unpleasant surprise when changing axle lube

Ok, so normally the power is actually going to both rear axles and say if the front axle starts to slip on ice or something then ALL the power goes to the rearmost axle?

i think i got it?

And then, continuing with the above ice situation, if you were to flick the power divider switch, then power would then go to each axle equally?

 

P.S.

1) sorry for hijacking the thread, but i do things like that.

2) wouldn't it be easier/cheaper/better mpg to just have one axle(namely the frontmost rear axle) under power and have the other one just a regular axle(like a trailer axle, no differential)?

 

The power divider works EXACTLY like a differential. Look at it as if each drive axle is a wheel and the divider is a standard open differential. If one "wheel" looses traction, then all the power will go to the slipping "wheel".

That's why you use the Power Divider or Inter-Axle lock. Locking the power divider forces it to provide power to BOTH axles ("wheels").

With the divider locked, now you'll see that on each axle, the wheel with the least traction will spin first.

If you have BOTH a Power Divider Lock AND Differential Lockers, you can lock all 4 points to the driveline. Great for getting un-hung on muddy, rough or snowy ground. Not great for steering.

 

I should have stated that my experiences with my older rears (SQHD's) and my dads (Eaton) rears. I'd also have to bet the modern day rears are the same with the exception of specialty rears... ie.. off road or extreme duty. Plus the fact that you wouldn't need a power divider if it started out on both rears.

The guy who I get my parts from also explained it to me...lol

I just talked to a guy about the Dif Lockers, he said they was great for running in the garbage dumps. But like you said, couldn't turn...

 

Very slow learner here(borderline retarded)! Ya wanna explain that one to me...

 

straight ahead is better than not going at all.....

 

You wouldn't need a switch in the cab if they was always engaged.

 

what would it mean if i saw a group of 1999 mack CH613 daycabs with a ten speed trans.that was a tandom axle with the camelback suspension but there was no switch on the dash for the differential lock but it had dual differentials. now the tractors were used to pull dump trailers and i noticed by the pto switch the they had two of them so is it possible that one of them was for the diff.s

 

What kind of differentials you running, Rockwell?

 

Mack rears always work together no need for the switch.

Who are you asking?