Please....

What is the difference between all these terminologies..

Locker
Sure-Grip
Limited Slip
Posi
Open

Open - Only 1 wheel recieves power at all times?

Limited Slip - Clutch differential, 1 wheel recieves power, but when that ones starts revolving at a speed greater than the other, the clutch transfers some power to the wheel that isn't spinning?

Posi - Similar to limited slip, 2 wheels recieve power, but use gearing to let the rear tires spin at 2 different speeds while cornering?

Sure-Grip (posi)?

Locker - Both rear tires recive 100% power, can be destroyed by taking turns?

Help me out, tell me how far off I am... and also, what kinda of rear do I have in my car... I know its a 3.43 rear, but is it open or limited slip (on a side note, when burning out at the track, both tires must have been going, there was rubber on both rear ones, but none on the front... however in snow, the right rear will spin, I don't think I've seen the left spin in person...

 

Suregrip, limited slip and posi are brand names. Ford, Chev and Dodge each call a "posi" something different.

A locker usually refers to something like a Detroit locker. When engaged both axles are locked but when turning corners they can still unlock for differential action. A locker is usually noisy going around corners because of this. The other type of "locker" is a spool. A spool locks both axles together all the time. A spool is strictly a drag race only part since it will tear up tires on the street when going around corners. The outside wheel will want to turn faster than the inside wheel but can't so it slides across the ground.

GM uses what they call a Posi. Usually it uses clutches and springs that apply pressure to keep the axles locked together. When going around corners the clutches will slip giving differential action.

An open diff will provide power to the wheel that will spin the easiest. If you lift one wheel off the ground it will spin and no power will get to the wheel on the ground.

Another type that's hard to tell unless you take the rear cover off is called a gov-lock. Normally it operates like an open diff but if one wheel starts to spin the diff will lock up and provide power to both wheels. As nice as it sounds, it's not very strong. You can't tell if your diff has a gov-lock in it by spinning the wheels. You'll never be able to lock it up.

 

Ok, so then how does one put a posi on an open rear? Do you need to swap the entire case? Or just a few components? Like say I buy an Eaton Posi unit, I just put my 3.43 gears in it, attach the axles and driveshaft to it and go?

 

Yes. The posi, locker or spool are only the carrier. That's the part that the ring gear bolts to. The differential housing just holds the carrier.