Locking differential on YTH24V54XLS

[taxman]

I bought model YTH24V54XLS and it has a locking differential. I've read that people are interested in buying a model with locking differential. I would say that unless you are pushing snow, dirt, or climbing steep hills, that you would not want it. It's locked all of the time and you have to slow way down or take wide turns. Otherwise you push the front tires and tear up the yard. I'd like to know if there is a way to turn it off. If you have an answer to my dilemma, please post it for me.

 

[KennyV]

WELCOME to these Forums....
A locking differential on a tractor is Not always locked... It is selectable and you only lock it when needed... :smile:KennyV

 

[OldMasterTech]

I bought model YTH24V54XLS and it has a locking differential. I've read that people are interested in buying a model with locking differential. I would say that unless you are pushing snow, dirt, or climbing steep hills, that you would not want it. It's locked all of the time and you have to slow way down or take wide turns. Otherwise you push the front tires and tear up the yard. I'd like to know if there is a way to turn it off. If you have an answer to my dilemma, please post it for me.

I just read through the on-line owner's manual for that model, it says nothing about a locker. Do you have a newer version or some additional documentation that says otherwise?

 

[Jimmyjo]

I bought model YTH24V54XLS and it has a locking differential. I've read that people are interested in buying a model with locking differential. I would say that unless you are pushing snow, dirt, or climbing steep hills, that you would not want it. It's locked all of the time and you have to slow way down or take wide turns. Otherwise you push the front tires and tear up the yard. I'd like to know if there is a way to turn it off. If you have an answer to my dilemma, please post it for me.

I bought the model YT46LS becouse I thought the locking differential would help with the mowing in my road frontage ditchs and some other places that traction is an issue. For those spots it works great but otherwise it's almost useless. I went to my dealer last week and found out that other customers of my tractor and some other models are having a regular non locking transmission installed at Husqvarna expense. He had done three so far. I went home and thought about maybe making some kind of trade for another machine but with only 12hrs on mine the cost was just to great. Went back in two days later and told him to order the non locking tranmission. I'm not happy with a company that lets a product like that out the door and lets the customer sort out there problems for them. So now I'll end up without a feature that was one of the selling points of the machine. Hope you find some help for yours.

 

[djdicetn]

I bought the model YT46LS becouse I thought the locking differential would help with the mowing in my road frontage ditchs and some other places that traction is an issue. For those spots it works great but otherwise it's almost useless. I went to my dealer last week and found out that other customers of my tractor and some other models are having a regular non locking transmission installed at Husqvarna expense. He had done three so far. I went home and thought about maybe making some kind of trade for another machine but with only 12hrs on mine the cost was just to great. Went back in two days later and told him to order the non locking tranmission. I'm not happy with a company that lets a product like that out the door and lets the customer sort out there problems for them. So now I'll end up without a feature that was one of the selling points of the machine. Hope you find some help for yours.

Hmmmmmmmmmm, I had(without firsthand experience) been recommending those Husqvarna lawn tractors(LS & XLS) because the locking differential "sounded like" a desired feature(because I figured my 1995 Chevy truck....and many of the classic "muscle cars" like the Chevelle SS396 and GTO's had "Posi-Trac" rear ends...a form of locking differential, which "WAS" desirable). Now, after reading this thread I may have "second thoughts" about recommending those Husqvarna models and bet the upcoming 2014 models no longer have them(based upon what Husqvarna has learned from customer/dealer feedback).

