by huggiebear » December 27th, 2009, 6:28 pm
Open Differentials and Limited Slip Differentials (LSD's) are designed to distribute enqine torque proportionately to the wheels, allowing the wheels to travel at different rotational speeds when cornering on hard road surfaces or travelling over very uneven ground.
When turning on a hard surface, "open" and LSD differentials use the outside wheel to drive the vehicle, while the inside wheel is allowed to "differentiate" or travel a shorter distance around the turn. The very nature of their design however is detrimental in relation to their ability to deliver equal torque to both wheels, hence traction and 4WD off road ability is severely handicapped.
LOKKA will perform the same as open and LSD differentials when the vehicle is driven under equal traction conditions, ie on road. The LOKKA allows the wheels to "differentiate" around the turn, but reverses the operation in that it transfers the engine torque (hence drive) to the inside wheel, rather than the outside wheel.
Wheel slippage or a loss of traction can occur for many reasons offroad and include ; excess throttle, fast approach speeds, limited wheel travel and negotiation of obstacles that exceed suspension travel (especially independent front suspension vehicles), weight transfer off drive wheels and slippery surfaces such as mud, sand, snow, shale, wet grass etc.
Under these circumstances both the normal and even LSD differentials will allow the wheels with the least resistance to spin. Thus the wheels with traction do not obtain any real drive and the vehicle will lose speed or stop. LSDs will assist under these circumstances but only if they are in good condition and only if there is enough resistance on the spinning wheels to activate the clutch pack and allow drive to the wheels with traction. Contrary to popular belief, even a new LSD will allow a lifted wheel to spin freely with no drive to the wheel with traction.
The LOKKA drives both wheels except when the vehicle is turning on a hard surface, so that irrespective of suspension, transmission or engine type, all wheels are being driven equally therefore the vehicles traction (or 4WD offroad ability) is significantly improved.