Can you believe it? The end of the week is getting closer. That’s right, Thursday has hit us straight in the face. With the end of the week announcing its arrival, we’re certain you are planning to work on your project this weekend. If so, maybe your plans have already been made? If those plans for spending some quality time in your garage include upgrading the peg-leg rear in your hot rod with a posi, you might want to check this out.

In this edition of Throwback Thursday, we’ve opened the Power Automedia vault, and are taking a short hop back to July 2015, to check out: To Lock Or Not To Lock: Choosing A Limited-Slip Differential. This week’s throwback goes in-depth to explain the various limited slip differentials available to enthusiasts.

The clutch-style posi is found in most GM cars with a limited-slip differential. You can upgrade them by running heavier springs.

When taking a corner with your car, there is a certain amount of tension that builds up in the differential. This is because the outside wheel needs to rotate quicker than the inside wheel. The reason for this is because of the longer arc that it (the outside wheel) must travel. Without an open or limited-slip differential, eventually, this tension will relieve itself with either the outside wheel skipping/hopping over the surface, or worse yet, breaking something in the rearend. This situation is obviously not a good one, hence our dive into understanding differentials.

Clutch-style limited-slip “posi” differentials have spring-loaded clutch packs. Although it takes a while, these clutch packs do wear.

In the original article, we explain the differences between an open rearend and the various limited-slip offerings. You’ll find explanations about cone-style differentials, clutch-style differentials, and even gear-driven differentials. With the information included, making a decision should be easy.

This exploded view of a cone-style Auburn differential shows the gears/cones that fit into the cone seat inside the housing.

The insight into the various limited-slip differentials is simple to understand, and you’ll have to check out the original article to get the full download about To Lock Or Not To Lock: Choosing A Limited-Slip Differential.