PJJK08

Having all 3 of these things in one Jeep seems kind of redundant to me. Don't that all basically serve the same purpose? Can anyone explain this to me?....
Thanks.

undertow119

- Limited slip is a mechanical mechanism that helps send torque to both wheels on the rear axle when one of them does not have good traction

- ESP is for stability - it senses an impending rollover situation and applies braking to the appropriate wheels to help prevent it. Note that it can not prevent a rollover in an off-camber situation, only in a cornering too fast or emergency swerve kind of situation.

- BAS is brake assisted steering. It helps keep the vehicle pointed straight ahead on a low-traction surface. Basically it keeps you from doing a 360 while driving down the freeway when you hit a patch of ice.



So yes, all three of these serve a different purpose. ESP and BAS might save your life some day. Limited slip diff will help keep you from getting stuck.

PJJK08

Thanks. Does the limited slip still work when 4WD is engaged? Or does it get locked out?....

undertow119

Well, now I'm not sure if you're talking about a true limited slip differential, or the elctronic traction control system known as TCS....

A true limited slip differential is a mechanical device that uses clutches inside the diff housing to send torque to both wheels on an axle to help give traction to a wheel that is slipping. This is a factory option on the X and Sahara models. TCS, on the other hand is an electronic traction control system. It works as kind of an "electronic limited slip", applying brakes to each wheel individually to keep them from spinning on a slippery surface. This is a standard feature on all models. IMO, this makes the limited slip differential somewhat redundant, but I'm just guessing there. Mine is a Rubicon, which has open diffs with lockers. I've been in situations where TCS has kicked in, and it did a fine job (didn't need the lockers), so I can't really think of any reason to want a limited slip diff. Just more parts to wear out.

Oh, and to answer your question, yes, both the limited slip diff and TCS will work in 4wd.

PJJK08

I have an '08 Sahara Unlimited. It came with the limited slip option. It has the button to fully turn off the ESP too. I guess it doesn't really matter at the moment. I'm not doing any serious off-roading. If it gets me thru the sloppy, snowy winter without getting stuck, Why question it, right? I was just thinking about it the other day, and it seemed kind of redundant with all those options. You can really feel the engine bogging down when the ESP kicks in, sliding around in the snow. If I turn that off while riding on snowy roads, will that help keep the wheels spinning in a good way in 4WD?....

MJS_Jeep_888

The LSD works amazingly well - I've been able to get through challenging terrain in 2WD where others (without LSD) had to engage 4WD.

To answer your question about turning ESP off: You can turn it partially off in 2WD (not completely), or hold down the button for 5 seconds in 4HI to turn it fully off. I've used it in 4HI, and have turned it off as well - for normal driving through CT snow and slush, I'd advise leaving it on. Yes, it will effectively stop your progress if you hit a really nasty slide, but this is usually desirable on-road.

On the other hand, if you're in an empty parking lot and want to do donuts, etc., then please DO turn it off!

PJJK08

Thank you both for your input. Very helpful....

undertow119

Just to back up what mjs_jeep_888 said...yes, you probably want to leave it enabled for most on-road driving situations. There might be times when you would need to turn it off, but you'll know it when you're in one of those situations (e.g., you want to do donuts in a parking lot ). For normal driving in snow and ice, leave it on.

The ESP-off button does different things, depending on whether you're in 2wd, 4hi, or 4lo. I forget the details (it's in the owner's manual), but it can disable TCS, ESP, BAS or some combination of all three. IIRC, you can only completely disable it in 4lo, and even then I think one of them is still partially active.

Enjoy your Jeep!

JackMac4

I'll have to double check with the manual, but when I hold the ESP button in in 4hi it says "ESPOFF" which I interpret is that ESP is OFF

undertow119

Yeah, you would think that would be the case...but remember, this is a Chrysler product, and we can't always count on them to do the logical thing, now can we?

From the 2007 Owner's manual (I assume the 2008 is the same):

ESP Off (4WD High Range Only)
This mode is intended for off-highway or off-road use
when ESP stability features could inhibit vehicle maneuverability
due to trail conditions. This mode is entered by
depressing and holding the “ESP Control Switch” for 5
seconds when the vehicle is stopped and the engine is
running. In this mode, all ESP and TCS stability features
are turned off except for the “limited slip” feature described
in the TCS section.


So traction control is still on, even when you turn it off . The same applies in 4lo, except that it's in off mode by default (no need to press and hold the ESP-off button in 4lo). It appears there is no way to turn the TCS feature off (although I'm not sure why you'd want to anyway).

I also see that I got some of the teminology wrong in my first post (TCS, ERM, ESP, BAS, ABS....no, that's not confusing....how could I possibly screw that up? ). Anyway, to the OP, RTFM for yourself and try to figure it all out. Or, better yet, go out and drive your Jeep. In the snow. And have fun.