Limited Slip Diff??

[Scott52]

I'd be inclined to think, (and this is just a totally un-educated guess as my vehicles are all totally acronym free, except for LSD) that if you threw an LSD into that mix, you'd give the computer a massive hernia.

No it won't cause the computer hernias ... I installed an LSD into my chipped Mercedes C320CDI 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel with 600Nm of torque which has all the usual driving aids including TC. The LSD, TC, EBD, Stability Control and ABS work together seamlessly. Without the LSD the brakes would quickly cycle from left to right causing shuttering at the rear under hard acceleration. Now with the LSD it's smooth acceleration no matter how hard I floor it.

Back in the day I had a Falcon XR6 Turbo that came standard with an LSD and all the electronics like TC, EBD, ABS etc.

Many performance vehicles still have LSD's even though they have TC, EBD, ABS etc ... Mustangs, AMG's and many others.

 

[Mal B]

No it won't cause the computer hernias ... I installed an LSD into my chipped Mercedes C320CDI 3.0 litre V6 turbo diesel with 600Nm of torque which has all the usual driving aids including TC. The LSD, TC, EBD, Stability Control and ABS work together seamlessly. Without the LSD the brakes would quickly cycle from left to right causing shuttering at the rear under hard acceleration. Now with the LSD it's smooth acceleration no matter how hard I floor it.

Back in the day I had a Falcon XR6 Turbo that came standard with an LSD and all the electronics like TC, EBD, ABS etc.

Many performance vehicles still have LSD's even though they have TC, EBD, ABS etc ... Mustangs, AMG's and many others.

You've not mentioned your vehicles having ABD (Automatic Brake Differential) which, and again I'm making an un-educated guess, is supposed to take the place of an LSD, but by braking the spinning wheel.
But, if both wheels are spinning at the same speed, ABD is useless, and an LSD is not going to help either.

 

[Scott52]

You've not mentioned your vehicles having ABD (Automatic Brake Differential) which, and again I'm making an un-educated guess, is supposed to take the place of an LSD, but by braking the spinning wheel.
But, if both wheels are spinning at the same speed, ABD is useless, and an LSD is not going to help either.

As I said in a previous post, ABD is tricky marketing speak. It's just the traction control and anti lock braking system ... aka TC/ABS. They're trying to make it sound like there's something extra but there isn't. So therefore my Mercedes has ABD/ABS/TC as did my Ford XR6 Turbo.

The TC system acts like a crude LSD because it applies the brake to the rear wheel that's lost traction thereby transferring the torque to the other wheel. But it's slow and clunky as the brakes go on and off from side to side. My friend has a 2012 King Cab Navara D40 STX 2.5 litre and that has traction control (and therefore ABD because it's one and the same) and the factory LSD. Look up the specs.

The OP's question was if the 2019 RX 4x2 has an LSD ... it doesn't but the Nissan marketing guys say ABD as a smoke screen. His ute will drive much better if he installs an LSD especially the helical gear type like I have in my Mercedes. Those LSD's are smooth compared to the internal clutch pack operated LSD's. Truetrac make aftermarket helical gear LSD's to bolt straight into the modern 4wd's with ABS/ABD/EBD/TC etc. They operate seamlessly with the electronic systems.

Do some searching for Automatic Braked Differential as there's plenty of information.

This explains the ABD on the NP300 Navara

https://practicalmotoring.com.au/car-news/2015-nissan-np300-navara-technical-details-explained/
Quote: ABLS – Active Brake Limited Slip. Clearly, named by marketing people because the rest of the world knows this simply as electronic traction control (ETC).

 

[OldManBeard]

For those wondering about LSD vs traction control, the two are not mutually exclusive. Traction control is used to assist traction and is very easily and cheaply implemented because it's nothing more than a bit of programming in the ABS computer. As ABS based traction control (no matter what fancy name they give it) has definite limits, it is not a complete substitute for an LSD. I imagine most of us have seen traction control systems disengage (usually the warning light comes on) because traction is lost to the extent that it is unable to compensate. This is a safety feature. If, as an example, you lose traction on a wet and slippery tight turn, applying the brakes to try and regain traction is just going to make matters worse, so the system is designed to disengage. Depending on the vehicle, it may or may not automatically re-engage once traction is recovered. In the same situation, an LSD will continue to function normally without aggravating the problem.

