Limited Slip Diff
12-26-2006, 07:32 PM
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Limited Slip Diff
I just read an article on the Cobalt SS/SC on the internet. The tester (forget which magazine it was) stated that without the limited slip diff, the handling of the car was compromised dramatically. I am thinking about buying a cobalt but not sure if i should drop the 1500 canadian on the limited slip. I do plan on adding stage 2 - which makes me think it is a good idea. Not to mention other high-horsepower, FWD cars, include it as standard - i.e. Mazda 3 speed. What do you guys think??
12-26-2006, 08:26 PM
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Originally Posted by BravoPuma6
it helps with braking, straight lineand twisties. if u dont get it know your gonna wish you did. im glad i got it!
*scratches head*
12-26-2006, 08:30 PM
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Get it..The vehicles with the LSD have also been known to have less problems. Better for the differentials to be putting the power to both wheels instead of just one.
12-26-2006, 08:32 PM
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i shelled out the extra 1500...... now i just gotta wait for my car to get here 
its been ordered since nov 16th..... and i think every day i go greyer and greyer
its been ordered since nov 16th..... and i think every day i go greyer and greyer
12-26-2006, 08:33 PM
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It can help in daily driving...like when you need to make a right turn on a slippery road and your inside wheel spins and you don't move and the car thats coming at you is goin way too fast....this s a norm fr me when i leave in the morning. I think there's oil on the road.
12-26-2006, 10:18 PM
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Combined with the recaros it is definately worth the 1500 bucks, but on a 19-20K dollar car, it can really jack the price up after taxes. Especially if you get other options like XM, sunroof, side airbags, etc.
It is actually a rather heated debate regarding its helpfullness at the drag strip, but everyone unaminously agrees that if your gonna be doing auto-cross or road track racing of any kind then its a must-have.
If you want the cheapest quartermile time for the least amount of money, then don't worry about it and save that 1500 bucks for stage 2 + exhaust.
It is actually a rather heated debate regarding its helpfullness at the drag strip, but everyone unaminously agrees that if your gonna be doing auto-cross or road track racing of any kind then its a must-have.
If you want the cheapest quartermile time for the least amount of money, then don't worry about it and save that 1500 bucks for stage 2 + exhaust.
12-26-2006, 10:28 PM
#12
Trust me, I was worried about not being able to find a non-g85 balt around here as there are basically none. Well after having one w/o LSD i don't regret it at all, I never have problems without an lsd, straight line launching = exactly the same. LSD only helps when a wheel slips due to lateral forces, LSD does not help on a straight, end of debate!
12-26-2006, 10:38 PM
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I'll back BOOSTBALT up on that one, Unless you are spinning the tires while turning the lsd really dosen't do that much. I have an eaton LSD on my '78 monte. for a RWD 300+ hp car its fun to have it for when you are doing a burn out and the car walks to one side. That however is NOT cool when its your front Wheels sliding off to the right when your trying to launch! Not that its not worth getting, but you don't need one in a FWD car to be happy.
Don't trust everything u read, drive everything you trust.
Don't trust everything u read, drive everything you trust.
12-26-2006, 11:54 PM
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THE LSD IS NOT FOR STRAIGHT LINE ACCELLERATION!!!!..... think about it..... what does an lsd do? (if u dont know, go read up)
i do not have an lsd. and i really wish i had one. for anyone without an lsd: go take a turn right at the cars limits. when the car starts to understeer a bit, touch the throttle slightly. guess what happens? both tires light up and you are on ski's in the opposite direction you want to go.
get the lsd. it is worth it (especially in a fwd car). and if you drive on snow all winter season, that is even more reason to have and lsd. my 2 cents
i do not have an lsd. and i really wish i had one. for anyone without an lsd: go take a turn right at the cars limits. when the car starts to understeer a bit, touch the throttle slightly. guess what happens? both tires light up and you are on ski's in the opposite direction you want to go.
get the lsd. it is worth it (especially in a fwd car). and if you drive on snow all winter season, that is even more reason to have and lsd. my 2 cents
12-27-2006, 05:46 AM
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12-27-2006, 12:07 PM
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For those saying limited slip not being equipped compromises the handling are FOS. If you were ***** to the wall through turns like I often am and both of your tires started to spin you would be in the ditch in no time - high speed cornering is better without a limited slip IMO because you can put the power down without dragging the car out of line. But then there is the other side of that not moving part when you make a right hand turn, I get that a lot too.
The limited slip probably has more pros then cons, if you are building a high horsepower straight line monster then it's something you will be glad you bought but if you plan on taking some twisties you'll have to be careful.
The limited slip probably has more pros then cons, if you are building a high horsepower straight line monster then it's something you will be glad you bought but if you plan on taking some twisties you'll have to be careful.
12-27-2006, 12:25 PM
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Imaginary force...
