Quaife ATB LSD - Anyone fitted one yet?

[longbow]

I'm busy playing around with different differentials on my VR4 Legnum which got me thinking about the BTR one in the Cerb. After doing some research, I've come to the conclusion that this will mostly likely be my next upgrade for the Cerb. It isn't cheap at nearly £850 plus fitting, but it should make the Cerb a far more predictable beast when applying power in the twisties. I've read that a few of the track Cerbs and TVRs have them fitted, with glowing feedback on tractability, but I was wondering if anyone had fitted one in their road going Cerb yet?

[Brummmie]

longbow said:

I'm busy playing around with different differentials on my VR4 Legnum which got me thinking about the BTR one in the Cerb. After doing some research, I've come to the conclusion that this will mostly likely be my next upgrade for the Cerb. It isn't cheap at nearly £850 plus fitting, but it should make the Cerb a far more predictable beast when applying power in the twisties. I've read that a few of the track Cerbs and TVRs have them fitted, with glowing feedback on tractability, but I was wondering if anyone had fitted one in their road going Cerb yet?

I have done a bit of research and asked around, i have fitted an uprated version of the stock one, with 3 springs to tension the cones instead of the standard two.
If i was feeling a little more flush i would have gone for the plated option.
When/if this one packs in i will go with the Grantura plated diff that he sells. KAAZ is nice but Australian Distributor only, so £1200+.

They have the same guts as a Vauxhall Monaro, so there is Detroit Trutrac to consider if you want a clockwork diff.
Dave Mac Props do Gripper diffs, but he has not done one yet, but he has one to use as a blue print, these like his driveshafts have a lifetime warranty, but like i say he does not do one yet.
The clockwork diffs are meant to be nice on the road but weaker on track, so it will be plate as and when i jump.

Pontiac GTO/Monaro diff split here, but the same manufacturer...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l78mSiJJSyM

Edited by Brummmie on Monday 16th July 20:25

[geeeman]

am also thinking of replacing the hydratrack with a plated diff or quaife ATB

anyone done this to a cerb?
guess the plated diff from a 4.2 is hard to come by?

[mk1fan]

I think Chris Watton has fitted one in his 'new' Tamora. Not sure he's done much driving with it though as he took advantage of Powers 'January Sale' on the 4.3 conversion.

[Brummmie]

geeeman said:

am also thinking of replacing the hydratrack with a plated diff or quaife ATB

anyone done this to a cerb?
guess the plated diff from a 4.2 is hard to come by?

4.2 is a cone diff, not plated.
If you want plated it's after market, if it's an aggresive one be prepared for some clonks when parking!

[900T-R]

Got myself one for the Tuscan project car - which incidentally will be set up for the road first and foremost. Predictability and tractability in less than perfect driving conditions is what I'm looking for, hope (and expect) the ATB gives just that.

Will be quite some time before I'll be able to report back, though.

[chris watton]

mk1fan said:

I think Chris Watton has fitted one in his 'new' Tamora. Not sure he's done much driving with it though as he took advantage of Powers 'January Sale' on the 4.3 conversion.

yes, I have the Quaife ATB LSD, although, as you say, I haven't driven it much since and am waiting for the 4.3 (The reason I had the diff fitted)

However, have driven it enough to notice that the car is even more 'planted/predictable' than before, without a doubt - Putting your foot down hard when exiting corners/roundabouts no longer induces fishtailing (in wet or dry conditions) - although with the extra torque of the V8 Cerbera's and 4.3 S6, I am yet to find out if that's still the case...

Edited by chris watton on Thursday 5th February 09:37

[alex_gray255]

I did it to my Sag ages ago. Can't report I noticed anything significant, but then
I never push her hard anyway (even when she is around to drive which is not often).

I fitted it because I was going with the 4.5 and a custom C/R gearbox and thought
might has well do the diff at the same time.

The 4.5 was the most noticeable change.

[geeeman]

would the ATB make powersliding easier and more controllable?

[Brummmie]

geeeman said:

would the ATB make powersliding easier and more controllable?

Depends how knackered your diff is, when my cone diff went bad, it was "one tyre fire" everywhere.
It really now only shows up when on slicks, on track, when the grip from the tyres is greater than the diff can cope with.
Treaded tyres it copes fine, but i have had it rebuilt with extra pre load.

