LSD

[BobE]

I jacked up the rear of my yesterday and it's obvious there is an LSD fitted. (With the car in neutral and a single wheel off the ground the latter could not be rotated but with both wheels off the ground the wheels can be turned). Were LSDs fitted as standard to all cars? Mine's a 2003 4 litre Mk 1.

[Griffithy]

BobE said:

I jacked up the rear of my yesterday and it's obvious there is an LSD fitted. (With the car in neutral and a single wheel off the ground the latter could not be rotated but with both wheels off the ground the wheels can be turned). Were LSDs fitted as standard to all cars? Mine's a 2003 4 litre Mk 1.

Limited Slip Diff was standard,
Hydratrak was an 425.- option.

[Walford]

Just press the go pedal down hard, and see what rubber you can put on the road

[Dickie Dastardly]

Griffithy said:

Limited Slip Diff was standard,
Hydratrak was an 425.- option.

What's the difference?

[Griffithy]

Sorry, I don´t know.
I am sure someone in the knowing will turn up to let us know exactly.
Would be very interesting to know, if an upgrade to Hydratrac would be worth it.

[ericgreveson]

Dickie Dastardly said:

Griffithy said:

Limited Slip Diff was standard,
Hydratrak was an 425.- option.

What's the difference?

I'm far from "in the know", but for a quick explanation, the Hydratrak is a speed-sensitive viscous LSD (fluid filled cartridge will start to transfer torque between the wheels when one is spinning faster than the other) whereas I think the standard diff was a plate-type diff (which is torque sensitive rather than speed sensitive). Typically, this would mean a speed-sensitive diff (like the Hydratrak) might take longer to respond and divert the torque, as the unloaded wheel must be spinning relative to the loaded wheel before this happens.

I don't think the Hydratrak was highly praised: see for example http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=690... I think my car (Tuscan S) has a Hydratrak (and about 45000 miles on the clock, so it's probably way past its best), and I would say that the diff doesn't feel great compared to cars with torque-sensing diffs I've driven before (albeit not TVRs).

On another note, I just found a replacement diff for sale which I might look at some time in the future... once I've saved up for all the other jobs that need doing! http://tvr-parts.com/tvr-parts/part-details/tvr-rq...

[Andy_mr2sc]

If the hydratrack one is anything like the '80s ford viscous ones (RS Turbo, xr4x4 etc) it will be a waste of time. If the standard one is looked after it works really well. I had mine rebuilt last year by John Readman and it works very well. You can really feel the power going to the inner wheel and pushing you round a corner.