20 replies to this topic

[Teapot]

What's the minimum power output that will benefit from LSD? I guess gearing has to be taken into account too? And suspension geometry?

[Jammy]

I don't think power output has much to do with it on a mini as minis hold the road as well as anything. Just thinking purely theoretically there.

[TimS]

an LSD whill just prevent the inside wheel from spinnign so much on a corner, but to do that you have to be giving it some eg on a race track

[Dan]

The crosspin diff may have some effect on torque-steer, simply because they are so HEAVY. I have one in at the moment and they do seem to make the steering a bit more sharp. As has been said though that might be because they are stronger and so flex less than the standard one so the power delivery will be smoother due to this.

Have you considered the Torque-biasing differential? Not so severe as a normal LSD and a lot more progressive in it's action. Very good for Mini's I've heard, although I haven't driven on one. Or there's a new type from America which sits inside a regular diff and controls it through some wizardry. Not sure exactly what the effect of this type would be.


Oh and by the way to actually answer the question, as has been said a welded diff on a road Mini will snap your gearbox mainshaft. In under 20 miles I would say, so don't do it. It doesn't matter whether it's a turbo or not, you don't need much power to break things like this which weren't designed to be used that way. This is why diffs were invented in the first place, the earliest cars didn't have them but it didn't take a huge increase in power output or road speed to start snapping solid axles in half and bending frames.

Edited by Dan, 17 March 2005 - 08:21 PM.

[mini90]

I'm not 100% on this but I think welded diff aren't legal for road use. something to do with being unable to MOT the car.

[Guess-Works.com]

lol.... good point that, but it would be fun to see the face of a tester when he tried to turn the wheel and it wouldn't.... I'd pml, waiting to so how long it took them to figure it out !