What you say is true, there are no springs or clutch plates; but there are
(according to the manual) a group of 5 steel spring washers located at the
centre of the diff, pretensioning the output gears.
In front wheel drive applications (Cooper S) we usually lift the rear wheels
so free wheeling isn't a concern. What I've found beneficial is that it
doesn't induce power-on understeer like some other LSDs, torque steer is
noticeable but it possibly results more from of the Mini's variation in drive
shaft length than the diff itself.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: barneymg@ntsource.com
To: Stephen Schmidt ; Mike Denman
Cc: british-cars@autox.team.net
Sent: Saturday, 29 December 2001 11:59
Subject: Re: Limited slop differentials
At 07:46 PM 12/29/01 +1100, Stephen Schmidt wrote:
I've been running one in my Cooper 'S' Historic racer .... It's lost a bit
of tension since it was first installed .... The tension is applied by a
couple of spring steel cup washers in the centre of the unit, They can fairly
easily be replaced.
....
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Denman" <mikedenman@earthlink.net>
....
> Has anyone had any first hand experience with the Quaife limited slip
differential? I am thinking about putting one in my Marcos and would like to
hear any thoughts as to their durability, any additional noise they make
etc.
Wait a minute. The Quaife differential is all gear drive and no springs or
clutch plates involved. Check here:
http://www.quaifeamerica.com
They say, "The Quaife Differential powers both drive wheels under nearly all
conditions, instead of just one.
The trick word here is "nearly". I believe the one possible problem with
this unit is if you should happen to get one of the drive wheels completely
off the ground, then this unit can suddenly free wheel much like a standard
open differential. But under all other circumstances it should be absolutely
wounderful for traction distribution. I personally lust after one of these
units, and the only reason I haven't installed one in my MGA is because it
would throw my car out of Stock class for SCCA autocross. Since I installed
the 7/8" front sway bar on my MGA it doesn't lift the rear wheel any more, so
that excuse is gone.
Then from this page:
http://www.quaife.co.uk/index2.htm
"The QUAIFE is extremely strong and durable and since the Quaife is gear
operated, it has no plates or clutches that can wear out and need costly
replacement.
The QUAIFE is great for street driving or racing. Racers don't have to put
up with locking mechanisms or spools that tear the steering wheel out of their
hands when cornering. Because it behaves like an open differential during
ordinary driving, street drivers will have trouble telling it's there until
pushing the cars limits."
And there are some cutaway drawings showing the arrangement of the internal
gearing. This stuff will look strange to those used to seeing bevel gears in
the differential. The way it works is almost a miracle to comprehend, and
they don't explain it on the Quaife web site. I don't think there's enough
band width here to convincingly explain it to everyone in simple words, but in
general if you understand that a worm gear cannot backdrive because of the
angle of the gear teeth and internal friction properties, you would be well on
the way to understanding the operating principals of the Quaife differential.
IMHO, if you have a use for it, and you don't mind the price tag, this is
the one to have.
$.02,
Barney Gaylord
1958 MGA with an attitude
http://www.ntsource.com/~barneymg
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