Limited Slip Differential - Disadvantages?
P Latham
differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
Thanks
Paul
Huw
Limited slip differentials use clutch plates and commonly need LS oil.
Torsen diffs are not LS as such, IIRC the are torque proportionating
diffs. There are many different types of diffs but IMHO LS diffs in
car axles are a crude waste of money. I have never found substantial
traction benefit and they are prone to wear and lose effectiveness at
a low useage rate.
Huw
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P Latham
>>differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>>
>>Thanks
>>Paul
> Limited slip differentials use clutch plates and commonly need LS oil.
> Torsen diffs are not LS as such, IIRC the are torque proportionating
> diffs. There are many different types of diffs but IMHO LS diffs in
> car axles are a crude waste of money. I have never found substantial
> traction benefit and they are prone to wear and lose effectiveness at
> a low useage rate.
>
> Huw
Thanks for your reply, i'd been wondering if it was worth the bother
looking for a box with LSD - only found on 96+ turbo versions of the
car. I don't think i'll bother as i see no real advantage to me and the
disadvantage is the box will be much more worn than that from the
naturally aspirated cars.
Thanks again,
Paul
Doki
ISTR that Huw only drives RWD cars, though I may be wrong. On anything
making a lot of power with FWD, a TorSen diff is bloody handy. Compare the
Alfa GTA to the Focus RS...
Huw
I now tend towards four wheel drive, though I have had my share of FWD
cars over the years. I had an Audi Quattro with a Torsen diff. I have
also owned vehicles with almost every diff type available, including
No-Spin, Mechanical locking, hydraulically actuated locking with both
clutch packs and dogs, various ratings of front axle LSD's including
one particularly nasty and stiff ZF unit. Also viscous coupling
controlled centre diffs.
No amount of diff trickery seems to tame the top Focus adequately.
Some of these diff types can be quite savage and crude in operation,
though Torsen is very good in some applications.
Huw
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Rich Russell
>
> I now tend towards four wheel drive, though I have had my share of FWD
> cars over the years. I had an Audi Quattro with a Torsen diff. I have
> also owned vehicles with almost every diff type available, including
> No-Spin, Mechanical locking, hydraulically actuated locking with both
> clutch packs and dogs, various ratings of front axle LSD's including
> one particularly nasty and stiff ZF unit. Also viscous coupling
> controlled centre diffs.
>
> No amount of diff trickery seems to tame the top Focus adequately.
> Some of these diff types can be quite savage and crude in operation,
> though Torsen is very good in some applications.
>
> Huw
>
However the viscous LSDs in the 4WD setups used by Nissan and Subaru
for example in their 2 litre turbo models are superb. Especially the
Nissan ATTESSA system in the Sunny/Pulsar GTI-R.
I still can't work out why on earth Ford made the RS only FWD. Given
it's supposed to look a bit like the rally version which is 4WD, and
follow on (sales wise) from the Sierra and Escort Cosworths which are
4WD. I've raced against Focus RSs on the track in a GTI-R, and they
just cannot get the power down in any useful manner.
Rich.
Johnny
producing technical exellence. BTCC etc.
Peter Hill
<hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>P Latham wrote:
>> Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages to a limited slip
>> differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>>
>> Thanks
>> Paul
>
>Limited slip differentials use clutch plates and commonly need LS oil.
The ones that use silicon as the viscous fluid don't need special oil.
The silicon is sealed in the viscous unit and if the seals leak it
needs a new viscous unit.
A LSD on the back means that when you give it some going round a
corner or out of a junction it keeps driving sideways and is easily
controlled. With an open diff one wheel spins and the other loses
drive. A LSD on the front means that both wheels spin and you still
have some scrabbly drive at the expense of tyre wear. Again an open
diff loses all traction often just when you most wanted it. As a LSD
causes both wheels to spin and transmit power if sufficient is applied
it is possible to run the driven wheels at 105-112% of road speed
which gives maximum traction and acceleration (not advised on the road
and not at all on FWD as you lose most of the steering).
--
Peter Hill
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Huw
> On Tue, 25 May 2004 23:04:25 +0100, "Huw"
> <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> P Latham wrote:
>>> Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages to a limited slip
>>> differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>> Paul
>>
>> Limited slip differentials use clutch plates and commonly need LS
>> oil.
>
> The ones that use silicon as the viscous fluid don't need special
oil.
> The silicon is sealed in the viscous unit and if the seals leak it
> needs a new viscous unit.
>
Limited Slip Differentials are types that use wet clutch packs to
limit spin. They need friction modified oil. There are many other diff
types which lock or partially lock but, let's get this straight, they
are not limited slip diffs, they are other types. There should be no
ambiguity.
Huw
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Conor
pla...@blueyonder.co.uk says...
> Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages to a limited slip
> differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>
--
Conor
I started with nothing and I still have most of it left.
Huw
> In article <lOOsc.2561$Xr4.26...@news-text.cableinet.net>,
> pla...@blueyonder.co.uk says...
>> Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages to a limited slip
>> differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>>
> Increased tyre wear.
Properly configured and driven hard, there may be less tyre wear due
to less rubber being burnt. Remember that a LSD does allow a limited
differential in shaft speeds on corners. IIRC so does a Torsen,
otherwise one might well do without a diff altogether, which would
make for some entertaining handling LOL
Huw
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Peter Hill
<hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>Peter Hill wrote:
>> On Tue, 25 May 2004 23:04:25 +0100, "Huw"
>> <hedydd[nospam]@tiscali.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>> P Latham wrote:
>>>> Does anyone know if there are any disadvantages to a limited slip
>>>> differential? In particular, the Torsen type.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks
>>>> Paul
>>>
>>> Limited slip differentials use clutch plates and commonly need LS
>>> oil.
>>
>> The ones that use silicon as the viscous fluid don't need special
>oil.
>> The silicon is sealed in the viscous unit and if the seals leak it
>> needs a new viscous unit.
>>
>
>
>Limited Slip Differentials are types that use wet clutch packs to
>limit spin. They need friction modified oil. There are many other diff
>types which lock or partially lock but, let's get this straight, they
>are not limited slip diffs, they are other types. There should be no
>ambiguity.
Any LSD that uses a friction clutch pack has no place on a daily
driver road car. The clutch discs wear, need oil changes to prevent
build up of wear fragments and need re-shiming to set the bite point
far too often.
Huw
I agree. LSD's are absolutely hopeless.
Huw
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