No Limited Slip Differential : What's the impact on Towing?

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duneslider

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I have never been a huge fan of Limited Slip Diffs. A selectable locker is nice to have but if my elsd is doing anything I can't tell especially with the nanny controls activated. When I push the button to get a little more wheel spin it doesn't feel any different than my other vehicles with open diffs.

I wouldn't worry about not having it. If you do venture off the paved roads often the selectable rear locker is nice to have but I can't say its totally needed on a vehicle like an expedition. I used it once in some deep soft sand. I don't know if I would have gotten stuck without it but...
 

Boostedbus

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I like my LSD but it can put you in the ditch a lot faster with a road cambered towards the runoff ditch. This picture was last year on my cabin driveway with the joke Hankook factory tires. I also tried it in 4-low and didn’t build momentum. I’d bet my new Michelin Defenders and 4-Hi would make it a lot farther up but I would still have to know when to lift to keep it from fishtailing into the ditch. Oh yeah the Bighorn tires on my buggy had no problems in 2-wheel drive even….lol.70E295AC-F548-4542-8D7B-E8439234211B.jpeg
 
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wannabeMtb

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the bigger issue is the sluggish performance without the 3.73s. Having driven both, it’s night and day.

Sorry, could you please explain what that sentence means for a simple idiot like me :)
I am not sure whether I have the 3.73 or not. Is that included with the HD tow pkg in 2022 ?
 
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wannabeMtb

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I like my LSD but it can put you in the ditch a lot faster with a road cambered towards the runoff ditch. This picture was last year on my cabin driveway with the joke Hankook factory tires. I also tried it in 4-low and didn’t build momentum. I’d bet my new Michelin Defenders and 4-Hi would make it a lot farther up but I would still have to know when to lift to keep it from fishtailing into the ditch. Oh yeah the Bighorn tires on my buggy had no problems in 2-wheel drive even….lol.View attachment 71640

Wow. Thats some serious towing !
My use case will be super tame by comparison. Just driving in non-snow conditions to regular commercial RV campgrounds or maybe boat launch.
 

Boostedbus

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If it makes you feel better—tires make more difference than lsd vs open diff. My Expedition with no Lsd walks right up the steep icey incline side entrance to one of my properties in 4-low. My dads F-250 cannot make it in 4-low WITH the factory locker engaged. The Michelins beat out BFG hard there. Both sets about a year old. I’m sure good tires with the locker are even better—but point is with good rubber you’ll be set up better than a factory lsd setup.
Good tires and weight distribution is also key to success. Your dad’s F250 probably didn’t have any weight on the rear axle either I’m guessing? I could probably push a snowplow with my 2-wd E-350 utility van because of its weight on the rear axle that I carry. It’s got a 4:10 LSD.
 

Boostedbus

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the bigger issue is the sluggish performance without the 3.73s. Having driven both, it’s night and day.
I haven’t driven or towed anything with any other Expedition but mine. I have 3:73 LSD and I must say it’s an impressive beast towing!
 

LokiWolf

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Always better to have the LSD and not need it, than not have it and need it. Just change your order.

Also for clarity. The Expedition has an ELSD(Electronic Limited Slip Differential), and the "Locker" mode is a simulated locker. It locks the clutches as best it can. It is not the same as the 150/250 ELD(Electronic Locking Differential). That is a pin locked diff. No clutches.

Our ELSD does an excellent job under slippery conditions, at modulating torque to both wheels.
 

balthisar

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Always better to have the LSD and not need it, than not have it and need it. Just change your order.
I didn't order the ELSD, but given that I already have a build date and price level 215, I don't want to change my order. I started this adventure way back in July (for a '21), and don't want to wait any longer. The good news from this thread is that like the OP, I don't think I'm going to worry about it. It seems like as long as I'm not trying to pull a trailer through the Mckinney-Rubicon trail, I'll be okay.
 

LokiWolf

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I didn't order the ELSD, but given that I already have a build date and price level 215, I don't want to change my order. I started this adventure way back in July (for a '21), and don't want to wait any longer. The good news from this thread is that like the OP, I don't think I'm going to worry about it. It seems like as long as I'm not trying to pull a trailer through the Mckinney-Rubicon trail, I'll be okay.
You are in Michigan, so guessing a decent amount of Snow a year. Why wouldn't you just edit the order, this should not effect your build date, but I don't know that for sure. Worth a question to your dealer or Ford Support directly.

For me if I am spending as much as these cost, I am going to dang sure make sure it has the options I want, and ELSD makes a big difference in how this things handles slippery conditions.

That is me. Enjoy.
 
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