Also, the two systems can work quite happily together, as there is no conflict. Quite simply, if a vehicle has an LSD fitted and it works well enough that the traction control system doesn't need to kick in nothing bad happens. Conversely, there are some situations where traction control can make a vehicle controllable regardless of whether or not it has an LSD, especially when it acts as part of a stability control system when an LSD neither helps nor hinders.

Personally, for off-road use I like an LSD, as traction control systems are notoriously unreliable and unpredictable when you get into the slippery stuff. It can be outright dangerous to be using traction control to emulate an LSD and then have it suddenly disengage because it reached its limits. Most experienced off-roaders that I know will turn traction control off once they engage 4WD.

 

[tweak'e]

Most experienced off-roaders that I know will turn traction control off once they engage 4WD.

the d23 turns off the traction control when selecting low range. which turns you into open diff and you go no where.
select high range to turn on traction control and then you can't get going. yet the old d22 cruised on through.
would love a torsen diff in the navaras.

 

[Mal B]

The TC system acts like a crude LSD because it applies the brake to the rear wheel that's lost traction thereby transferring the torque to the other wheel. But it's slow and clunky as the brakes go on and off from side to side. My friend has a 2012 King Cab Navara D40 STX 2.5 litre and that has traction control (and therefore ABD because it's one and the same) and the factory LSD. Look up the specs.

The OP's question was if the 2019 RX 4x2 has an LSD ... it doesn't but the Nissan marketing guys say ABD as a smoke screen. His ute will drive much better if he installs an LSD especially the helical gear type like I have in my Mercedes. Those LSD's are smooth compared to the internal clutch pack operated LSD's. Truetrac make aftermarket helical gear LSD's to bolt straight into the modern 4wd's with ABS/ABD/EBD/TC etc. They operate seamlessly with the electronic systems.

Thank you, I am now less un-educated on this particular set of acronyms, I'd still rather not have them, except maybe ABS, but then I haven't had a need for ABS in a long time.
But, it still doesn't alter the fact that, if you're on slippery grass and both wheels are spinning, an LSD, no matter how flash, is not going to help.

 

[Horatius]

Personally, for off-road use I like an LSD, as traction control systems are notoriously unreliable and unpredictable when you get into the slippery stuff. It can be outright dangerous to be using traction control to emulate an LSD and then have it suddenly disengage because it reached its limits. Most experienced off-roaders that I know will turn traction control off once they engage 4WD.

Think TC is getting better for off road, can require a change in driving style though so it will probably amount to a personal preference. Also TC can work with all four wheels, while lsd doesn't (unless front and rear are both lsd). The diffs such as detroit are much better, but the lsd's on most little passenger utes are usually going to make minimal difference off road and is probably not the main point of them anyway (though a lot of Patrol owners swear by them). Also depending on brand of car, once they get some miles up the lsd claim can be an exaggeration anyway.

There's a group of Aussies on youtube that all have twin locked Landcruisers who used to be joined occasionally by a fella with a crappy little Jeep (with TC). Used to have them bemused at times when it outperformed the cruisers in certain rough terrain thanks to TC. The problem being that apart from the TC system, the rest of the car was crap and it continually broke down lol.

For off road it is probably more accurately in terms of which one is worse (than a locker). Having only one set of wheels locked is a massive difference and stops the engine revving its guts out when diagonal front and rear wheels lose traction, which is a common problem for 4wds off road. Getting off topic though.

 

[Ian McK]

Thanks all
I will try more grip tyres and some weight for the back.
Just for the record…does anyone know where to source a lsd or locker for a d23?
Ian

 

[Scott52]

You can get an electric locker from: Eaton Harrop E-Locker Suitable for Nissan Navara NP300 2015-20 Rear (without Factory Locker) (Each) | Superior Engineering. ARB also have e lockers.

I'm pleased with the helical/worm gear type of LSD which may also interest you. I prefer an LSD because it does it's thing automatically compared to a locker having to be turned on and off. The less I have to think about the better ... it gives me more mental budget to focus on the track ahead of me.

 

[Ian McK]

I am keen for a locker but everyone I speak to is wary of the 2wd. Is there any easy way of confirming that the rear diff in the 4wd is the same
Ian