No the result of a cheapskate who bought it in 87.

Whitelightning

Hey Sno Blower, Have you ever driven a high horsepower/torque (big block)
open differential car on a nice newly asphalted road, with perfect even
traction to both axels?  When you stomp on it you only get one big long
single black mark, never two.  Because the open differential is never going
to power both axels when you start applying torque and spinning...

Straddle an open ditch at an angle with an open differential peg-leg 4X4 and
see why it is inferior to a limited slip, regardless of gear ratio, it will
sit with one tire front and rear hanging over the ditch doing nothing, with
no power to them, while the tires hanging (resistance free) in the air over
the ditch get all or the power "torque", You go nowhere.

Get back to us when your measly little brain thaws out, you simple
bastard...

Sno you are correct in this instance in regards to torque (even a stopped
clock is right twice a day)  but if you had read Nobody's post, he didn't
mention TORQUE, he said "TRACTION." The diff transmits the same amount of
torque to both wheels, but if one wheel has no traction, it will slip with a
small amount of torque, not enough to get the high-traction wheel moving.

Ok I have to step in here. Both axles WILL recieve the same amount of torque
so long as BOTH wheels have traction. The moment one looses traction, the
one without traction will then recieve most, if not all, of the torque. It's
just like a planetary gear set. The axle with traction is the held member
(lets say sun gear), and the spider gears are the carrier-n-pinions (input
in this scenario), and the spinning axle is the output (call it the ring
gear). Only difference in this scenario is there is no reduction in speed or
torque through the differential. The differential does NOT increase or
decrease torque, that is all up to the ring and pinion gear. The ONLY thing
the differential does do is allow two wheels on the same axle to turn at
different speeds around a corner. The differential WILL NOT distribute
torque evenly unless both wheels have EQUAL traction. I tell ya what. Walk
up to a truck (with an open diff) on a lift while the wheels are spinning
(slowly), and grab one wheel. If you notice the other wheel will continue to
spin, and you will feel little (if any) resistance to your hands holding
that one wheel. (I know I tried it). Now if you have someone grab the other
wheel, BOOM instant traction and they both turn, cause there is NO WHERE for
the torque to go, but the weakest of the two people will let go first and
then that wheel will start spinning. Same instance here. The only advantage
of a LIMITED slip differential is that it requires more torque to break away
that one wheel.

...

...

As if the topic needs any additional points, I still find a need to
post.  I suppose it's a personality defect.

If we are going to get specific, one point for people to understand is
that most 4wd systems are engineered specifically so that not all
wheels receive equal torque.  Typically there is a bias engineered into
the drive train that causes more power to be sent to the rear of the
vehicle than the front.  It does depend on the suspension balance of
the vehicle though, as manufacturers usually try to cause a bias that
creates an underdrive scenario (rather than overdrive) at the limits of
steering control.  Power application plays a roll in this.

There are a few different 4WD designs common in vehicles and trucks and
usually when you discuss such systems you can't discount the method of
sending power to both ends of the vehicle, namely the transfer case.

There are generally two types of transfer cases.  One type is more
common and is made up of gears and shafts.  Another type uses a
synthetic material surrounding steel plates in a case.  Considered a
viscous transfer case.  A viscous transfercase is self locking, what
this means is that as the difference in speed increases from front to
back, the silicone fluid tries harder and harder to drag the slow end
along.  Thus transferring up to the maximum engineered torque to the
end that isn't slipping.  The significant attribute of a viscous
transfer case is that it allows for some difference in rotation speed
between the front and the rear.  Thus tire scrub and binding don't
occur.  These transfer cases rarely have a low range. (I'm unaware of
any that do)

Mechanical transfer cases come in three flavors.  Those that are for
Part-Time use, those that are for Full-Time use and those that are for
Anytime Use.  Since steel gears are involved in connecting the front of
the vehicle to the rear, if these connections are made directly, and
you go around a corner, you'll have the front of the vehicle turning
the wheels faster than the rear.  Since these are connected directly
together by the gears, these gears fight letting the two ends spin at
different rates.  This is what happens in a Part-Time transfercase.
These transfercases are Part Time as they should only be used in
slippery situations.  The slippery situation allows the transfercase to
force one end of the vehicle to catch up (by slipping a tire) this
preventing damage to the gears from binding.  A Part Time transfercase
(or a transfercase with a part time option) is putting the max engine
power it's designed for to the front and rear, regardless of which end
is slipping.

A Full-Time transfercase, or transfercase option, adds a Differential
to the connection between the front and the rear.  This differential is
installed to allow the front of the transfer case to spin at a
different speed than the rear thus to prevent gears from binding on dry
or paved roadways.  The downside to such a differential is that while
there is traction, the max engine power is that is engineered into them
is put to both the back and front of the case, but when one end of the
vehicle slips, a majority of the power is sent to the slipping end of
the vehicle.  (and if you have an open rear or front end, that means
all that power transfer goes to just one wheel)

An Anytime Use transfercase uses a unique type of mechanical
differential.  Known as a Torsen design, this is a mechanically
designed limited slip differential.  It senses torque and works to
ensure that if an end of the transfercase begins to slip, that no
additional power is sent to that end, and instead more power is sent to
the end of the transfer case that has traction.

Mechanical transfercases often have the option of Low range, to help
when trying to get unstuck or pulling a heavy load.

Thus you want to know what kind of transfer case you have when figuring
out what you want to do as well.  I installed a limited slip in my
Ranger this past fall and it's made driving around in slush and snow
much easier without having to use 4WD.   My Wife's Durango has a
limited slip rear, with multi-setting mechanical transfercase that
supports 2WD, 4WD Full-Time, 4WD Part Time, and 4WD Low.

what about axel foley?

That would be absurd. In the context of $WD, what you have is what they
build.

If you want more, then spend a few dollars and install a limited slip unit
in the differential, or install a locker for the ultimate in traction. Both
limited slip and lockers have overhead and baggage that an open diff hasn't
got, but they also offer significant enhancements to traction. Only you can
determine if the baggage outweighs the benefits.

I have a Jeep CJ5 that has a locker installed in both axles, and I would not
have it any other way, but there are many that would not want the set up
that I have. My locker builds stress that can unload at any time, and when
it does unload, it does it with lots of drama and noise. It can be very
unnerving to have the locker unload, but the traction is huge, and I need
traction when I am wheeling.

Nobody has commented on the original posters comments about his 98
Jeep Cherokee churning ALL wheels in mud/snow.....

If your Jeep is factory stock (meaning you haven't added lockers), the
best it has is some type of limited slip in the rear diff, giving you
no more than an almost 3wd.  

It may be better in the mud and snow, but I'd hazzard to guess it has
more to do with weight distribution and conditions than the 4x4
system.

As has already been alluded to, most 4x4s out there have an open front
diff and many have open rear diffs, meaning there aren't many true
4x4s.  Open diff 4x4s are still far superior to 2x4s, even those with
limited slips or lockers, if for no other reason than you do have two
ends of the vehicle working instead of just one end trying to push.

Matt
99 V-10 Super Duty, Super Cab 4x4 (almost 3wd....)

didn't say it did, and i was asking the OP

My son had an aquaintance at Little Rock AFB who buried an older F150
up
to the frame.  Wanted to use my son's new Explorer to pull it out.  Ha!
I understand he had quite a time getting it out.

Mark