54 replies to this topic

[Lenhamracer]

Hi

 

I find it very hard to drive my rally Mini with the LSD. I have changed from an old salisbury type to the new swiftune LSD but it is still very hard to drive the car while cornering. You need to grab the steering with both hands. The car feels very nervous and it is hard to keep it straight when pushing hard. 

The engine is cooper S split Weber and so on, may be 110hp. I have checked the steering geometry and it looks very good. Only castor I haven´t checked because I have no instrument.

We also have a 1998 Mini (13" wide wheels) totally original and this drives so much easier. Especially tight bends are hard to drive.

Any suggestions???

[nicklouse]

sounds about right.

 

might be an idea to state which LSD it is as they do supply more than one.

Edited by nicklouse, 28 March 2017 - 12:57 PM.

[Northernpower]

Not surprised its heavy under cornering, how about a larger diameter steering wheel?

[A-Cell]

That's how they are.
Back in the old Motoring News rally day we had a Cooper S 1293 100hp and with Salisbury LSD it was like that. We used a large steering wheel from a 1300GT (ADO16). It was a beast to handle. Never really went in a straight line.
At the end of a night driver was knackered. You need arms like a gorilla and lightening reactions to catch it.
Bob Lawrence who bought and rallied ex Works JMO 969D said he could drive faster without an LSD.

[Cooperman]

Both Rob Lawrence and Russell Brookes have said to me that a Mini is quicker in the lanes and on gravel without an LSD.

I once drove one of Will Sparrow's Minis with an LSD and I found it very difficult, especially in the wet.

I have never managed to get on with an LSD, but I put it down to my own driving limitations. However, I drove an ex-works Clubman with an LSD and it was absolutely horrible.

Yes, a larger than standard steering wheel is most definitely necessary if an LSD is used.

They are really only good for racing and specialised motor-sport like hill-climbing and rally-cross.

[mini13]

Definitely check the castor, you can probably wind a bit off.

[Itsjustanestate]

You definitely need a big steering wheel. Keep your thumbs out of the spokes. LSDs definitely pay off on the loose but mixed surface lanes are a challenge to keep in a straight line. You will find tyres and wheels make a difference to. 

[MIGLIACARS]

You should try it with 167 whp and 9 inch slicks now that does take it out of you at cadwell park. so bad ive added power steering.

taking caster off will help a little but I found it slowed me down through the bends so its now back on.

 

this is on the tarmac mind never been on the loose stuff....

[Lenhamracer]

Great to hear that I am not alone with this problem and you had the same problem. You really need arms like a gorilla and very quick reactions.

It is a Swiftune Tran-X MK6 LSD and it is a great improvement to the Salisbury but still...

I would really like to try the car without the LSD but that means engine out and so on. May be in summer if I can find some spare time. 

I have a 13" steering wheel, would you recommend to go to 14"? Seems to be too big. 

 

How can I check castor??? Is there any gauge on the market which is affordable and works?

I have the trakrite laser wheel alignment gauge and it works quite well

[Cooperman]

I would recommend a 15" or 16" steering wheel with any sort of LSD. I find a 13" wheel to be too small on any rally Mini. My 'S' has no LSD, but I use a 14" wheel and wouldn't want one any smaller.

[minimans]

Is this a Rally car or just a lookalike road car? I would never use an LSD on a road car just completely unnecessary, there only good for that last 10th of grip and you never drive at 10 10th's in a road car............but as too the question yes that's exactly how an LSD feels to drive as everybody else said get a bigger wheel we always raced/rallycrossed with the Std MKI wheel for that reason.................

 

"Great to hear that I am not alone with this problem and you had the same problem"

[rally1380]

With regards to LSD's, will the behaviour of the car nit depend quite alot on set up of the diff....ramp angles and preload?

Discuss.......

[minimans]

I always found if the diff was set or low or worn clutches it would grab and be a real handfull to drive on the loose/grass but if it was set tight to a high break point it got a lot better but then the arm load was a lot higher!

[nicklouse]

Great to hear that I am not alone with this problem and you had the same problem. You really need arms like a gorilla and very quick reactions.
It is a Swiftune Tran-X MK6 LSD and it is a great improvement to the Salisbury but still...
I would really like to try the car without the LSD but that means engine out and so on. May be in summer if I can find some spare time. 
I have a 13" steering wheel, would you recommend to go to 14"? Seems to be too big. 
 
How can I check castor??? Is there any gauge on the market which is affordable and works?
I have the trakrite laser wheel alignment gauge and it works quite well

Take it any garage with a 4 wheel alignment rig. Just know what setting you want before you go in or they will have no idea.

[Cooperman]

There is a basic problem when using an LSD in a rally car.

All is OK until you run wide on a corner by going into the corner a bit quick. The outside wheel goes onto the loose/grass. With a non-LSD you can keep the power on and the wheel on the loose will spin whilst the wheel on the road will not grip. Thus the car will try to pull itself back onto the road.

However, with an LSD the wheel on the road will still have grip whilst the one on the loose will not and the car will be pulled of the road. I was told this by Russell Brookes and it was later confirmed by my son who had exactly this happen on an event in Belgium in a Mini he was co-driving. Russell did an RAC International in a Mini with an LSD and he reckoned it cost him around 10 minutes extra penalty as he didn't have the confidence in the car due to it 'pulling' even on straight bits.

It is different on a  race track or hill climb when there are run-offs and you know the track conditions.

On a rally car you need to be able to smoothly 'flow' the car between and through corners. It may be my inherent lack of ability, but whenever I've driven a competition Mini with an LSD I find it very difficult to do this. Now Russell Brookes's ability is not in question and those are also his views.