Just an observation. If you are driving a car at the limits of the vehicle and take a hard turn. In a front wheel drive car you do NOT power through a turn. You hit the power as you come to the end of a turn and start to straighten out.
If you are trying to power through a hard turn in a front wheel drive car you are asking to go off of the road in a big way.
Limited slip differential is just for acceleration while turning. Pulling out into traffic and that sort of thing. And it will save you money on tires if you live in a city where you need to do that on a regular basis.
Just something to keep in mind.
Just an observation. If you are driving a car at the limits of the vehicle and take a hard turn. In a front wheel drive car you do NOT power through a turn. You hit the power as you come to the end of a turn and start to straighten out.
If you are trying to power through a hard turn in a front wheel drive car you are asking to go off of the road in a big way.
Limited slip differential is just for acceleration while turning. Pulling out into traffic and that sort of thing. And it will save you money on tires if you live in a city where you need to do that on a regular basis.
Just something to keep in mind.
12-27-2006, 12:38 PM
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i dont have one ... look at my mods ... 24k miles later ... still on the same stock day one tires with plenty of tread left ... dont auto x ... don't show boat ... don't peel out ... lsd not needed ... wish I had it? ... yes ... sad I don't? ... nope
12-27-2006, 01:11 PM
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You know, the best thing for the OP to do is research and see for himself. Maybe he should test drive both the non-lsd AND the LSD equipped Balts in order to see which one is most necessary. Also...this isn't just ANY LSD, it's a Quaife LSD. Some stock LSD's are designed to distribute power evenly, others are designed to bias power only through turns. Then there are open differentials which bias the power to the least resistance, which means your open differential sends the majority of the power to the tire that bears the least amount of traction, which inevitably makes for a longer life on your axles since your tires never hook perfectly, theoretically...
Those of you saying that your LSD makes no difference in a straight line, and/or turns...your wrong..and Quaife America has my back when I say this. The Quaife ATB LSD (which is what you knuckleheads are using in the Balt) is infact capable of benefitting both straight line from a dig traction AND through the curves. That is why it is $1500, and it can handle upwards of 800hp, easily.
From a dig- The power is distributed 50/50, resulting in nearly twice the traction you would initially receive without it...and just because your non-lsd car doesn't have serious torque steer doesn't mean your tires aren't losing traction.
In the curves- Obviously the LSD will bias power to the outside tire depending upon which way your turning. As a result, the car "whips" through the curve with minimal tire spin from the inner wheel.
So those of you who have it say it does nothing..your probably wrong, otherwise GM wouldn't have it as an option. Duh. And those without it who say they see no performance difference with those who have it...well, the LSD equipped Balt drivers that YOU are hanging around obviously don't know how to use it, cause they SHOULD eat you up.
Your also supposed to break the LSD in, or else it might not work properly. Doing figure 8's in 1st gear 15mph for about 30 minutes will do the trick.
Adam
My authority on the subject is the fact that I've known about and used this same LSD long before the Balt came out. The only difference between the LSD used on the Balt and the ones found in the aftermarket is that you guys pay another 600 bucks for the same product through the dealer.
Those of you saying that your LSD makes no difference in a straight line, and/or turns...your wrong..and Quaife America has my back when I say this. The Quaife ATB LSD (which is what you knuckleheads are using in the Balt) is infact capable of benefitting both straight line from a dig traction AND through the curves. That is why it is $1500, and it can handle upwards of 800hp, easily.
From a dig- The power is distributed 50/50, resulting in nearly twice the traction you would initially receive without it...and just because your non-lsd car doesn't have serious torque steer doesn't mean your tires aren't losing traction.
In the curves- Obviously the LSD will bias power to the outside tire depending upon which way your turning. As a result, the car "whips" through the curve with minimal tire spin from the inner wheel.
So those of you who have it say it does nothing..your probably wrong, otherwise GM wouldn't have it as an option. Duh. And those without it who say they see no performance difference with those who have it...well, the LSD equipped Balt drivers that YOU are hanging around obviously don't know how to use it, cause they SHOULD eat you up.
Your also supposed to break the LSD in, or else it might not work properly. Doing figure 8's in 1st gear 15mph for about 30 minutes will do the trick.
Adam
My authority on the subject is the fact that I've known about and used this same LSD long before the Balt came out. The only difference between the LSD used on the Balt and the ones found in the aftermarket is that you guys pay another 600 bucks for the same product through the dealer.
12-27-2006, 01:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Fueledpassion
You know, the best thing for the OP to do is research and see for himself. Maybe he should test drive both the non-lsd AND the LSD equipped Balts in order to see which one is most necessary. Also...this isn't just ANY LSD, it's a Quaife LSD. Some stock LSD's are designed to distribute power evenly, others are designed to bias power only through turns. Then there are open differentials which bias the power to the least resistance, which means your open differential sends the majority of the power to the tire that bears the least amount of traction, which inevitably makes for a longer life on your axles since your tires never hook perfectly, theoretically...
