I have a 1993 Ford F150 4 wheel drive. I have the numbers from the rear axle, but I get conflicting answers on whether this is a limited slip differential. The numbers are:
S838B
355 882 L03
Does anyone know whether this is limited slip? Thanks.

 

Two ways:
1. Look on your driver's side door jamb--under "axle" you should have a code like "H9N" which would tell you that the factory stuffed a 3.55 Traction-Loc under there, and/or:

2. Jack up the rear end so both tires are off the ground. Rotate one wheel by hand--if the opposite wheel turns the same amount, you, sir, have a traction aiding device of some sort.

FWIW, if you're interested in Ford's breakaway spec, it is 50 ft./lbs. To check, raise one wheel off the ground, set your torque wrench at 50 ft./lbs., and turn the raised wheel by one of the lug nuts. Ford sez to do this with a special tool which poitions a turning hex directly concentric with the axle center, but...

Eddie

 

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 27-Feb-01 AT 10:06 PM (EST)[/font][p]OR, my personal favorite: 1)park your truck on some nice, dry asphalt. 2)Fire up truck. 3)depress clutch and rev motor to @ 7000rpm 4)dump clutch. 5)check for dual skid marks (on the road not in your shorts)

If your knuckles ain't bleeding you did something wrong.

'72 F-250 "Hi-Boy" 4x4, Dana 60/HD44, FE390 @ 400hp(purt near!), 4-speed, custom suspension w 4" lift, mud on black.

 

be careful though, it wont work unless u hold 7,000 for 2 mintues before u dump it to let your tires get ready =)


1985 F-150/351Ho/4wd/6inch with 33's
1979 f-250 429/4spd/5inchwith 36 inch buckshot mudders

on a quiet night your can hear a chevy (lol,you can watch a dodge) rusting away

 

The numbers on your tag mean the following
355 = 3.55 gear ratio
88= Ford 8.8" rear
L= Limited Slip

So your truck is a limited slip(posi - same thing). If the truck was not limited slip (like mine!) there would be a space where the L is on your tag.
-John

 

for a long time i thought i had a limited slip rearend because of that tag on the pumkin. but one day an unwise and unlearned person said to me (take a leak now cause you might wet your pants laughin) that fords suck. i skooled his ##### on that one by doing a brakestand to make his mother cry. but, twards the end only my pass. tire was spinning? what's the deal?

 

Well, cuz a limited slip is just that, sometimes it won't lock them both up. Thats why God made lockers and spools.

If your knuckles ain't bleeding you did something wrong.

'72 F-250 "Hi-Boy" 4x4, Dana 60/HD44, FE390 @ 400hp(purt near!), 4-speed, custom suspension w 4" lift, mud on black.

 

hey rc, i must apoligize for some of the bad advice you've received here, i'm refering to what eddie and proeliator posted.

they neglected to tell ya, that you must first lock in to 4wd, then follow their advice..

 

this wont eat up rubber.go to some place where there is dirt and spin the tires for about 20 feet and see if there are two rutsif there is u have one if not buy a detroit

 

 

I know this is an old post, but I just bought a 2001 with the 3.55LS, Axle code Is the H9, and the diff take does say LS, But when I make hard left or right turns froma stop, I get the chattering. I had Ford do both rear seals(cause warranty paid) and they did put the modifier in. How long does it take for the modifier to "work" its way in? I looked in the case when they had it open and I didn't see any packs. Are they hard to see? Ford tells me they won't replace them either, because its not a "Safety" issue, sO I was going to do them myself iif need be.
Thanks
Rich