Quote:
Originally Posted by bradleyland
One of your questions hasn't been given much feedback, so I figured I'd chime in. Specifically, how does it feel behind the wheel.
A well spec'd LSD should give you greater traction under acceleration, which helps getting out of corners. It should not impact turn-in on corner entry. What's important to note about lockup is that more lockup means the car wants to go straight. Not sure if you have any friends with an ATV, but they're a great way to understand the steering impact of a locked up rear axle. Turning an ATV at low speed is very hard. Especially if they're 2WD.
A locked rear axle means the traction of the rear tires keeps the car going straight. That results in low speed understeer.
Fortunately, LSD technology allows us greater flexibility. In this case, 30% under acceleration, and 9% under deceleration. This makes sense when you think about it. You're normally decelerating in to a corner, which is when you want the car to rotate easily based on steering input. The lower resistance helps keep the car rotating easily. When you get on the gas, the LSD goes to 30% lockup, and you get maximum traction on exit. You can dial in additional oversteer by applying more throttle.
I really do recommend trying to get a ride on an ATV. Try turning it at low speed. For great fun, try pushing the ATV while it's off, then have someone turn the wheel. You'll get a real appreciation for why we don't all drive around on a spool (welded diff).
It helps to have a working understanding of how a differential works too. This video is really old, but I think it's one of the best illustrations of how they work. You should check it out.
|
Perfect post, I didn't want to dive into my opinions on this LSD without having driven it but I believe 30%/9% is a great compromise for this type of LSD on a street and occasional track car. Considering its price relative to the competition and the fact that it's an OEM BMW part with a full warranty, if I had a 2/3/4 series this is the first thing I would buy for it.