so I'm at somewhat of a crossroads here....after next season, i'll be moving to STX or DSP (depending on what happens with double a-arm cars in SP next season) and i'm gonna need the obligatory LSD or i'll get smote.....so what type should I go with? I have a spare stock diff sittin' in my basement that i'm thinking of sending to OPM for one of their clutch type diffs? or should I go the tried and true quaiffe route? I don't care that I'd need to re-build the OPM diff after 25,000 miles, but from what i've heard the difference between a properly set-up clutch diff and a torsen type is like night and day....maybe i'll just dump 1500 on one of those pimpy mugen diffs
oh btw this is a pretty dedicated autoX car....not ever gonna see road-racing time, possibly some track days though

 

2 choices.........
Quafie if car will be street driven alot.
Kaaz if car will be street driven rarely.
OPM works best as a big track LSD where you need very little LSD action.

 

I like blotter

 

has anyone out there had experience autoXing an OPM diff? I say OPM and not Kazz b/c I have the core to send to OPM....don't feel like messing around with shims and the like if I get a Kazz

 

I do not auto-x my CRX so wanted to clarify that up front. I drove an Auto-X setup CRX however the other day with a gear type LSD (Quaife maybe?) and told the owner that I felt my car wants to tighten up on its line in a turn on increased throttle (I have the OPM unit) whereas his felt that it wanted to slip both fronts outward under load. Another notable difference is my car on throttle in a tight turn wants to unwind the steering wheel for me, his car wanted me to physically unwind the wheel. Personally, I love the work it does for me, not sure if this is good or bad however for Auto-X. Now I could be completely off my nut but that was what it "felt" like to me driving the car.

BTW, as for the quality of the product. I managed to turn an Si trans into "Aluminum Soup w/ bits of real Tranny" destroying most of the gears, shift forks, FD & counter shaft, case but the LSD looks like it will be just fine. So in short, even if I had trashed my LSD, I'd definately buy the same one again - I've been real happy with it.

EDIT: if what I felt is somewhat questionable, I'd buy that - it was only a gut feel and I felt apprehensive trying to describe the differences at the time so maybe I was totally off-base but w/out anything else to go by, that was how it felt *to me* at the time.

P.S. you might want to try lamb's blood over the doors. ;-)



[Modified by phat-S, 11:31 AM 12/3/2002]

 

that coincides with what i've heard....any push at all is bad, especially on tight autoX courses. i think i'm gonna go with the opm unit. the idea of being able to tighten my line on throttle mades me giggle especially with a fwd car!

 

i'm interested to see how it works out for you carlos, as i'll be in the market for a LSD in the near-future as well. was thinking of dsp next year, and may just add the tires for a year, and do the lsd/clutch/flywheel the year after due to finances. also, dsp isn't the most contested class locally (sts winner beats dsp everytime), so i should be ok as is. but i want the lsd as soon as it's feasible.

thanks,
phil

 

There is nothing that parallels Quaife's lifetime warranty (even when raced) and amazing customer service

cal - who needs to get one before next year.....

 

that is true....but i wanna win and i'm willing to make sacrifices like lifetime warranty for a unit that will give me better results....my car is no longer my 'transportation'....it has now become my autoX toy, and as such I have made no concessions for such wimpy stuff as comfort and convience

i'll keep you posted phil....on a sidenote, i did drive a STX prepped olds cutlass calais W-41 (those who know GM know how rare those cars are!) that had a torsen diff, and i thought that it had some funky steering feel, almost like torque steer, i dunno, felt like the steering had a mind of its own

 

FWIW, your impression of driving w/ a gear LSD matches what I feel like my ITR drives like... seems like you're pretty spot-on with your observation about the differences. Unfortunately, I haven't tried out OPM or Kazz so I can't contrast them as well as you did

 

If you use your "core" to send to OPM, you will have to check/shim the tranny when you reinstall it. I also suggest you replace the duiff bearings while at it.

 

That's not really the diff--that's GM's idea of a properly designed front end for a FWD performance car

 

I have a 98 spec R tranny in my hybrid so it has the Torsen. One I think its slightly better than the OPM which I drove on an ITA CRX. It feels very similar to the Quaife once again driven on an ITA CRX. No offense there is no help for the GM Quad 4 cars (I drove one for a couple of races in Speedvision Cup in 97 and it had major Torque Steer, fast as hell in a straight line though So I think the Type-R Torsen is the best bang for the buck.

 

bang for the buck ain't what i'm concerned about....i wanna win

i guess i'm gonna be putting the diff in after next season when I pull my tranny to re-build it. told my pops what I was planning, he said he wanted no part in helping me re-build my FWD tranny

how much work am i seriously looking at? would I probably have better luck just taking my tranny to the shop that does all my major work?

 

I was quoted ~$600 for installing my Spoon 1.5way clutch type in my ITR tranny. $400 If I brought the tranny to them. I haven't done anything yet, but something tells me the 1.5way clutch type is going to be far superior than the stock diff in the R.

 

If winning is ur goal, then by all means go with the clutch type for it'll work more effectively.
I had a KAAZ unit and i absolutely loved it for its performance gain but the cost of maintaining and overhauling it didnt justify keeping it. But if ur out there to compete, go with a clutch-packed LSD. Being able to tune the initial torque and such is another bonus.