Diff options...

  • Thread starter Thread starter yeager
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yeager

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Would be nice to have a thread that has reviews of all the diff's people have used, what costs and what performance came from each. I'm currently only using an S14 auto diff and need to consider something proper but costs are limiting... although I think James has an excellent option on offer which I need to investigate.

Oh and I bought the S14 diff for £120 and had it fitted for about £50. Works better than the open diff I had ;) but is still nowhere near what I want to compete properly.

Ben/Astonman (if your on the board yet) how have you got on with your welded diff? How is it for daily driving and was it expensive to do? I have a spare S13 open diff which I might get welded up and fitted for drift days only.
 
I agree. This is the one thing that I can't find any definate info about, and yet, is one of the most important parts of drifting. What do you all think? :confused: Finiding out how each affects the handling is proving harder than expected.
 
Welded roxxor :cool:

Ok, I LOVE how my welded diff drives, it's perfect for daily use until you're driving around car parks or tight junctions and then it makes shit loads of noise and reminds me how my diff mount needs replacing. I thought it would make the car snappy, it hasn't, it's more predictable and feels safer, in a drift it's superb, very adjustable aside from the fact I don't have enough power to exploit it 99% of the time.

It cost me £30 to do it, but I think there are going to be more bills creeping up, since it's now making a nice "whooshy" bearing noise... Also, I was reminded how hard it is on CV joints etc at low speeds, my car is tough and over engineered so I don't think it'll be a major problem, but I have no idea how tough stock S13 bits are. I'm going to ignore the fact my car now sounds like a banger and just drive it on the whooshy diff, if it ever goes pop then I have RAC recovery to sort me out. :) I'm not really worried about anything else failing though, since I know of cars with stock cvs, shafts, etc running 600bhp++, I know of a later 5 running 870bhp on stock bits...

All in all, I'd give the diff a big thumbs up, 3-way MIG spec is the way to go on a budget. :thumbs: And even if the diff does die a premature death (well, it has done 150k) then I'll just get another open diff from a scrappy and away we go...!
 
At the moment my stock s13 diff performes well, im having fun drifting so it cant be that bad. I would love to try drifting an s13 with an expensive diff to see how much of a difference it would make.
I know wealded diffs work great but after hearing a few cars at andover with wealded diffs i dont think i could stand the noise driving it daily around town or in carparks. Probably the for expensive diffs with the low speed clonking, but I am tempted to put the s13 onto a trailer and only use it for drifting. would save on the insurance.
 
as i'm on a budget might thing about having my diff welded

what sort of noises does it make?

and am i gona kill my self when it rains? :D
 
mittomatto said:
nismo gt pro lsd = nothing else will do. trust me on this
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Post me yours then :D

obviously, but would a welded s13 (open diff) be better than
a s13 vlsd or a s14 vlsd?
 
IMHO Yes, a welded diff would be better than a pansy LSD.

From what I've driven I know I prefer my welded diff, since it kicks out predictably and easily. But bear in mind that I already know how to control the car sideways, maybe with inexperience and turbo shunt it might surprise you. I REALLY doubt it though.

Oh and bear in mind that I've only driven a VLSD for a couple of mins on an S14a, and it did feel good, I'll admit, but I think it would have felt bloody amazing with a proper locking diff. The other diffs I've driven have been low % clutch diffs.
 
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I'll post a more comprehensive reply in a bit, but in conjunction with a motorsports diff builder we have developed a 600% stiffer viscous LSD for the S14 200sx and it totally rocks for drifting :nod: cost is £400 exchange :)
 
James said:
I'll post a more comprehensive reply in a bit, but in conjunction with a motorsports diff builder we have developed a 600% stiffer viscous LSD for the S14 200sx and it totally rocks for drifting :nod: cost is £400 exchange :)
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i've read what you posted on sxoc about this and it sounds really good,

but..

for me £400 is not a option at the moment.
 
James said:
I'll post a more comprehensive reply in a bit, but in conjunction with a motorsports diff builder we have developed a 600% stiffer viscous LSD for the S14 200sx and it totally rocks for drifting :nod: cost is £400 exchange :)
Click to expand...


get them sorted for S13's then quick :p
 
yes S14 LSDs will fit an S13 :) I think you need to swap the S13 diff backplate over, but that's a fairly easy job. Oh, and you need to make sure you get the 2 big mounting bolts that hold the front of the diff to the car at the propshaft end, cos they're a funny length and a V fine thread you'll be hard pressed to find elsewhere....
 
Yeah it goers on easy. Ideally, swap the oil feed (or is it return) pipe on the top, use the S14 bolts as James says, swap the back plates and make sure when you buy the diff you also get the bushes for the front (big black top hat and cup arrangement. The S13 just bolts on with the hole diameter being the same size as the bolt shank. The S14 holes are about 40-50mm (which is why you need the bushes which take up the slack).

HTH
 
yeah im aware that the s14 diff fits the s13, but as its a swap deal I dont have an s14 diff to swap. thats why i am waiting for the s13 one :)
 
Carl said:
yeah im aware that the s14 diff fits the s13, but as its a swap deal I dont have an s14 diff to swap. thats why i am waiting for the s13 one :)
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See if they'll swap your S13 diff for an S14 diff? AFAIK they need an S13 diff to work from, its not know if they are exactly the same as S14 diffs internally.
 
Diff configuration makes a huge difference.

Ultimate all-rounder would be a 2-way aggressive locking diff with plenty of oversized clutch plates for durability and to hold torque. Bear in mind the costs though...very frequent oil changes, yearly rebuilds/plate renewal, bearing wear, final drive wear, precision set-up etc. KAAZ/Tomei are the best for the money on an AE86.

If cost is a major issue, then an ARC/TIG/MIG spec 3-way 100% locker is the way sideways. You know where you stand with one of these puppies and consistencey is unrivalled. Also cheap and like Ben says, you can have a stack in the garage all welded-up and ready to go on. A welded diff IS harder on everything though; CV's, transmission, clutch etc all take more of a beating, so best add some of those to the stock-pile as well. Even if the car is over-engineered for more power, the hi-torque low speed load-ups will wear everything much quicker.

Stock LSD's vary dependent on condition. I have had an AE86 with a nice firm locking stock LSD with over 180k on it, then another axle with 70k that doesn't want to lock at all. Best by far though was the KAAZ 2-way...almost like a welded diff with an automatic on-off switch when you wanted it.

I'd prefer welded over viscous since a V-LSD is almost like an openly gay diff that's still in the closet...doesn't know what it wants to be, especially when it gets hot.
 
Can anybody tell me if kaaz diffs are any good. found some really cheap like £450. if they are any good. i would consider buying one. in fact i don't mind being the guinea pig as ling as no one has been told that they are complete W**K
 
Kaaz diffs are excellent. infact anything with 10+ clutch plates in is excellent:) for the type of drifting done in the UK there is absolutely NOTHING to choose between most mechanical LSD's except cost and availability, for £450 you can't go wrong!
 
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