Yet another bloody diff question...

[bimmaman]

Last night I got very sideways pulling out of a junction... only just managed to correct it on full oposite lock... Car then flung itself the other way, and I was on full oposite lock yet again, but I couldn't hold it, and it totally spun.
Luckily the road was quite wide, and there was no traffic about...

Anyway, my question... Is this open diff syndrome, or if I had an LSD, would it still have happened?? My old e34 535 had an LSD, and no matter how hard I pushed it, it never spun like that...

[oldroydsr4]

Sounds like you may have over corrected the slide inially, however with a slipper the car is more predictable.

[Davenotouring]

Your 535 wouldn't spin no matter hard you pushed it? You can't have been trying hard enough!!

Unpredictable sliding is an open diff issue, at least with a (good) LSD you know it'll go sideways if you nail it. You never really know with open diff wrongness.

[Nelly]

^^ as Dave said, open diff's are a hard kettle of fish when it comes to side action.

[e30_Turbo]

I had my open diff spit me sideways down a straight road one night, had a few chavs hanging about at the time who were cheering as I came back, which I did only too see what I had hit, which turned out to be a drain cover.

I had no warning just bang and I'm looking through the door window wondering WTF?

Managed to not spin it but it wasn't a fun experiance and I've been very carefull on that road ever since, I have drifted my open diff a few times but it's not as easy to control and eats tires really bad, well one of them anyway!

HTH, Mark.

[bimmaman]

LSD time then...! I want to keep my low gearing (currently on the original 316i diff, whatever ratio that is) is 3:91 the lowest ratio?

[Davenotouring]

What engine have you got?

[bimmaman]

M20 2.5 now...

[Morat]

did you get off the power or did you keep your boot in?

[bimmaman]

Boot in all the way!! even when it totally span... I was in second as well, cos first is absolutely useless!! After spinning, I was sat on the spot for a few seconds, still spinning it up, still in second!

Do you think I should have let off?

[tim-ix]

Get 4-wheel drive. Much more predictable, it just goes where it's pointed.

[Davenotouring]

To let the slide come back in, you would need to lift off at least slightly in most situations, just keeping it nailed you're likely to spin!

A 3.91 LSD will be spot on!

[Hyperion]

I had no warning just bang and I'm looking through the door window wondering WTF?

LOL, man that reminds me of when i did that, was thinking the same thing

[bimmaman]

A 3.91 LSD will be spot on!

Looks like a letter to Santa is in order then!