welded diff

[Felix79]

YI think I will need one of the zones drifters to take me out for a drive so I can get a better idea

[roy46ss]

By the way "Felix79" Alpina C2

[Felix79]

By the way "Felix79" Alpina C2

LOL thanks. It's the rarer C2 2.5 with a 525eta lump with Alpina custom top, pushing 195bhp. If your ever at a meet I am I will take you out for a spin.

[roy46ss]

By the way "Felix79" Alpina C2

LOL thanks. It's the rarer C2 2.5 with a 525eta lump with Alpina custom top, pushing 195bhp. If your ever at a meet I am I will take you out for a spin.

I might just take you up on that one.

[kev_skyline]

Its designed to slowly transfer the power from the wheel with less traction to the one with more without locking-up suddenly. It makes the car more predictable.

LSDs do not slowly transfer the power from one wheel to another, if theres no traction on one wheel and the other wheel has traction it locks both and sends power to both.

Indeed, if thats what you want. I'm guessing that someone that is considering locking their diff is not looking for predictable.

what do you mean its not predictable?! you cant get any more predictable than a welded diff, itll react the same all the time.

[M3Jim]

No LSD do not slowly transfer power, but we were discussing the Quaife diff. This Does exactly that.

The BMW 325i E30 Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential never locks harshly with a set pre-load of wheel slip across the driven axle, like a conventional LSD. Rather, the BMW 325i E30 Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential automatically biases the torque away from the spinning wheel across the axle, to a constantly varying degree, and never locks.


Yes it will react the same all the time, but there is no margin for error. Especially if it's wet, it will be a handful and not easily tamed by your average driver!

[Felix79]

How does an electronic diff say in a evo differs from a mechnical diff on the e30?

[harry_p]

depends on the type, some electronic diffs use actuators to adjust the mechanical lockup of the diff. 4wd cars will have 3 diffs, front, rear and centre as all 4 wheels will turn at different speeds for a car going around a corner. often the electronic diff is a variable torque splitter in the centre diff, by adjusting this the car can vary the power going to each axel, i.e make the car behave more like a fwd car or more like a rwd one, or constantly varying the split depending on what the car is doing.

a lot of modern cars (usually fwd) claim electronic lsds, but theyre nothing of the sort. they use a standard open diff which wants to send the torque to the wheel with the least grip, but use an advanced braking system to automatically brake a wheel that starts to slip, which transfers torque to the other wheel. they do work to a certain extent, but they're nowhere near as good as a proper mechanical lsd.

[mattyb]

there nt as bad as people make them out u just have to adaptyour driving style once you get used to it. iv read a few articles about them and the all say there not as bad as people say

[kev_skyline]

No LSD do not slowly transfer power, but we were discussing the Quaife diff. This Does exactly that.

The BMW 325i E30 Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential never locks harshly with a set pre-load of wheel slip across the driven axle, like a conventional LSD. Rather, the BMW 325i E30 Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential automatically biases the torque away from the spinning wheel across the axle, to a constantly varying degree, and never locks.

Ah, didnt realise you were talking about a specific diff.

Yes it will react the same all the time, but there is no margin for error. Especially if it's wet, it will be a handful and not easily tamed by your average driver!

Im an average driver, my 318is is my first car on the road and ive had absolutly no problems with the welded diff, i havent ended up backwards on a roundabout unless ive tried to drift around it and spun out.

[fuzzy]

wont a welded diff wears tyres very quickly due to scrubbing the tyres at slower normal everyday driving speeds?

[murran]

hahahahaha, not this again!

welded diffs are cool, end of!

[murran]

wont a welded diff wears tyres very quickly due to scrubbing the tyres at slower normal everyday driving speeds?

not really, depends on how you drive. if you find yourself lighting the inside wheel all the time thats obviously not doing your tyres any favours. with it welded it cant do that and it scrubs a little yes but the rear tyres on my e21 last longer than the open diffed e30 i had.
i love my welded diff and wouldnt swap it for a brand new lsd!

predictablity in what the cars going to do is guaranteed as both rear wheels automatically want to grip and straighten the car up. by turning the steering wheel to go round a corner your making the rear tyres struggle for grip and applying throttle means your sideways, simple! aslong as your not past the angle of no return you simply let go of the steering wheel ease up off the throttle and the car straightens itself up. no snaking down the road at all.
yes tight corners and parking is irritating but its a small price to pay!

theres a v slight hint of understeer on initial turn in but nothing more. ive not understeered into a corner yet.

i love the feeling of pulling off a nice drift. its what heros are made of!!!!

[rob0r]

I fitted one about 2 months ago to my 318is and one thing is for sure, most of the negative press comes surrounding welded diffs come from people who have never used them. I commute 650miles a week to work and it's fine, if anything in the dry the car is more stable since its much harder to spin the wheels since you need to break traction on two wheels. In the wet you do have to think a bit, but to get it out of control you would need to be driving like an idiot anyway. If you're prepared to make some scuffing noises when you park then there's not much else to worry about, its the only time I notice the welded diff. On track, they are a lot of fun.

I'm not even a drifter, I was just fed up of open diffs on track. I'll stop using the 318is next week, and I'll be starting to use an E21 323i with a 2.5 - with a welder

[murran]

youve welded up the e21 diff too? good man!

[Felix79]

Dose the IS act as a better drift car compaired to say my Alpina because of a higher reving and lighter engine?

[Boyraceruk]

Considering a round of the BDC was won by an E30 with an M30 engine, I don't think weight or redline is that important.