Those of you saying that your LSD makes no difference in a straight line, and/or turns...your wrong..and Quaife America has my back when I say this. The Quaife ATB LSD (which is what you knuckleheads are using in the Balt) is infact capable of benefitting both straight line from a dig traction AND through the curves. That is why it is $1500, and it can handle upwards of 800hp, easily.
From a dig- The power is distributed 50/50, resulting in nearly twice the traction you would initially receive without it...and just because your non-lsd car doesn't have serious torque steer doesn't mean your tires aren't losing traction.
In the curves- Obviously the LSD will bias power to the outside tire depending upon which way your turning. As a result, the car "whips" through the curve with minimal tire spin from the inner wheel.
So those of you who have it say it does nothing..your probably wrong, otherwise GM wouldn't have it as an option. Duh. And those without it who say they see no performance difference with those who have it...well, the LSD equipped Balt drivers that YOU are hanging around obviously don't know how to use it, cause they SHOULD eat you up.
Your also supposed to break the LSD in, or else it might not work properly. Doing figure 8's in 1st gear 15mph for about 30 minutes will do the trick.
Adam
My authority on the subject is the fact that I've known about and used this same LSD long before the Balt came out. The only difference between the LSD used on the Balt and the ones found in the aftermarket is that you guys pay another 600 bucks for the same product through the dealer.
Those of you saying that your LSD makes no difference in a straight line, and/or turns...your wrong..and Quaife America has my back when I say this. The Quaife ATB LSD (which is what you knuckleheads are using in the Balt) is infact capable of benefitting both straight line from a dig traction AND through the curves. That is why it is $1500, and it can handle upwards of 800hp, easily.
From a dig- The power is distributed 50/50, resulting in nearly twice the traction you would initially receive without it...and just because your non-lsd car doesn't have serious torque steer doesn't mean your tires aren't losing traction.
In the curves- Obviously the LSD will bias power to the outside tire depending upon which way your turning. As a result, the car "whips" through the curve with minimal tire spin from the inner wheel.
So those of you who have it say it does nothing..your probably wrong, otherwise GM wouldn't have it as an option. Duh. And those without it who say they see no performance difference with those who have it...well, the LSD equipped Balt drivers that YOU are hanging around obviously don't know how to use it, cause they SHOULD eat you up.
Your also supposed to break the LSD in, or else it might not work properly. Doing figure 8's in 1st gear 15mph for about 30 minutes will do the trick.
Adam
My authority on the subject is the fact that I've known about and used this same LSD long before the Balt came out. The only difference between the LSD used on the Balt and the ones found in the aftermarket is that you guys pay another 600 bucks for the same product through the dealer.
12-27-2006, 02:16 PM
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I meant that typically most FWD Quaife's are between $850-$1200, depending upon application. Only the higher end vehicles are $1500 aftermarket, like BMW's, Vette's and cars like that. Unfortunately for Balt's, atleast right now, Quaife signed a contract w/ GM to supply these as the option, which explains the rather high price. Even more unfortunate, other competing LSD manufacturers refuse to make a line for Balt's since there is already a really good LSD from factory as an option which should NEVER have to be upgraded. I'm only stating that other cars that do not have LSD packages like a Honda, for instance will spend much less on the product itself, since there is a high demand for the product. GM however, has control over this particular product since the leading company for LSD's MUST supply to GM. In other words, Quaife cannot sell independently to another company that same product, and competing companies cannot compete w/ something if it already comes on the car from factory with no legitimate reason to swap LSD's. Therefore, GM can sell these options for $1500, IF you buy it already equipped. It's a great deal if you ask me, but it's not so great of a deal if you buy the car, then purchase the LSD later and have it installed.
12-27-2006, 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Fueledpassion
I meant that typically most FWD Quaife's are between $850-$1200, depending upon application. Only the higher end vehicles are $1500 aftermarket, like BMW's, Vette's and cars like that. Unfortunately for Balt's, atleast right now, Quaife signed a contract w/ GM to supply these as the option, which explains the rather high price. Even more unfortunate, other competing LSD manufacturers refuse to make a line for Balt's since there is already a really good LSD from factory as an option which should NEVER have to be upgraded. I'm only stating that other cars that do not have LSD packages like a Honda, for instance will spend much less on the product itself, since there is a high demand for the product. GM however, has control over this particular product since the leading company for LSD's MUST supply to GM. In other words, Quaife cannot sell independently to another company that same product, and competing companies cannot compete w/ something if it already comes on the car from factory with no legitimate reason to swap LSD's. Therefore, GM can sell these options for $1500, IF you buy it already equipped. It's a great deal if you ask me, but it's not so great of a deal if you buy the car, then purchase the LSD later and have it installed.
12-27-2006, 02:38 PM
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I had a ss/sc with out the LSD I traded it back in with 700 miles on it, I hated it the much the lsd helps Straight line it helps wheel hop it helps cornes you name it it dose it get you will never regret it.