901 Locked Differential, How does it feel to drive? Options

[nine14cats]

In the course of my travels I have come across a fresh 901 box with a locked diff in it. I had asked in a previous thread about the merits of an open vs 40% vs 80%. What the diff in a locked diff vs the 80%?

I could get this one for a pretty good price. Maybe it's worth it to have a spare transaxle laying around....

Help me understand.

Thanks,

Bill

[FEF]

If you ask a "rock crawler" what a "locked diff" was, he's say it's spooled. There's a big difference between any kind of limmited slip and a spool.

I've driven an early bronco with a spooled rear, on the streets, for many years. I didn't run into issues untill ice and snow come to play.

With that said... Lets say that the 914 could take the punishment of a spool, just for kicks. In that case you'd experiance such things as hopping, wheel chirping, and a nasty understeer condition in parking lots. You will likely gain the attention of cops while in gas stations due to the chirping and such.

Oh... but the 914 is a lot lighter. You may not get the hopping and chirping, but there will be a lot of slipping going on. I know a CJ5 will hop and chirp.

I'd be more worried about the axles

[Brad Roberts]

Bill... you dont want a locked diff for autoX. I even question whether or not you want a locked diff with anything less than 300hp on the big track.

Oh.. I'll give you 2-3 welded 901 diffs if you want to try one. They are collecting dust up here at my place.


B

[nine14cats]

thanks B,

80% will be okay for Auto-x? I'm trying to balance both parking lots and tracks....I want the LSD to be of help to my times in both.

Bill

[Brad Roberts]

80% is fine.. you'll drive around the understeer and figure it out quickly.



B

[brant]

Brad,
your gonna hate this.. but...
I've ran a locked diff for the last 2 years.
I would not recommend it on autox...

There is some chirping, and A LOT of readjustment.
I had to learn quite a different style.
I would only use it on bigger tracks, its a bi***
in the tight stuff. On hair pins, I have to ralley style through the corners and literally throw it into a slight slide and catch it at the apex...

My times show an improvement, but it took 10 ten track days to get there.

Bill.. who has a box for sale with one. I'm interested in a spare if the price is good?

brant

[Brad Roberts]

No No.. I dont dont disagree with them. I just dont want people with 110hp 2.0 cars thinking they can use a locked diff. The tube frame cars will have WEVO spools in them sooner or later.



B

[brant]

Oh, I forgot to add:
You don't want to drive one on a track with rain or sand or anything that reduces traction.


brant

[nine14cats]

Brant,

thanks for the info. my car has about 250HP in it...so it's not too underpowered and it's a full time track car....I'm trying to improve my times in both auto-x and track. everyone's right that you can't ultimately tune your car for both, but I can tell you that the car is doing very well in both....so I am continually looking to provide the best compromise between the 2.

I'm hoping that the 80% LSD will drop my times in both auto-x and track events...

As it is...right now I'm spinning the wheels way too much....of course, it could be the driver... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

Bill

[Dave_Darling]

Yeah, could be that...

I've ridden in a track-car 914 that was autoXing with a welded diff. Push-monster from hell!!! Brant is not exaggerating one tiny bit when he talks about having to throw the car sideways and dirt-track it through the corners. Because if you don't do that, the car simply will not turn!! (OK, that's a small exaggeration. But only a small one.)

--DD