In the near future, i'll be looking to purchase either a winch and heavy duty bumber, or a LSD for my new jeep. I'm clueless as the total cost including install on the LSD, but have a good idea of the winch. I was wondering, which one would be the better buy for my new jeep thats going to see light mud but regular trail use? I should mention too it will see alot of soft sand too.

 

Lock it up so you dont need a winch. ( I have both diff's locked and a Dual force winch )

 

1. LSD is not a "locker"
2. I would recommend the winch first, and locker later (I'm not saying I would actually do it in this order because lockers add more "fun factor." It's just that I RECOMMEND them in that order). Lockers do keep you from getting stuck as often, but when you ARE stuck, it's usually worse than if you didn't have lockers.

 

maybe you could help me distinguish the benefits of a limited slip differential vs lockers?

 

if i remember correctly... lockers make all wheels spin at same speed regardless of traction or not


LSD... transfers power to wheels that are getting traction and away from those slipping

i think

 

Get the winch first. You might find that a Locker just gets you even more stuck and then what are you going to do to get out of that mess?

 

LSD's use friction (inside the differential) to transfer power away from a slipping wheel and to the one with traction. Although they are helpful, they never fully lock the axle shafts together. A locker (automatic or selectable) has the ability fo fully lock the axleshafts together, guaranteeing that both wheels are turning (like a spool). Lockers still allow for speed differentiation between the wheels under normal operation (either manually via a switch, or automatically).

 

There are going to be times where lockers will not help you at all; a winch will get you out, lockers will not.

 

Winch first......the lockers may take you someplace that if you get stuck you will need the winch to get you out.

 

X2. Unless you always wheel with others (which you should), then I might make a case for lockers, but a winch is definitely a "safer" option to have.