full power to both wheels.

Lsd- limited slip differential. uses clutches and medal plates with springs, when wheel speed differs, spider gears will override and springs will expand allowing clutches to not rub on one another to smoothen out the power from one wheel to the other. When on straight away, springs will shut, and clutches lock with metal plates allowing power to both wheels. kinda like the clutch and pressure plate in a trani. that's what 8.8 traction locks are.

there's also worm gear set ups like the true trac, and wave trac. which are like Lsd, but uses worm gears to do the same thing.

Actually limited slip and posi trac are the same thing but to tell the difference between a normal rear end and a posi is to raise the rear end and turn the driveshaft.

A normal rear end will rotate one wheel forward and one backwards, on a posi both will turn forward.

Positive traction or posi trac is just a generalized term for a limited slip differential and refers to a GM model. Other manufacturers make a limited slip rear differential as well.

Actually they are not the same. Posi Trac for example in a 1971 Mustang Mach 1 has gears in the rear end that lock up both output shafts, where as a limited slip rear end has a clutch pack that helps to turn each wheel at the same speed but due to clutch slip they will not spin the same. Posi is better for straight shots and mudding so both tires will spin the same no matter what, which makes turning difficult due the the fact the rear tires will fight because of turning radius. Limited slip allows the outside tire to spin faster than the inside tire to travel the further distance around the corner, making it better on the street. My Mustang turning a corner will break traction and slide around no matter the corner because it has a true posi trac differential. The way you can tell like said above is simple and is a good way to tell but I thought i would shed a little light on what the difference is.

There are three types of rear ends (that I know of)...

The single track or open end - where one wheel and one wheel only, turns. How lame is that.

The common slip or limited slip style diff that puts power to both wheels, but allows for that power to vary from side to side most commonly used in turning. It eliminates one of the tires from chirping or hopping in a turn.

Then there is what I call the True Positive Traction Diff. Not to be confused with the "posi-track" used by (GM) or "trac-lok" use by (Ford). This diff does not belong on the street. It is for race cars . It has no side to side slip. The gears are set, no clutches. And if the input turns "x" times both wheels turn "y" times.