Production cars with Torsen/LSD diffs?
Discussion
I've been pondering how good or rather how much better cars with ATB or LSD's are as standard. With the likes of the Focus RS, Integra type R, Alfa romeo Q2/Q4? What other 'everyday' cars out there have these trick diff's. I dont mean things like ferraris and Lamborghini's (P1 aside i suppose) which typical cars have clever differentials?
I've driven a mates old XR2 with a Quaiffe diff and the experience was surreal.
I've driven a mates old XR2 with a Quaiffe diff and the experience was surreal.
I cant think of many more than you have posted already as factory fit, Mazda MX-5 I think ? - other cars have LSD but a lot of them will be electronic ones, not mechanical ones- where the brakes are used to imitate the locking off the differential.
I'm told that the electronic types are more refined and offer a greater / faster lock-up rate and can be adjusted to vary the lock up rate. The latter 2 I can believe, more refined - I'm not sure.
Cost wise I'm not sure what would be more expensive initially.
I'm told that the electronic types are more refined and offer a greater / faster lock-up rate and can be adjusted to vary the lock up rate. The latter 2 I can believe, more refined - I'm not sure.
Cost wise I'm not sure what would be more expensive initially.
I had an old Rover 620ti with a Torsen diff. It was better in some ways than the open diff I had in another 620, and worse in others. It was better at putting power down in low gears than the open diff. That also tended to wreck gearboxes though, as there was no torque relief through wheelspin. On snow however, the Torsen equipped car was almost dangerous and always left in the driveway whilst the Jag did the job - the LSD just forced understeer on low speed corners with tight steering lock. That would manifest itself as an inability to negotiate junctions or roundabouts on ice or compacted snow as the car would go straight on.
Conversely, I had 2 MX-5s. One with Torsen diff and one without. The one with LSD ate front tyres like there was no tomorrow, but was basically brilliant to drive. The one without LSD had very good tyre wear at the front but was less predictable in corners and made a meal out of moving away from most wet junctions (admittedly, it did have cheap Nexen N6000s on which were rubbish).
I have a TVR equipped with a Hydratrak viscous type limited slip diff which works in a different way to the two Torsens I had before, but it's quite good and the way it works doesn't scrub tyres at carpark speeds which is nice.
Conversely, I had 2 MX-5s. One with Torsen diff and one without. The one with LSD ate front tyres like there was no tomorrow, but was basically brilliant to drive. The one without LSD had very good tyre wear at the front but was less predictable in corners and made a meal out of moving away from most wet junctions (admittedly, it did have cheap Nexen N6000s on which were rubbish).
I have a TVR equipped with a Hydratrak viscous type limited slip diff which works in a different way to the two Torsens I had before, but it's quite good and the way it works doesn't scrub tyres at carpark speeds which is nice.
As ever the PH answer is .. an MX-5 (well some.. lots open, early 1.6 viscous then 1.8 Mk1 onwards they sometimes had Torsen or equivalent).
Less lifting the inner wheel to spin on corners but being a Torsen it needs drag on the spinning wheel to work so a little bit of handbrake drag helps in snow/ice (but still not going anywhere with most tyres are they are not ice friendly).
Less lifting the inner wheel to spin on corners but being a Torsen it needs drag on the spinning wheel to work so a little bit of handbrake drag helps in snow/ice (but still not going anywhere with most tyres are they are not ice friendly).
aeropilot said:
The only cars specifically with a Quaife fitted as OEM, are the Focus RS, the Dodge Neon SRT-4 and the Dodge Viper.
I just checked and you're right, it was an AP Suretrac I had in the vectra. Wasn't it only the special edition and Sport MX5's that had the LSD's as standard?
Prof Prolapse said:
As mentioned, loads of jap metal. Mr2s after 1994. Many special edition MX5s (I have a list somewhere).
Most subtle would be early BMWs had them. Think the e36 was the phase out as standard, but the 325 had LSD I'm sure. Whether it still works is the main question.
You're right I think BMW phased out LSDs on late E36 models and gave them traction control instead.Most subtle would be early BMWs had them. Think the e36 was the phase out as standard, but the 325 had LSD I'm sure. Whether it still works is the main question.
Ford Escort RS turbos came with LSDs from factory didn't they?
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff