318is diff, what kind of LSD are they?

[tomtomtom]

are they plate, ATB or viscous?

cheers

[DRIFTBOY]

Plate!

[maxfield]

So what's the difference between the 3?

Plates use clutch packs?
ATB?
Viscous?

[tomtomtom]

cheers, can you get repair kits for em? are they ZF?

[tomtomtom]

plate diffs work with clutch plates, the sun gears that have the driveshafts stuck up em are driven by the planet gears on cross-shafts, the cross-shafts sit in rings called ramp elements which are splined and driven by the diff casing, when the case of the diff is under load (acceleration) the ramp elements are driven (by the spline) and the ramp elements drive the crosspins, which are ...wait for it, held back by the opposite force of the car (wanting to sit still) the ramps work against the cross pins which forces the ramp elements outwards (towards your wheels) thus putting pressure on your clutch pack... atb's have little helical gears that under load, force against eachother and cause a load of friction against the inner case of the diff (i think) and viscous ones work on the principal that you cant shear oil, oil has to pass through a load of thin plates that effectively try to slice the oil, which you cant do, hence the friction.

[kadettc]

Quaiffe make ATB's generally. Plates are best though. I'll be fitting a plate diff to the Kadett

[jaistanley]

Plates aren't necessarily best. The ATB provide excellent traction with only one foible. If you lift a wheel they can run open due to the lack of friction in the system. How often do you lift a wheel though???

[Rosc0PColtrane]

I thought is came with open diffs as standard!

[maxfield]

I thought is came with open diffs as standard!

They did.

LSD's were an option, just like any other E30 bar a few.