P.S.
As an aside I can say that for my Chevy truck(Z-71 4WD), when I engage the 4 wheel drive and put the truck in reverse.....the Posi-Trac engages and causes one side of the rear axle to "chirp/shudder" when you first begin backing up(on concrete it will actually make the tire "bark"). It only does it for about 10-15 feet and then it stops. I thought it was a "problem" that needed "repaired" until my mechanic said that this was "normal" for Posi-Trac 4wd(it doesn't do anything like that in 4wd if you only drive forward) and that it is related to the special rear axle additive(that you can no longer purchase because it was made from "whale blubber" and the whale-huggers had that additive banned in the early 2000's). I've had my rear axle serviced once in 235K miles and my mechanic had to get that additive on the "black market".....no kiddin:0)

 

[afoulk]

Hmmmmmmmmmm, I had(without firsthand experience) been recommending those Husqvarna lawn tractors(LS & XLS) because the locking differential "sounded like" a desired feature(because I figured my 1995 Chevy truck....and many of the classic "muscle cars" like the Chevelle SS396 and GTO's had "Posi-Trac" rear ends...a form of locking differential, which "WAS" desirable). Now, after reading this thread I may have "second thoughts" about recommending those Husqvarna models and bet the upcoming 2014 models no longer have them(based upon what Husqvarna has learned from customer/dealer feedback).

P.S.
As an aside I can say that for my Chevy truck(Z-71 4WD), when I engage the 4 wheel drive and put the truck in reverse.....the Posi-Trac engages and causes one side of the rear axle to "chirp/shudder" when you first begin backing up(on concrete it will actually make the tire "bark"). It only does it for about 10-15 feet and then it stops. I thought it was a "problem" that needed "repaired" until my mechanic said that this was "normal" for Posi-Trac 4wd(it doesn't do anything like that in 4wd if you only drive forward) and that it is related to the special rear axle additive(that you can no longer purchase because it was made from "whale blubber" and the whale-huggers had that additive banned in the early 2000's). I've had my rear axle serviced once in 235K miles and my mechanic had to get that additive on the "black market".....no kiddin:0)

What your describing sounds more like a "limited slip" type of differential if it requires the additive. These differentials usually use clutch packs, or cones that are forced out against the sides of the differential carrier. The additive is to actually help them slip a little, and allow for smooth operation. There are newer style limited slips that use worm gears that get forced out against the sides of the carrier housing when one wheel begins to slip, these do not require the additive. These types of differentials will never truely "lock"both wheels together 100% and will always allow for some one wheel to slip a little more than the other. This is why they are more desireable for street driving, because as you make a turn, your inside rear tire has to travel a shorter distance compared to the tire on the outside of the turn.

Now, a true locker, or locking differential, if its the automatic type, will physically lock both axles together, making your rear tires turn as "one". When you go around a turn, if you let your vehicle coast, the force of the inside tire traveling a shorter distance than the outside one will cause the locker to disengage, and allow those wheels to turn at seperate speeds, usually a "ratcheting"noise can be heard coming from these around turns, this is caused by the gear teeth inside it rubbing against each other. But, the moment you apply any throttle, these gear teeth will mesh with one another and lock both axles/wheels together, and this is what causes the "hopping" that is usually felt, or the front end to be "pushed"around. I imagine that in something with a wheel base as short as a garden tractor, this is much more nocticeable.

Now, there are also manual type locking differentials that obviously work just like the auto type, but it is engaged and disengaged by the driver, and I'm assuming this is what the op's tractor has. If not, and it is locked in all the time, this is really more like a "spool", more popular among the drag racing croud. This just locks both axle shafts together all the time, and if this is the case with the op's tractor, then Husqvarna is clearly marketing them wrongly. If thats not the case and it is manually controlled, then i don't see why Husqvarna should have to replace these transmissions underwarranty, they are just not being used properly by the owners. This is just the nature of a locking type differential, but if you are able to turn it off, then the differential should work like an "open" type and allow the rear wheels to turn at different speeds when turning. Sorry for the long winded rant, I am into offroading where lockers and limted slip's and how they work are kinda common knowledge among us, and I guess its just a pet peeve of mine when people get them confused. The names, or pet names that different manufactures use for their limited slip or locking differentials does not help any either, they just seem to confuse the general public. Hopefully this helps some people understand how the different types of differentials work.:smile:

 

[djdicetn]

What your describing sounds more like a "limited slip" type of differential if it requires the additive. These differentials usually use clutch packs, or cones that are forced out against the sides of the differential carrier. The additive is to actually help them slip a little, and allow for smooth operation. There are newer style limited slips that use worm gears that get forced out against the sides of the carrier housing when one wheel begins to slip, these do not require the additive. These types of differentials will never truely "lock"both wheels together 100% and will always allow for some one wheel to slip a little more than the other. This is why they are more desireable for street driving, because as you make a turn, your inside rear tire has to travel a shorter distance compared to the tire on the outside of the turn.

