Opinions please- front LSD on IFS vehicle

[lax2wlg]

Vehicle currently has Lockrite rear/open front. On parts shelf is a tight LSD that would fit the front.

I have 2x ARB lockers. Intention was to put one in the front and sell the other.But a guy has offered me good $$ for both lockers as he wants to twin lock his MK Patrol.

Question - is a front LSD on an IFS rig a waste of time? ie the purpose of the locker was to overcome poor wheel travel... but half of me thinks that locked rear/LSD front will get me as far as I need.

Mostly Rocks (yep IFS z ok),high traction,low speed

Cheers

[Crash bandicoot]

i have a LSD in the front of my mistral,
1 it crabs occasionally when driven on road(maybe because of the auto hub LSD combination, it is rather tight.)
2 make sure you have some spare front drive shafts.

other wise yes. with a LSD front when you get stuck you really get stuck so a winch ain't a bad idea either

[lax2wlg]

Cheers crash good feedback. You have LSD rear too??

Got me thinking, does it act like an auto locker?

I would have thought that LSD would be easier on the axles because of its progressive windup. But in any case, yep, 2x CV axles in the trail spares bin!

[Crash bandicoot]

yeah LSD back and front.

when your driving on rocks etc it may be progressive but when when one wheel lifts off the ground that progressive locking happens pretty quick shocking the front drive line. mine was from a GTS-T skyline, a cusco 2 way diff head which is performance orientated anyway so i don't know if a standard LSD would lock up as fast.

[lax2wlg]

So you can lift a wheel, ie no resistance, and the LSD keeps working? I'm guessing yours is an R200 too so we're in the same park.

[slide]

2way diff is (IMO) more like a auto locker than an lsd. They are a very aggressive lsd by design, will open up with no load on a spinning wheel, but only a slight load on that wheel and will lock up, offering near 50/50 power split (and stay in locked state until engine torque removed). How do I know? By having a nismo brand r200 in my s13. How did you get yours to fit Crash? Are cusco 30spline? Nismo use 31 spline (and come with their own half stubs for r200), so not compatible for r200a stubs. I'd considered use of one in my front, but thought might be a bit aggressive, and expensive. I've used just a clutch pack type, and its working ok so far. Havn't really done much in 4x4 with it yet tho. But in normal driving (gravel, grass gentle tracks) hasn't loaded up steering, or made any more prone to understeer.
Time will tell how much to shim it up to get it optimal.
Cheers,
Nath

[Crash bandicoot]

2way diff is (IMO) more like a auto locker than an lsd. They are a very aggressive lsd by design, will open up with no load on a spinning wheel, but only a slight load on that wheel and will lock up, offering near 50/50 power split (and stay in locked state until engine torque removed). How do I know? By having a nismo brand r200 in my s13. How did you get yours to fit Crash? Are cusco 30spline? Nismo use 31 spline (and come with their own half stubs for r200), so not compatible for r200a stubs. I'd considered use of one in my front, but thought might be a bit aggressive, and expensive. I've used just a clutch pack type, and its working ok so far. Havn't really done much in 4x4 with it yet tho. But in normal driving (gravel, grass gentle tracks) hasn't loaded up steering, or made any more prone to understeer.
Time will tell how much to shim it up to get it optimal.
Cheers,
Nath

I have found it doesn't under steer but does wear the edges of the front tires prematurely. It has only done it since the front diff exploded reversing out of a river. so I have put it down to that.

I used to drag race so had a lot of driveline bits laying around

the trick is 300zx inner axles exact match to the cusco diff and R200a housing. Some v6 pathfinder's and gts4 skylines also have the same tripod joint.

We beefed up the diffs and axles with the plan being to wait for the engine to die,as i have a GTS4 trans and rb25det to go in it, the only thing I have to investigate is if the mistrals transfer case will be an exact match to the GTS4 auto trans.

[lax2wlg]

It has only done it since the front diff exploded reversing out of a river.

Shieste was it the center or R&P that failed? If it was the center then thats a tick in the ARB column

2way diff is (IMO) more like a auto locker than an lsd. They are a very aggressive lsd by design, will open up with no load on a spinning wheel, but only a slight load on that wheel and will lock up, offering near 50/50 power split (and stay in locked state until engine torque removed).

Interesting cheers... mines from a Z31 Hot-lady, is that a 2way?

From what you guys are saying I'm thinking selectable locker is the way, keep front driveline bind/stress to an absolute minimum and only put extra force on it when absolutely necessary.

Just for fun I tried fitting the LSD center into the WD21 R200 case and it went in like a glove, real tempted to just throw it in and see what its like.
Do you need a case spreader to set side gear backlash or just reaalll thin shims???

[slide]

Wow, you did good finding a z31 lsd! They seem to be rather rare. No, they are clutch pack type, but quite different to nismo etc 2way. I've been lucky with using the original shims (ie use the r200a shims) with new centre, and had perfect backlash/preload. Seems Nissans done a real good job of making all the r200 centres the exact same width/offset.
My suggestion, fit up LSD, and try that. If you don't like then either shim it up tighter, or remove and fit locker. Would depend how long the guy would wait for your locker...
My preference would be locker, but funds don't go anywhere near that Oh to have disposable income again...

[sibainmud]

^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^

[lax2wlg]

Excellent cheers, yes its money that could be spent on other wicked mods...

Never studied LSD,interesting stuff. Was in the rear of the truck when I got it. But in terms of conventional diff setup, side bearing settings were all wrong and there was a lot of backlash. I've been playing around with different shims to dial in more preload, now at factory specs which is encouraging.

Thinking about shimming/maintenance now..Nath with your R200 swap, is there enough crawl space to access the front cover and pull the diff centre with the carrier still in place?

Or would you have to pull the whole lot out ?

[slide]

is there enough crawl space to access the front cover and pull the diff centre with the carrier still in place?

Or would you have to pull the whole lot out ?

Um, good question. I think I'd have to try to know. My thoughts are as axles have to be pulled out sideways to allow centre to come out, I think It'd be more an issue of getting CV shafts out of way to allow stub axles to move enough, rather than to take hat off and centre out.

[lax2wlg]

My suggestion, fit up LSD, and try that. If you don't like then either shim it up tighter, or remove.

Know what? Thats exactly what I'm going to do.

No point making it any harder than it is.

The threaded insert for the stub axle... not there on mine though. As I say I dont know much about LSDs but after doing some research it looks like it could be from a 720 C200 rear, not a Z31. Definately a clutch-pack type but the previous owner could have bullsh*tted me there. Worked well when it was in the back though.