As background, this started out with me looking for a Quaife LSD for an 04 RSX 5-sp tranny, as part of my next car project.

I'm seeing and hearing various comments about Quaife LSD availability so I thought I'd sum up what I've found. Short story: It's not good.

Long story:
For whatever reason (I suspect the exchange rate) Quaife USA (AutoTech) appears to no longer stock Quaife LSDs. Having heard the rumors I called them up to hear it from the horse's mouth. What I got was some MDT (Marketing Double Talk.)

I asked if I can buy a LSD from them? Yes.
I asked if it's currently in stock? No.
When will they be in stock? Middle of April.
But I'm hearing that this has been the same answer since last Fall. No comment.
I hear Autotech is going to be selling their own US-designed "Quaife"... <long pause>... yes, that is correct.

When will that happen? In a few months, but probably longer.

Speaking to several honest and upfront Quaife dealers confirmed that there's a problem. They suspect that Quaife USA has stopped importing them all together in preparation of ramping up production of their own unit. (Less honest dealers want my money and will "back order" it for me. No thanks.)

How much of this is absolutely true I'm not sure. I do know that, unless someone has one on the shelf already, no one has been able to get Quaife LSDs.

The whole situation is a little puzzling to me, giving the steller reputation Quaife LSDs have. I don't understand the vageries and smoke and mirrors. Why not just be upfront about what's going on? Maybe they cut off importing them, thinking that their production would be on-line by then, but got screwed when it took longer than expected? Who knows... well, they do, they just aren't sharing.

So unless we're prepared to order straight from Quaife UK, we're screwed as far as getting that brand, for now at least. I may go with a different type of diff due to the total lack of real info. Doesn't seem like good business relations to me.

UPDATE:
The AutoTech-designed Quaife replacement LSD is out. It's called the "WaveTrac" and works identically - with a twist. When the Torson gears starts turning, the housing now rotates, applying pressure to a clutch! So theoretically (until we hear some track reports) the new diff appears to be better that the old, due to solving the diff going open on one-wheel bumps.

I sucked it up and bought one but it's going to be a long time before I know if it's a great product or not. Let us all know if you track yours.


Modified by kb58 at 12:44 PM 6/18/2008

 

Try Carbonetics or KAAZ.

Edo

 

Actually, i have a better fun than that...

I've try to order a Carbonetic 2 weeks ago to find out that Carbonetic has asked all of their seller to stop selling and to send back the every Carbonetic Carbon LSD for RSX...Apparently they want to do an upgrade on it...But their update are not ready yet and wil take few weeks or months...Apparently they overheat...

So than i've look for other brand and decide to go with a Quaife for the durability since we are 2 driver on my racecar and at the end of March Autotech finally decide to let words out that they will make their own LSD..but will take few weeks to have them available..

So than i say, well i will go with a Kaaz...seems that no one had one in stock (Backorder from Kaaz USA)...

I finally found a Cusco..

It seems that the market is wide-open at the moment for K-series LSD, don't know who will be able to bring fast in North America a good lsd and have enought in stock to supply the needs...

 

Go with a KAAZ LSD they are awasome I have one in my K20A ITR. I sell the KAAZ stuff and give you a discount 5% off and free shipping for being a HT member.

Also KAAZ usually has these in stock!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kb58 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">As background, I'm looking for a 04 RSX Quaife LSD for my next car project.</TD></TR></TABLE>

So you steered away from the H22? Going with a K20 or K24?

I'm really happy with my Kaaz on the racecar and would definitely buy it again, but I wouldn't recommend it for any street use.

Is the OEM DC5 Type R an LSD car? That might be a cheaper torsen alternative.

-Chris

 

Oh no, the Mini is done and for sale as-is with its H22A1. This is for the next project which is well into design! You can read about Midlana here: http://www.kimini.com/MidLana/index.html

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kb58 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Oh no, the Mini is done and for sale as-is with its H22A1. This is for the next project which is well into design! You can read about Midlana here: http://www.kimini.com/MidLana/index.html
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh well yeah, but I know you were talking about a turbo H22 and thought that was for a new project and not the original....

