54 replies to this topic

[minisi35]

Great to hear that I am not alone with this problem and you had the same problem. You really need arms like a gorilla and very quick reactions.

It is a Swiftune Tran-X MK6 LSD and it is a great improvement to the Salisbury but still...

I would really like to try the car without the LSD but that means engine out and so on. May be in summer if I can find some spare time. 

I have a 13" steering wheel, would you recommend to go to 14"? Seems to be too big. 

 

How can I check castor??? Is there any gauge on the market which is affordable and works?

I have the trakrite laser wheel alignment gauge and it works quite well

trackrite also do a camber gauge

http://www.gunson.co.uk/product/77066

[Mudhen]

Think it might be a result of the extremely short wheelbase?  I mean...no respectable rallycar these days has a wide open diff...

 

Pat

[rally1380]

Think it might be a result of the extremely short wheelbase?  I mean...no respectable rallycar these days has a wide open diff...

 

Pat

 

It's also a case of there are diffs......and there are diffs. Oldschool LSD's were famous for being a handful - I think the new generation of plated diffs are a different (pun intended) kettle of fish and are tuneable to the needs of the driver, the car specs and the discipline in question. A diff that suits a track car is totally different to that which suits a rally car.  Clive King won the Minisport Cup rally championship and certainly had one in his car.....and he was rapid.

 

So what I am saying is this - I don't think it's as simple as saying bin the diff and fit an open one.....I think there is certainly a place for a LSD in a rally mini, you just need to fit the right one and set the car up correctly.  I could be wrong of course....the wife thinks I am almost every day!

[nicklouse]

they are also a bit of a miss named product.

 

many are locked diffs that open when a certain force is applied across them.

 

I use a locking diff. easy on the slow paddock parts. and can push you on in corners when in the back of the car but in the front will just pull you round that corner.

[Lenhamracer]

Ok that sounds very understandable. I will take the LSD diff out  and will check how the car behaves.  I bought the car as a hillclimb car with the salisbury and converted it to rallying. Completely refurbished the cooper S engine / gearbox and bought the Tran-x LSD because I thought it might behave better. It definitely does but as said it is still hard to keep a straight line. I also had the same experience like Cooperman described this winter when doing a small rally in the German mountains. As soon as one wheel hitted loose surface / snow the car changes direction.

Before the Mini I always raced / rallied rwd cars and that is totally different - the LSD is so much fun here...

 

 

[nicklouse]

Get it on a 4 wheel set up rig first and get back with some numbers.

Caster
Camber
Toe
Set back

Let's see what your base is before you go taking it to bits.

[Lenhamracer]

ok might be hard to find one for a Mini, but worth a try before taking the engine out. People over here usually only do new / modern cars.

 

Would you recommend a standard diff? Or the minispares evolution cross pin?

[nicklouse]

ok might be hard to find one for a Mini, but worth a try before taking the engine out. People over here usually only do new / modern cars.
 
Would you recommend a standard diff? Or the minispares evolution cross pin?

Should not be an issue. I just took mine to my local and as it is on 13" no probs.

And yes in Germany.
But you need to have an idea of what settings you want if you are going to get them to make any adjustments.

Caster wants to be about standard.

[Cooperman]

ok might be hard to find one for a Mini, but worth a try before taking the engine out. People over here usually only do new / modern cars.

 

Would you recommend a standard diff? Or the minispares evolution cross pin?

 

On  my 1964 Cooper 'S' rally car I use a cross pin diff with a 3.9:1 FDR. This is within a SC CR gearbox and SC 1:1 drop gears.

 

Whilst I have driven quite a few competition Minis with different types of LSD, I have found that whilst they are great on smooth tracks, on rally roads, loose & tarmac, I can never feel comfortable driving at or near the absolute limit. Others may be comfortable and I guess it is part of your driving style. I like to keep the car flowing and smooth and I find that difficult with an LSD.

[rally1380]

ok might be hard to find one for a Mini, but worth a try before taking the engine out. People over here usually only do new / modern cars.

 

Would you recommend a standard diff? Or the minispares evolution cross pin?

 

There are other options........

 

Yes you could go for a 4 pin or x pin diff, but that is essentially just a strong open diff.

 

Have you considered a NXG Diff that MED sell? These are made by 3J driveline who used to be the guys who owned and ran Tran X. They set up this new company (3J) and designed this new diff and probably improved the Tran X design somewhat....this is the diff I will be buying if I do plump up the cash and buy one.

 

Tran X are now owned by Quaife, and talking about them, you might as well put an ATB on the table to consider also.  These Torsen style diffs are not LSD's by any means, but they are a clever bit of engineering and something to consider as a half way house between a plated diff and an open one.  How they behave with the way the mini shares it's oil between engine, gearbox and diff is anyone's guess, but I'm sure with regular oil changes (like we all do  ) all will be well.

 

I've done a little bit of research and yes I have heard horror stories of plated diffs throwing cars from hedge to hedge down lanes, but then I have heard contradicting stories too. I for one will not be discounting LSD's until I try one......and when I say try one, I mean try a new modern design that won't rip my arms out of it's sockets and allow me to put the power down properly and drive the car to it's full potential.  If the diff doesn't allow me to do that then I will admit defeat.

[GraemeC]

I run an ATB and find it really useful - fine road manners at normal speeds but does turn in quicker when pushed.  

On test based events the hardest part is trying to get wind the lock off when coming off 360s - the diff sucks you into the cone!

[MIGLIACARS]

I feel this one pal once the power is planted it pulls you off line for the next bend, Ive tried explaining this to people before, 

[Chris.Williams]

Well to be fair, I've never driven any car under the influence of LSD, but extremely nervous is a good way of putting it, paranoid even.....as for magic mushrooms.....🍄 Now that's a whole different thread.

Edited by Chris.Williams, 30 March 2017 - 10:55 AM.

[Lenhamracer]

May be the atb would have been an alternative. I bought the Tran-x and it is a much better drive compared to the old style plated salisbury.
But my next step would definetely be an open diff. Question is, where can I get the parts? I would need new output shafts for the hardy spicer coupling these seem to be no longer available.
What else do I need?

[Lenhamracer]

Crownwheel of course which I think I have...