Differential

[mastercrush]

How do you lock a rear differentail (I have a Sportmaxx)? Ive heard of people doing this but I dont know how its done and I dont even know why people do it. Any help would be appreciated because this is just one of those things that I dont understand.

[cretin]

one way to do it REALLY cheap is to put silly putty in your diff. i did this to my savage at first. it made the diff almost impossible to slip. i wanted at least a little action, so i pulled the stuff out (very easy, it just comes out) and squirted in some ofna 30k lube. if the silly putty is too white trash, try it anyway, and if you like it, buy a couple of spools (well, one in your case). that's the technical term for a diff locker. remember, you will lose a lot of steering with a spool.

[Grant Tokumi]

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXSP76&P=ML

[mastercrush]

Ok, but what is it used for...Rockcrawling? I never use mine on street, just offroad so im wondering if this is somthing I might want to do. I basically use mine in the woods behind my house and a dirt bike trail with lots of jumps, and some sand pits.

[that_one_guy]

a posi will be a new experence in driving a 2wd truck. u will have a little more traction on all surfaces, but alot of people twist axles w/ a positrack.

i locked the rear in my 2wd savage and i handled like a hole new truck, when i turn in the street the rear end hooks upp non stop instead of diffing and slowing down at high speed and it acellerates much harder while turning, hard to explain, but its deffinetly different

[maxxamillion]

A spool is a great way to show off with roost. You will want decent toe-in to keep it straight(in the rear), as it will want to spin out much easier, ime. I went from breaking nothing to twisting(and breaking) axles regularly with my spool. A spool on the street is super hard on the drivetrain(no give or 'diffing').
You won't get stuck near as much with power to both tires.
Its quirky handling that you will love or hate(I loved it), your driving style will change.

[mastercrush]

Well my Sportmaxx is 4-wheel drive, is that going to be a problem. I dont mind switching back if I have to but do I have to switch back? I think Im going to try it out and see how I like it. Thanks

[cretin]

try the silly putty if you want to test the locked rear. if you find that your truck is lacking for traction, try it. i wouldn't use a locked diff on the street, but then i keep my savage off-road anyway.

if you go with the spool, you won't HAVE to switch back unless you want to, or you're tired of breaking parts. that's why i suggest the silly putty, it's removable.