car vs truck rear end
 

I think I know the answer to this, but just making sure all is well in my truck...

When I had my trans am, both rear wheels would turn if one wheel was loosing traction. In my truck, if the passenger side looses traction, it spins, then there is a violent clunk, then the driver side tire chirps and i'll start moving. The rear ends work differently in both cars right? I know the truck has a locking differential, but their both considered posi, even though they work differently?

no, they should work the same, the difference in feeling might be from the different traction control systems in the 2 vehicles

its the big clunk part that makes me nervous. The trans am was so smooth about it, whereas the truck is noisy and violent when the driver side rear starts moving

is it only the driver side that does that?

passenger side will spin b/c of no traction, then there will be a clunk from the rear, and the driver side wheel will kick in. I noticed when i was pulled over the other day, , the passenger side was on the grass, and the driver was on the pavement. When i began to go the passenger side spun, so it made that clunk and the driver side started spinning.

Sounds like the truck has a locker, while the car has a limited slip differential. They both work to provide power to the rear wheels equally, however while the limited slip allows for some slippage side to side, the locker basically acts like a spool with an on-off switch.

Here's some explanation for the different types of differentials: http://www.offroaders.com/tech/limit...ferentials.htm

- Justin

The clunk is normal, mine does it too.

Edit- it only does it when I drive like an idiot! It does not make any noise under regular driving circumstances.

i know the truck you have has a P80 diff in it which when your losing traction i.e. burnout, once you go over 2000 rpm it only spins one wheel but if you shift losing traction and upshift the deff locks back to both wheels, this causes the diff to often break


sorry if this is not really english im a little not sober

epic qoute

wrong. he probably has an eaton G80 locker. most all new GM trucks have it. when one tire slips more then 10% of the other, it automatically and mechanically locks the rear into a full locked mode. the clunk and side-shifting you feel is normal. my truck does it. do a search on youtube for g80 vids. heres one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8nAbg5suFw