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

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JExpedition07

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I agree with this - I have to put my Gen 4 in conditions to test out the ELSD - I've never needed to manually activate it to help a situation.

Great test is turning TC fully off, and putting the car in 2WD with one side of the car over ice on an incline. When turning off TC completely, but activating locking diff, there's no slip, as i've tested multiple times. Zero slip and no cut of power.

I need to test with no TC, and not activating rear lock, what the car does - either it will spin the ice end of the real axle, or it will automatically redistribute to the traction side and allow me to go up.

May do it after work today ;-)
On the 3rd gens the braking bias portion of the traction control can’t be turned off, only the engine management shuts off so it stops cutting power and let’s you spin them up. Not sure if yours is the same but just implying even TC off isn’t really always *off* in every case. I found this out when I got jammed in a ditch last year, even TC off 4x4 Low the brakes were trying to kick power over to the wheel with some bite—alas it made no difference alternating the spinning wheels as I was at a 45 degree angle and high centered. It just sat there and alternated all 4 wheels 2 at a time and I went absolutely nowhere lol. Brakes started to smell burnt and I called for a tug.
 
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Boostedbus

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On the 3rd gens the braking bias portion of the traction control can’t be turned off, only the engine management shuts off so it stops cutting power and let’s you spin them up. Not sure if yours is the same but just implying even TC off isn’t really always *off* in every case. I found this out when I got jammed in a ditch last year, even TC off 4x4 Low the brakes were trying to kick power over to the wheel with some bite—alas it made no difference alternating the spinning wheels as I was at a 45 degree angle and high centered. It just sat there and alternated all 4 wheels 2 at a time and I went absolutely nowhere lol. Brakes started to smell burnt and I called for a tug.
Yeah I had same type of thing happen when I turned off TC and jumped on the throttle on a turn in the rain. I was trying to get a fishtail going just to walk the dog for the fun of it when the ride stability control (RSC) kicked in and applied brake to stop all the fun. I know this because the RSC icon lit up on my dashboard during my childish behavior. Damn I can’t even have fun when the wife’s not in the vehicle to stop my hotrodding. She doesn’t want to ride in the muscle car at all because she gets scared when we get sideways and I can’t train myself to not enjoy the power in that car.
 

2020ExpyPlatinum

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This is just my personal opinion, but I think it was a horrible idea to remove the eLSD option from vehicles with the heavy duty tow package.

I just traded my wife's 2020 expedition to a 2021 and I had to ensure it had the $1,100 option as I wanted the option to lock it.

Most towing you will not notice it, under certain conditions you definitely will notice.

For instance when we have to chain up going through the mountains and to make it into our driveway it is physically impossible to get up the driveway without fish tailing unless I lock the rear differential. For this reason alone I had to get the eLSD.

The traction control on your expedition will make it through 99% of everything mine can go through. If it weren't for our driveway at a 14 degree incline in the mountains I would have bought the same one you ordered.
 

LokiWolf

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On the 4th Gens, at least my 2020. There is a difference in Traction Control(Straight/Rear following Front in desired direction of travel), and ESC/RSC(Keeping Vehicle in line). Disabling TC will allow wheel spin, as long as the vehicle is going in the desired direction of travel. The second the vehicle is not going in the desired direction of travel the computer gets involved, using braking, and power cutting to get it back in line. You can disable this also.

Momentary Press - TC Disabled
Long Press - TC and ESC/RSC disabled below a certain speed(Pretty sure it is 35). Above that speed ESC/RSC is on regardless.
2 Quick Press - TC/RSC Sport Mode. Allows wheel spin, and a little sideways motion, but does not allow you to get too much out of control.

Annoying part is on the 2021 F150's they have apparently removed TC Sport Mode. No Fun!
 

Tgreen48

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I swear when I placed my order the ELSD was part of the max tow package. I remember not getting the locker because ELSD was sufficient for my needs. Am I losing it? Has it always been separate in this year's order guide?
 

LokiWolf

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I swear when I placed my order the ELSD was part of the max tow package. I remember not getting the locker because ELSD was sufficient for my needs. Am I losing it? Has it always been separate in this year's order guide?
There is NO Locker. If you get ELSD, you get a button that puts the ELSD into "Locker" mode. It is not a true locker, as it just uses the clutches to simulate a locker.
 

Tgreen48

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There is NO Locker. If you get ELSD, you get a button that puts the ELSD into "Locker" mode. It is not a true locker, as it just uses the clutches to simulate a locker.
Oh boy, I really must be losing it then. For some reason I thought I saw option for a rear locker separate from the ELSD. Good job, brain.
 

Boostedbus

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On the 4th Gens, at least my 2020. There is a difference in Traction Control(Straight/Rear following Front in desired direction of travel), and ESC/RSC(Keeping Vehicle in line). Disabling TC will allow wheel spin, as long as the vehicle is going in the desired direction of travel. The second the vehicle is not going in the desired direction of travel the computer gets involved, using braking, and power cutting to get it back in line. You can disable this also.

Momentary Press - TC Disabled
Long Press - TC and ESC/RSC disabled below a certain speed(Pretty sure it is 35). Above that speed ESC/RSC is on regardless.
2 Quick Press - TC/RSC Sport Mode. Allows wheel spin, and a little sideways motion, but does not allow you to get too much out of control.

Annoying part is on the 2021 F150's they have apparently removed TC Sport Mode. No Fun!
Great info! I’ll have to give that a try on my 17 third gen and see if it works on those years also. I’ll be needing my fishtailing fix again soon since the muscle car doesn’t get to come out here in MD until spring now after all the salt and brine is washed off the roads.
 

2020ExpyPlatinum

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Oh boy, I really must be losing it then. For some reason I thought I saw option for a rear locker separate from the ELSD. Good job, brain.
2020 eLSD came standard with the heavy duty tow package. In 2021 ford made it an $1,100 add on option with I believe they call control-trac eLSD limited slip 3.73.

I had to ensure when I picked my wife's 2021 up that it had the option, when I was looking for her 2020 I was looking for the pro trailer assist backup knob which told me it had the heavy duty cooler, 2 speed transfer case and the eLSD

The build sticker for one without it will say 3.73 non-limited slip.

Not sure what they are doing with 2022, but I would assume it will be an add on option just like 2021 and it will not come standard with the heavy duty tow package like it did in 2020
 
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