Limited-slip differential as a winter driving traction aid. Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board HRB, Washington, D.C., January 1973.

The conventional differential divides the driving force equally to both rear wheels. The total driving force is limited by the wheel that has the least amount of traction. Therefore, if one wheel is on ice, snow or mud, it will spin and the driving force is lost. Limited-slip differentials direct more of the driving force to the wheel with better limited-slip differentials and studded tyres are complementary to one another. Studded tyres increase the amount of traction available and limited-slip differentials enable vehicles to use more of the traction that is available.