K is probably the right route, all else being equal!

-Chris

 

I doubt Quaife America will come out with their own unit. A while back a US Quaife dealer (Quaife America is the only US dist) had a unit made for a Mazda by Quaife and purchased a web domain to market it. Long story short it ended up in a lawsuit against him by Quaife. You can find the info by searching on Google for it.

 

IIRC, the hydro B diffs can be machined to fit the K housings.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by slofu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">IIRC, the hydro B diffs can be machined to fit the K housings.</TD></TR></TABLE>
i remember seeing a write up a couple years ago where a guy put an itr lsd into a rsx type s tranny. i believe kiwi is familiar with this procedure also. hopefully he will chime in to educate us on what it takes exactly.

on that note, are b-series quaife lsd's more easily accessible?

 

Kiwi is overseas right now trying to get differentials and other parts. He will return on the 15th. Can you wait?

 

Me? Sure. I don't really need an LSD until the chassis is done. However, I like to compartmentalize my projects. It would be nice to have the drivetrain ready to go before the chassis is done. However, I can always work on the engine before the tranny.

The reason for me posting this thread is to make everyone aware that they may have to look elsewhere. I'm flexible, but I do like how the Quaife works in Kimini. Completely silent and unintrusive; nice for a street/track car, but if either I can't get one, or they get stoopid-expensive, I'll use something else. I'll keep both the Kaaz and Carbonetic in mind.

 

kb, I was under the impression that Midlana would be more track-oriented. If that's the case, a more track-oriented LSD might be in order. FWIW, the stock torsen-type LSD may not meet your standards. While it is functional, in track use I think there are better options. That's based on me driving a car with one, that car's owner, and another very similar car.

 

You're right, it is to be more track-oriented. While I've heard that some LSDs are better, I haven't heard which ones. Have some brands?

 

I've HEARD mostly good things about the ATS/Carbonetics units, but at the same time I'm under the impression that they require maintenance now and then. While I didn't have it very long (sold the tranny) I really liked the action of the KAAZ unit I had a few years ago.

 

Somewhere, I think it was here, there was a post from someone saying they had back-to-back proof that brand X LSD was good for &gt;1 second lap time, but I can't find it. I also can't remember the name of the diff that they said was "better".

 

OS Giken looks best [~$1400]
http://osgiken.net/products/superlock.html

 

So looking at the OS Giken site, the B and K series LSD is the same?

 

close, but look again.

 

This thread is turning into "Finding alternatives to a Quaife LSD" which is great. If you use something else, or better yet, have used both a Quaife and another brand, please post your comments. Best of all would be any back-to-back comparisons for lap times!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kb58 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This thread is turning into "Finding alternatives to a Quaife LSD" which is great. If you use something else, or better yet, have used both a Quaife and another brand, please post your comments. Best of all would be any back-to-back comparisons for lap times!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've used stock ITR, maybe-due-for-rebuild OPM, and Kaaz. The Kaaz was better in the 2nd half of carousel turns and really just seemed to allow more acceleration while turning than the OPM, and both were better than the ITR torsen diff. I feel the Kaaz helped in braking more than the others too.

I don't have any back to back results.

 

while the Quaife and ITR LSDs are both Torsen-style, their gear ratios differ, so it's not entirely fair or accurate to infer that the OPM or Kaaz &gt; Quaife even if they beat the ITR LSD.

 

Huh? The gear ratio is determined by the ring gear that gets put on the diff, not by what brand or type it is. The diff, in and of itself, does not have any gear ratio.

 

au contraire mon frere
wrong gears; read here:
http://www.billzilla.org/diffs.htm

 

kb58, i understand that you are looking for a quaife lsd for a k-series tranny. that is why i mentioned that you could run a b-series lsd in a k-series tranny. if locating a b-series quaife lsd proves to be easier for you it could be useful.

also, do you, or does anyone, know if obx lsd's differ much from a quaife piece? and if they don't would you consider running one??