01 xterra limited slip?

[haggisgood]

Greetings.. looking to purchase an '01 Xterra 4WD auto SE ..Question is : Does this vehicle have a limited slip differential?I have heard all three... no, yes, and optional..If it is optional, is there a way to check other than actually testing it off-road?Thanks Haggis..

[Desert Rat]

It's optional and unless somone knows if it can be detected by decoding the VIN, usually the only indicator is an orange sticker on the back of the differential pumpkin that says LSD oil only.

Another way you can tell is to jack up the rear axle and put the truck in neutral. Turn a wheel. Does the other wheel turn in the opposite or same direction? If the other wheel turns in the opposite direction, it's open. If the same, it's LSD.

The LSD diffs in D22 trucks aren't terribly good though. it only takes about 40-50lb/ft of breakaway torque to disengage it. The LSDs in the old WD21 Pathfinders were about 200lb/ft of breakaway torque, and they worked a lot better.