At 08:28 PM 4/12/2009, Brian Doss wrote:
>I have an '88 GL with a manual transmission. I got it stuck backing
>into an uneven driveway yesterday. Just so happened that I was in a
>saddle on a hillside, with just enough torsion on the bus to lift
>the left rear wheel off the ground - and presto - no go. The left
>wheel spun happily in forward or reverse. What I can't understand is
>that I thought the right wheel was driven as well - why did it not
>receive any power? Does this mean something is wrong with my transmission?

You're fine.  The way a regular differential is built, it will drive
two wheels at different speeds to let you go around corners and such;
but both wheels have to have traction.  If one loses traction, it
will cheerfully spin at double speed while the other wheel stands
still.  OTOH if you bolted (or braked) that one so it couldn't turn
then the wheel with traction will be back in the business.

There are "limited-slip" differentials which will prevent you getting
all the power to the wheel with no traction; and there are
differential locks that effectively turn the differential into a
solid axle -- great for traction but horrible for turning.

  --
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'89 Po' White Star "Scamp"