Jack W. Drews wrote:
> I have a very specific question regarding experience that others may have
> had with diff lube.
>
> I run a Quaiffe, which is a Torsen type limited slip. I am considering
> changing my diff lube from a synthetic of another brand to Red Line. Has
> anyone else with a Quaiffe run Red Line? If so, have you noticed any
> deterioration in performance (not that it's anything to brag about anyway)?
>
> Thanks in advance
Over the years I've set up a number of Quaiffe and Gleason diffs. In all
but a few of them I've used RedLine Shockproof. In the others I've used
RedLine's NS gear lube to "get the LSD to lock up a bit harder" (drivers
choice not mine) :-) The LSD additive in Shockproof and the standard
RedLine Gear lubes (ie not the NS stuff) does have an effect on the
lockup characteristics of the gear drive LSDs as well as the clutch
types, though it is not nearly as noticeable. Basically the LSD additive
is a friction modifier to reduce the fluid's coefficient of friction.
This makes the clutches (or shims/side plates in the worm gear types)
lock up more slowly and smoothly. Without this additive you get better
lock up, more quickly, but you can also get a jerking and even a judder
as the clutches lock briefly then slip again in a repeating pattern. The
additive controls the judder and slows the lock up. Most people think
the additive makes the oil a better lubricant, but it doesn't. Oil with
the additive will not protect against wear any better than that without.
BTW there are some noteworthy differences in the way the Quaiffe and the
Gleason Worm gear LSDs work, they are not the same thing with a
different name. Similar yes, but not identical. I wrote an article for
GRM magazine (don't remember if it was still AutoX at that point or had
made the change to GRM) on how LSDs work, and in researching that I got
an earful from Gleason about the differences between the two worm gear
LSDs. I felt at the time that the Gleason was marginally the better of
the two, but they were pretty much out of the aftermarket by that time.
Curiously, they took a big interest in the article. They paid for
several ads, and applied significant pressure on the staff at GRM to
pretty much eliminate the name Quaiffe from the article. They even got
them to rewrite my conclusion, which was the worm gear style LSDs were
probably the best overall LSDs on the market at the time. In the final
version my conclusion read Gleason was the best LSD on the market.
Ah the glamor of being a magazine writer, you open your mouth and
someone shoves words in it. :-)
--
Marc Sayer
Journalist, Photographer, Dog Trainer (APDT member #062956)
Passions -
Great Danes, auto racing and fast cars, my wife
Dogs -
Gracie, Tank, Delilah, PJ, & the rescue dogs
Cars -
82 280ZX Turbo, 83 Volvo 245, 93 Ford E150 Tow/dog van
71 510 Trans Am vintage racer, homebuilt Formula V
My Homepage - http://gracieland.org
Deaf Dane Rescue Homepge - http://gracieland.org/DaneRescue/
Any Dane at the races is a Great Dane!
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