Are you doing one wheel smokers everywhere?

[Gazzab]

The Quaife unit uses sets of floating helical cut gear pinions that run in pockets and mesh during normal driving, acting as an open diff. Should one of the driving wheels start to spin however, the helical gears start to generate a torque bias thanks to the axial and radial thrust of the helical gear pinions in their pockets. The result is an instantaneous and progressive transfer of torque away from the spinning wheel to the one with more traction, always varying accordingly and automatically.

During traction loss, you will feel the Quaife transferring the power to the wheel with more grip in a smooth and predictable manner. Any movement at the rear end is controlled and intuitive for the driver.

Your car ultimately becomes easier to control and is able to apply its power to the tarmac with better effect. Acceleration, cornering speeds, handling, steering, and overall dynamics of the car are dramatically improved! The Quaife is capable of varying the torque split from 0-80%, and does this quietly and smoothly in operation.

[Gazzab]

And when on a rolling road the car shouldnt be brake tested on rollers, ask for a decelerometer to be used instead.

[geeeman]

i havnt driven the car on track yet to really test the hydratrack.. i wil give it a go first and see how it behaves

[DamianS3]

Gazzab said:

And when on a rolling road the car shouldnt be brake tested on rollers, ask for a decelerometer to be used instead.

Hello not heard this on before please tell me more?

Damian S3

[DamianS3]

geeeman said:

would the ATB make powersliding easier and more controllable?

On my S the viscous LSD was better for sliding than my ATB it just locked the axel the ATB finds too much grip.

That said you folks have more power so am sure you can get the back out with ease but still not sure it will slide as nicely as a viscous or other locking types. Just IMHO. All depends what you want from the diff I want to go forwards mostly lols

Thanks

Damian S3

[chris watton]

DamianS3 said:

On my S the viscous LSD was better for sliding than my ATB it just locked the axel the ATB finds too much grip.

That said you folks have more power so am sure you can get the back out with ease but still not sure it will slide as nicely as a viscous or other locking types. Just IMHO. All depends what you want from the diff I want to go forwards mostly lols

Thanks

Damian S3

I had the Quaife ATB fitted to my wife's tuned MGF Trophy 160 (has around 170bhp), so it's about the same weight and power as an S (but the TVR has much better grunt/torque), and I find it nigh on impossible to make the rear misbehave, no matter what I do!

This is why I opted for one for my Tamora..

[DamianS3]

Eye but my S has 218 bhp at its wheels.. Jaguar duratech power

I always liked the mg though I have its rear view mirror in the S.

My other car is a Landrover we must like British cars (sort of.. )

If I had the funds a Tamora would sit next to the S in the double garage I don't have yet.. Good looking cars.

Damian S3

[chris watton]

DamianS3 said:

Eye but my S has 218 bhp at its wheels.. Jaguar duratech power

I always liked the mg though I have its rear view mirror in the S.

My other car is a Landrover we must like British cars (sort of.. )

If I had the funds a Tamora would sit next to the S in the double garage I don't have yet.. Good looking cars.

Damian S3

Cool S! Bet that's a lot of fun to drive.

Oh, I feel I must qualify my first post by stating that I have not tried the Hydratrack diff, I have had the standard diff in both of my Tamoras, so I am now sure what the difference would be if you swapped out the Hydratrack for a Quaife ATB....

[jamieduff1981]

I may be alone but I quite like the Hydratrak.

I've driven lots of Torsens which use similar principles to the Quaiffe but not a Quaiffe itself. I'm sure it's a great diff, but the Hydratrak is in my opinion fit for purpose providing it hasn't been fried and I have a long list of things on the car I'd rather spend the money on than replacing a diff that works well!

YMMV.

[Supateg]

+1

The only upgrade for a (healthy) torsion diff is a clutch pack diff! Only downside is noise/ clunks, upside is they can be rebuilt / refurbed

It's also easy to measure wear in a torsion diff to see if it's Fubar, all you need is a (cheap) bar type torque wrench.

Kazz diffs are available from jap parts suppliers in the uk as they are a popular upgrade.

Nb.
(I have three cars with torsion diffs, (one fitted by me) four if you count the cerb. Driven clutch pack diff cars too, on track an road. I have an ATB clutch pack in the garage waiting to be fitted to my track Teg (when I feel inclined)