Miata Mailing List: July 1992, Message #14
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   From: (none)
Subject: Re:  Limited Slip Differentials
   Date: (none)

>
>> Does LSD help when the roads are covered in ice?
>
>Well, if both rear wheels are on ice, probably not because you won't have
>much traction in the first place and both tires will tend to spin.  But if
>you momentarily hit an ice patch with one drive wheel while the other is on
>bare asphalt, the LSD will help.
>
>I think you probably understand now.  If you're in a situation where both
>rear wheels are on the ground and sticking, it doesn't matter if you have a
>LSD.  Once you lose traction on one of those tires, though, without the LSD
>the free tire will spin freely with the engine and none of the force will go
>to the sticking tire.  The LSD keeps the unstuck wheel from spinning and so
>applies drive force more evenly.  This also assumes you're trying to
>accelerate while the tire is unstuck.
>--
>Michael J. Abbott		mja@kpc.com
>Kubota Pacific Computer Inc.	Santa Clara, CA		408-987-3303
>

I've got a comment about this.  I agree with with everything Michael said.
I've got a '91 with LSD, and a friend has a '91 without LSD.  He considers his
undriveable in slippery Minnesota winter conditions, while I drive mine year
round.  I even drove it in unplowed streets the day after a 12" blizzard.
(I don't recommend this, though.  My brother probably had to get out and
push a half dozen times.)

My friend is an experienced winter driver, so I expect that the difference
between our two situations is the LSD.  

-- 
Bill O'Hanlon               Network Systems Corporation
bill@anubis.network.com