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limited slip diff for 760 wagon?[ALL/1998] posted by Brian Feltovich on
Friday, 29 August 1997, at 8:10 a.m.
As a follow-up to my request for info on snow tires, what about putting in a limited slip diff on a 1990 760 turbo wagon? Would this help at all when the streets are covered in ice, slush, snow, and muck?
What would such a conversion cost?
I saw mention of a Dana 44-type conversion kit for this, any comments?
I'm in Iowa and I'm used to having a 4x4 Pathfinder, so I'm a little nervous about getting stuck in the ditch on a back road. Any comments on road grip, traction, etc. welcome.
Re: limited slip diff for 760 wagon?[ALL/1998] posted by Steve Seekins on
Friday, 29 August 1997, at 9:49 a.m.
You will want to check whether the Dana limited slip will handle the torque from the turbo engine. It will help in the snow, BUT, with that engine, you will have tendency to break both rear wheels loose which leads to going off the road backwards. Here is where a manual tranny is good - use 2nd gear for starting on slippery pavement and slip the clutch a little to reduce the torque to the rear wheels.
In any event, the best thing for the 700 wagons is a GOOD sete of snow tires - all four corners, and about 200 lbs of ballast in the rear, as close to the wheel wells as you can get it. I have found that the best solution is two 5 gal plastic buckets - the kind that drywall joint compound and driveway sealer comes in - filled with sand and placed on each side of the cargo area up against the rear seat. Be sure to fasten with rope or straps to the cargo loops so that they cannot slide or tip. Keep a good sized garden trowel or cup in one of them to move sand to the roadway should you get stuck.
Then remember the lessons that many 4x4 drivers learn the hard way -
Rear wheel drive cars go off the road backwards
Front wheel drive cars go off the road frontwards
All wheel drive cars go of the road sideways
And the critical factor in snow and ice is stopping - all cars stop according to the tires they have. Because all wheel drive cars get better traction for going, they often can drive faster in the snow and ice, but cannot stop any better, so they usually have the worst accidents on slippery pavement.
Steve
Volvo Club of America