Now, a true locker, or locking differential, if its the automatic type, will physically lock both axles together, making your rear tires turn as "one". When you go around a turn, if you let your vehicle coast, the force of the inside tire traveling a shorter distance than the outside one will cause the locker to disengage, and allow those wheels to turn at seperate speeds, usually a "ratcheting"noise can be heard coming from these around turns, this is caused by the gear teeth inside it rubbing against each other. But, the moment you apply any throttle, these gear teeth will mesh with one another and lock both axles/wheels together, and this is what causes the "hopping" that is usually felt, or the front end to be "pushed"around. I imagine that in something with a wheel base as short as a garden tractor, this is much more nocticeable.

Now, there are also manual type locking differentials that obviously work just like the auto type, but it is engaged and disengaged by the driver, and I'm assuming this is what the op's tractor has. If not, and it is locked in all the time, this is really more like a "spool", more popular among the drag racing croud. This just locks both axle shafts together all the time, and if this is the case with the op's tractor, then Husqvarna is clearly marketing them wrongly. If thats not the case and it is manually controlled, then i don't see why Husqvarna should have to replace these transmissions underwarranty, they are just not being used properly by the owners. This is just the nature of a locking type differential, but if you are able to turn it off, then the differential should work like an "open" type and allow the rear wheels to turn at different speeds when turning. Sorry for the long winded rant, I am into offroading where lockers and limted slip's and how they work are kinda common knowledge among us, and I guess its just a pet peeve of mine when people get them confused. The names, or pet names that different manufactures use for their limited slip or locking differentials does not help any either, they just seem to confuse the general public. Hopefully this helps some people understand how the different types of differentials work.:smile:

Thank you, in regard to my edification, for your long winded rant and for sharing your in-depth knowledge of the difference between locking and limited slip differentials!!!!!!!! Indeed I stand corrected in that I must agree that in fact the GMC "Posi-Trac" rear ends that were popular with the 60's-70's muscle cars and is what my Chevy Z71 4wd truck has is what you referred to as a limited slip differential. Would you agree and can you confirm that in the case of my truck having that the type of differential and the engaging of 4 wheel drive is indeed what causes the "chattering" for 10-15 feet that I described when I put my truck in reverse and it is in 4wd??? I really trust my mechanic and believed him when he told me that this was "normal" for those Chevy/GMC 4wd trucks that had manually engaged full-time 4wd and not to worry about it. I'm really hoping to get another 235,000 miles out of my truck:0)

P.S.
I apologize to the OP for hijacking his thread!!!!

 

[afoulk]

Now that I thought about it some more, GM did have a "locker" available in some of their trucks, I think most refer to them as a "gov lock". i'm not sure if they were available in half tons or not, but its possible that yours has it. However, if it were rear differential related, I should think you would experience your issue in 2wd as well. some older transfer cases, required you to drive a few feet to get them to engage 4wd, or maybe it was to disengage it? I'm a little foggy on that one. if your engaging 4wd in your driveway, and your on concrete or asphalt, I'd say its probably just the transfer case binding up slightly, which I would think is normal. 4wd systems are happiest on loose surfaces like dirt or snow. My dodge ram I had used to "hop" when making a tight turn in 4wd even on lightly snow covered roads. Sorry if I came across as a "know it all" to anyone or ruffled any feathers. I just like to educate people when I can, most times its me who needs the educating and sorry to the op for the hi jack as well. Thought a better understanding of how lockers work might help him out