Auburn Pro failure

6902Stangs said:

My '02 has 3.90's and an Auburn Pro rear end, and I'm getting some traction issues. I'm getting a "one wheel peel" on right hand turns unless I'm really throttling down on it, but good limited-slip on the left turns. One tire went low on air a while back and I had to drive on it for about 5 miles (low enough to kill the Nitto sidewall), after that I threw the donut on there and put another Nitto on about a week later. Could this have worn the Aurburn limited-slip function? Can it be sent in or replaced? Can't find their website. Any info.

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You might have burned out the clutch cone. When you drive with two different sized tires (as when one is very low on air) the clutches have to continually slip. They are not designed for that. I don't know whether their warranty will pay for it (they have some sort of exchange program as well, but am not sure how they would evaluate this case.)

Bottom line is to not drive on unequal-sized tires with a good limited slip like the Auburn. The springs are _tight_ to work hard to transfer power to both wheels, while not wearing the tires out when you turn. But they are designed to slip a little on turns, but not all the time. Would not be surprised to find the diff fluid well-scorched as well.

Auburns suck , everyone I have ever seen broke after just a handful of hard launches , Ford trak loc or Eaton are the only way to go ......

you ran a full week on differenty size tires.

thats enough to kill the diff IMO.

i would have swapped a front tire to the rear and put the donut on the front

6902Stangs said:

I checked the fluid and it was good. I know the car isn't made to run on different size tires; no choice for the week, but that shouldn't kill a rear end. Maybe Auburn does suck.

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You are making the clutches slip continuously as you drive the car. What would it to to your drive clutch if you never let it engage? How long do you think it would last? You are doing _exactly_ that to your rear end when the tires are not the same diameter. Expecting it to survice that is not realistic.

The ford limited-slip is weak. It is beyond weak. The spring that applies clutch pressure is a small S-spring. The traction lock has a better friction material and more pressure. Making it slip is going to burn it out. Not because it is a poor product (it isn't) but because it is being wildly abused. I know many drag racers that run these on their street/strip cars although some are moving to the new auburn traction-lock that is pretty quiet for a true locker...

I wouldn't badly abuse something and then gripe when it doesn't survive. Just over-rev your supercharger with no oil and then complain about the result of that...