Discussion
I've got a BMW 325ti compact which i use on occasional trackdays and a yearly trip to the Nurburgring, it's a fourth car.
I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
For me, if it's the kind of car I'm happy to leave the traction control engaged on, then I don't mind an open diff and will accept it'll lose traction easily when pulling out of a junction or exiting a tight corner, it tends to reduce the scope for the tail going so wide.
On the other hand if it's a car I want to turn off TCS and enjoy driving to the limit, a car I'm going to take on track, then I'd definitely want an LSD; it'll take more power before losing traction, and when it does go both wheels will spin together, the whole thing seems much more fluid and progressive both losing and regaining traction.
From what you say about your car and how you use it, I do reckon you'd appreciate a good LSD, yeah, I think it'd make it put the power down better out of tight corners and make over the limit stuff more progressive.
Personally I prefer Torsen over Viscous, haven't had a clutch type though.
I had a quaife fitted to my 135i coupe and it's a must have mod if you are performance minded driver and are upgrading other things like suspension, bushings or power in my opinion. It makes a lot of difference in power delivery on bumpier roads and loss of traction more progressive and predictable.
It feels kind of absurd how early you can put full throttle down in my car through the corners now and be completely fine compared to how it was stock despite it making way more power on same width size tyres.
It feels kind of absurd how early you can put full throttle down in my car through the corners now and be completely fine compared to how it was stock despite it making way more power on same width size tyres.
Edited by 457892345 on Sunday 19th March 14:26
Muzzman said:
I've got a BMW 325ti compact which i use on occasional trackdays and a yearly trip to the Nurburgring, it's a fourth car.
I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
Have a gripper in my e46. Definitely worth it. Makes the car quicker and more fun I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
PGNSagaris said:
Muzzman said:
I've got a BMW 325ti compact which i use on occasional trackdays and a yearly trip to the Nurburgring, it's a fourth car.
I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
Have a gripper in my e46. Definitely worth it. Makes the car quicker and more fun I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
E-bmw said:
PGNSagaris said:
Muzzman said:
I've got a BMW 325ti compact which i use on occasional trackdays and a yearly trip to the Nurburgring, it's a fourth car.
I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
Have a gripper in my e46. Definitely worth it. Makes the car quicker and more fun I've put a m52b30 in it, Gaz Gold suspension, bigger brakes, lighter wheels, semi slicks etc.
Obviously you read alot that 'it would have been better with an LSD' as a general comment when reading about cars.
So the question is, i don't mind spending the money if it will make the car loads more fun and more competant on track, but rather than just buying it because people say i should. What will it actually do for me? Is it worth the £1250 + VAT + bearings + fitting etc.
i've had a few bmws on track in my time, and, once i'd put decent tyres on, id never seen the need to get an LSD.
in the dry with warm tyres, the rear was completely unstickable, even exiting the very slow speed corners at bedford autodrome.
and in the wet i'm a lot more gentle with throttle application, and still slide around even with an open diff. only very occasionally in the wet, do i spin up only 1 wheel, but in that case i'm generally ok with it, as the alternative is an oversteer moment. so for me, i dont think i'd appreciate an LSD, i'd rather spend the money on brakes and tyres.
in the dry with warm tyres, the rear was completely unstickable, even exiting the very slow speed corners at bedford autodrome.
and in the wet i'm a lot more gentle with throttle application, and still slide around even with an open diff. only very occasionally in the wet, do i spin up only 1 wheel, but in that case i'm generally ok with it, as the alternative is an oversteer moment. so for me, i dont think i'd appreciate an LSD, i'd rather spend the money on brakes and tyres.
Having worked with Gripper and brought one of their E46 diffs (will be getting another for my other project soon) I can comment having driven on track both without and with a LSD installed.
Before LSD running DSC
The standard DSC system tends to be setup for keeping you safe, but out on track unless it's specifically the M sport ABS system which is setup for track work, the car will judder a lot and cut power at bad times if it's not happy. It's not good for predicability of the car and can be more intrusive as a result.
IF the car got side ways, it's a LOT of work to try and get straightened out as well, and more likely to end up spinning or such.
After installing LSD and turning DSC off
Running with the LSD on track makes for a much more predicable car, especially in low grip conditions, traction is much improved on corner exit as well, And you can turn the DSC off completely (hold for 3 seconds) and the juddering is no longer evident. It really did transform how the car handled from a bit of a boat and having to thrash at the steering to hang onto it in low grip conditions to something that's much more composed and far easier to push on a track.
Before LSD running DSC
The standard DSC system tends to be setup for keeping you safe, but out on track unless it's specifically the M sport ABS system which is setup for track work, the car will judder a lot and cut power at bad times if it's not happy. It's not good for predicability of the car and can be more intrusive as a result.
IF the car got side ways, it's a LOT of work to try and get straightened out as well, and more likely to end up spinning or such.
After installing LSD and turning DSC off
Running with the LSD on track makes for a much more predicable car, especially in low grip conditions, traction is much improved on corner exit as well, And you can turn the DSC off completely (hold for 3 seconds) and the juddering is no longer evident. It really did transform how the car handled from a bit of a boat and having to thrash at the steering to hang onto it in low grip conditions to something that's much more composed and far easier to push on a track.
very well written. I fitted a Gripper to my E46 M3 and it was one of the best mods I did. Mine is the 12 plate version, with 40/65 ramps and 80Nm preload.
It gives way more traction than the original M-Diff and has a much more predictable locking characteristic, which makes driving up to the limit much easier. Then if you want to slide the car around for a bit of fun it is much more controllable past the limit, pick your drift angle using the throttle.
It gives way more traction than the original M-Diff and has a much more predictable locking characteristic, which makes driving up to the limit much easier. Then if you want to slide the car around for a bit of fun it is much more controllable past the limit, pick your drift angle using the throttle.
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