Currently running a stock OEM ITR LSD, wondering if there is a decent advantage or disadvantage to changing to a clutch type LSD or a preloaded heli style lsd.

Car is mainly used for auto-cross and would like to eventually make it to some road course events when I get a little more experience.

 

Not sure about autocross but for road courses, you have a lot more chances of hopping the curb and caused the inside front tire to catch air. When that happens, the ITR LSD (helical) would become ineffective.

 

What Wai said for sure... I tracked a couple peoples' Minis and they have a helical LSD. Good because they require little service, but a pain in the *** if you ever pick up the front. Being an AutoXer, you're probably doubting every getting the front in the air, but I assure you that it will be on a road course.

 

The OEM ITR LSD is good, but not nearly as "active/aggressive" as is a clutch-type LSD. You'll most certainly benefit from the switch, provided you maintain it properly.

 

What ^ they all said. I lifted the front left quite a few times at Autobahn earlier this summer and its not very fun when the helical LSD becomes an open diff.

Though if you aren't trying to push it and don't mind getting a little off line, that is a cheap fix (sometimes) until you feel like spending the money on a clutch type LSD.

 

You'd lift the front less if you drove on the curbs less

 

so when one side lifts up, the other side won't put down power?

I have the quaife lsd, it is the same as itr one right? its no good?

 

The quaife and ITR unit is similar in design where if one wheel is unloaded (in the air) it will not be able to function properly.

Quaife unit is better in the sense that it can handle more power and has a great warranty and in my limited experience I feel performance wise, it is also slightly better as it appears to have a higher preload which enables it to react faster than the ITR LSD.

For a weekend toy or racecar only whether it be autoX or track - a clutch pack LSD is ideal IMO - for drag, a helical is fine.

 

I wish someone started this thread 2 years ago. But since I never hopped the front, I never experienced this issue.

How does helical work? I thought lsd just locks allow the wheel that isn't slipping to still get power.

 

I read this when I bought the quaife, I thought it is ok to have one wheel with 0 grip.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential6.htm

 

oh damn. I read the wrong page. 0__o

great, what a waste of money.

 

Don't feel too bad about the choice you made - the Quaife is still an excellent unit and it doesn't require rebuilds unless you somehow blow it up...

you also mention you've never jumped/hopped curbs anyway - so really, it's a non-issue in your specific situation.

 

under what condition will you lift your front wheel? I am still learning in the advance hpde. I guess I am not driving fast enough to lift front wheel up right?

 

"lifting" can occur when you're bouncing off the gators/curbs or when you're going fast enough to launch the car over a crest - but this may not even be possible depending on the tracks you attend...

 

Has anyone tried the wavetrack? Its supposed to be better than the quaife when wheels are off the ground.

 

Since I never picked up a wheel, I can only imagine.

But wouldn't it be bad to have power to the wheel on the ground? Since when the other one lands, it will catch, wouldn't that give the car a suddent yank to one side?

 

Not if the wheel in the air is at the same speed. Another issue is when the airborne wheel comes down with power on, the axle takes a beeting.

 

so is it better to be netrual when one wheel is up? can you feel it when one wheel is up?

 

Really, you shouldn't be lifting a front wheel in a FWD car. Short of really nailing a gator hard I don't ever do it, and even then would consider it a "mistake" (not the fast way around that corner).

 

so does that mean I didn't wast my money? ^__^

 

No you didn't.
To clarify-any front wheel-in-the-air I'm talking about is a result of curb banging. In a turn like that kink at CMP, bangin the gator is the hot way.

 

Light left foot braking to apply torque to the lifted wheel?

 

I think the amount you'd slow down would not outweigh whatever benefit of loading the lifted wheel.

And Spence, two wheels up through the Kink? I haven't driven there, but also hadn't heard that.

 

isn't 2 wheel up dangerous?

 

Eh, not too big of a deal. I mean, it's kind of relative. If you're talking about this:

then yeah, that could be dangerous Most of the time it's just a couple inches though, and for a very brief period of time.