DIY Lock diff

[EGG80X]

Hey guys, I was sitting in the garage changing the diff oil and looked at the welder


anyone done a diy lock diff? wot are the adv and disadv of a lock diff (another then laying two nice black lines)?

[AJ]

don't do it egg

[Babalouie]

Nooo....don't do it. U-turns will cause you to wince as your rear end winds up, shudders and your CV joints make snapping noises (even if they don't actually snap). You will be able to feel the drag from the axles fighting eash other and you will actually notice that you need more throttle to keep the car rolling around tight, slow corners.

Corner entries will be in a welter of understeer unless you are really up it and are trailbraking into the corner (and I'm talking about 5/10ths speed). Transition from understeer to oversteer will be in an eyeblink, and in the wet it's easy to spin the car accidentally if you are not paying attention...even at walking pace.

Race cars get away with it because they run super sticky tyres and are never dríven at anything less than full comittment. Locked diffs are one reason why hardcore race cars are really bitchy and twitchy when dríven at 5/10ths on cold tyres.

[Curly]

Ah, the ol' CIG locker...

We've thought about doing it to our autocross Hyundai, but apparently they're a real bitch to drive. Plus you lose any semblence of streetability. And to be honest, our 62kw isn't enough to make it worthwhile.

Definitely not a good idea on anything that is dríven on the road.

[jolt]

Don't do it Kelvin.

My Cusco Type RS LSD was wound up pretty damn tight when it was first installed, so tight that I cracked the cast diff spacer!! ... twice!! As soon as the steering wheel was slightly off dead straight and there was any throttle input, it would lock up tight, so I guess I have an idea of what a locked/welded diff would be like, but really, I can still only imagine how intolerable a locked diff would be for a daily driver.

Remember I only drive my car a couple of times a week and even I have ended up recently getting it backed off even further. It's now really easy to live with and still locks up nice and tight when it needs to. I still get the inside wheel chirping a little every now and then on a tight corner and especially on roundabouts but that's ok.

I hope that helps
Rod

[Boyracer]

Like everyone else says,definately not for a road car...not a problem for race car.

I have had many welded lockers over the years...even had one in my Suzuki Swift GTI...the steering was heavier than a truck but it handled like a ripper.

Most of the MX5 race cars run either welded lockers or spool.

[EGG80X]

Thanks guys

So close going to the wreck and buy myself a spare diff and hack into it