Is the lsd worth it?

[MarcJ]

Getting ready to buy a KLZE and wondering if the lsd worth it? It seems like a number of suppliers have them. I have read that you need the jspec cv-axle because the splines are different. Anyone have a source for the cv-axles? Is that the only issue with the lsd?

Thanks for the help,
Marc

[Spydie]

look for Luc St.Piers GSR page. He wrote a review on the LSD he bought. Last time I read up on it he said it sucked.

[IanL]

As I understand it, the purpose of the LSD is to help when racing round a track with tight bends, It helps when a drive wheel lifts. That won't be too often for most of us, I suspect.

[Tyler17rose]

A LSD drives both wheels around a turn. Which keeps the power to the ground compared to the open diff's we have. The LSD also helps on launches. Driving both wheels.

[Spydie]

Lucs Phantom Grip review

[TsiMiata]

Don't confuse the phantom grip with the jspec LSD tranny. Two completely different animals.

[Gro Harlem]

Yup, luc's review isn't really saying much about LSD's since a phantom grip is NOT a true LSD.

First let's describe an open differnetial.

Our cars have this as do most other cars on the market. In an open differential, whichever wheel is easier to spin will spin....power is NOT distributed evenly between each of the driven wheels.

This is why you see all these RWD pick-up trucks doing one-wheel burnouts. IF you have ever driven in the snow, you'd also notice that one of your wheels will spin on ice when the other is on pavement.

Limited-slip differential:

Not exactly sure how it technically works but I know that LSD's distribute power much more evenly among each of the driven wheels. I am not sure if the power is always distributed 50/50, but it never will go to 100/0 like with an open differential. I think it might vary between 50/50 to 60/40 at the most, but again, i'm not sure.

Limited slips wll allow your car to power out of corners much faster than an open-diff car. WHy? Because when you are cornering hard...the wheel on the inside is going to lose grip since the car is leaning the opposite direction..less contact patch means the open-diff in your car is going to transmit more power to the wheel on the outside of the turn meaning your acceleration is going to suffer.

Locked-differential:

A Phantom grip is this kind of differential, although it can still "slip" under certain conditions (like driving in snow). It is designed to do this, however. The PG basically locks both axles in place with a metal block and some springs which put pressue on the spider gears. The problem with the PG is the fact that it IS designed to slip under some conditions. I personally don't think it is a peice of ****. There are different springs you can buy for it, the ones that come with it from the box are CRAP and aren't sufficient to hold up to doing burnouts. If you want the PG to work for you, get the high stregnth springs which wlil lock your wheels up more effectively. At about $270, this is a great alternative to a true LSD which will cost you at least $700 new.

As for the LSD in the KLZE transmission...you do realize you'll need to swap out axles in favor of the stranger ones that that LSD transmission uses....and I think i read you will need the hubs as well since the splines in them don't match. Also....these axles are NOT available on any car in the US so if they break you are basically screwed. Personally, I wouldn't waste my time with it and buy the Tochigi-Fuji LSD (about $660) instead seeing how its the cheaper of the two available for our transmission.

[Spydie]

before you all think I'm a moron I had meant to say the Phantom Grip wasn't a true LSD but I'm not always inclined to include every little detail.
it is, as gro stated, a rather inexpensive alternative

<small>[ November 26, 2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: Darren Hyderman ]</small>

[Jack_Frost]

The LSD is soooo nice!

Driving another klze, it loves to pull left (as the axle is shorter)

With mine (with the exception of a bad alignment) she pulls straight and hard, a wonderful device!

We had to drill out the holes on the stub axle on the passenger side...that was interesting to say the least, but it's worked now for close to 8 months, so I have no complaints!

Not sure if it's worth the $$ for some of you, but for me, especially with the power of the ze, it's $$ well spent.

<small>[ November 27, 2003, 02:13 PM: Message edited by: Jack_Frost ]</small>

[GuidoBiRiChiNo]

Gro... what's a "Tochigi-Fuji"??
Where can I read something on it?