Am I the only one who read the Lock, Stock and two smokin' diffs (actually there was 4 diffs -Quaife ATB, Nismo 1.5, OEM LSD, OEM Open, perhaps only two were "smokin'") and didn't get anything out of the article? There were some charts, but the information was very hard for me to interpret, and they certainly didn't try to interpret it for me. Perhaps I am too ignorant to understand the data. The best thing or information for me in the article was the UpRev Cipher capabilities. Could someone who read the article and understood the results please sum it up for me?

Example: the lap times were almost identical, with the OEM open diff having a faster lap time than the Nismo. WTF?

 

I've heard good things about the OS Giken clutch-type unit. I'll probably be picking it up myself later this year. Something like 21 discs, 1.5 way.

 

Sometimes I will buy articles for content so I can keep them for reference. That wasn't one of them.

Just didn't get the feeling it was something I could bank on or that was very well written. Shame, given the effort. Even if the results would have been more sensicle, not sure my opinion would change. Kinda wonder about the editor, I would have sent it back for rework. I really wanted more.

 

+1, exactly my feeling, tho I just thought maybe I was too stupid to get it. That's why I posted.

Even in the results, it was like here is some data - but we don't understand what it means.

 

i will be sure to pick it up later on today. but im sure ill be no help. SCC went from having better technical articles than all other mags... to still having way better technical articles but they are STRICTLY for mechanical engineers... ive got a friend with a SE-R spec-v whos just about graduated with a mech. eng. degree... ill ask him.

did u guys read the article on that 93 mr2 turbo? has two fuel systems. One runs 87 octane then other runs like C16. the thing has like 600-700hp. the 87 octane runs at first until the guy is at WOT and past 4000rpms... then the c16 kicks in.

hes got two fuel cells, like 16 injectors or something and he tuned the ecu himself... hes an electrical engineer. probably the most interesting article on a persons car ive read.

 

I thought it was a good article. I guess the data may be hard to interpret, but it summed up the basic differences between the diffs. The lap times were not the most important thing in the test. The steering input and throttle input were, and they did a good job of presenting the data. I don't have the mag with me right now, or else I might try and shed a little light on the figures. The main point of the information presented was to show to what degree each diff increases understeer over an open diff. It also showed which diff type was smoother to operate and which had higher bias ratios under throttle. It was good stuff for sure, but could have used one more paragraph to help explain the results. As I recall, it was a very "here's the info, enjoy" type of article.
Will

 

I don't have it in front of me, but one thing I remember noticing was the amount of throttle input modulation the driver had to use with the open diff. He probably would have been better suited using an "on-off" switch instead of a pedal. With the other diffs, the driver could be a lot more gentle with the gas pedal (the "harder" locking the diff, the less pedal required in turns).

 

Those charts were the ones that I had trouble interpreting.

 

I believe the figure 8s basically illustrated that the stock viscous LSD performs just as well with the mechanical LSDs in terms of lap times

 

While the article grazed the surface with the pro's and con's of each, I wish they did more testing (ie road course, real world canyon type roads) in addition to the figure 8 test. I've personally run the VLSD, nismo and open diff on the track and can honestly say that the nismo was much faster due to the fact that I wasn't spinning the inside tire on corner exits and I had MUCH more car control at mid and corner exit. I don't think a figure 8 or skidpad test shows this.

 

they even omitted some of the most important chart data for the Nismo unit.

that article sucked and I think I started a thread about it a while ago. I didn't get anything out of the article either.

the biggest thing I noticed with my Nismo unit is that you almost have to drive the car FOR the diff, you have to be concious of it so it works for you, if you let off throttle when it wants gas to keep engagement, it'll tuck the nose in hard, it clunks coming out of a corner if you hesitiate getting on the gas, etc.v but when you drive hard it is really rewarding. I guess that is why it is a race type, it really shines in hard driving for me.

 

Keep in mind the figure 8 wasn't to show which diff was the best or worst, it was just the best way to get the most data on each LSD's behavior. That's why the lap times aren't very important. Which diff was best in lap times on a figure 8 will never tell the story on a road course, and I don't think that's what they said in the article. I really, really, wish I had it now to look back on. But the throttle and steering inputs told a lot on each LSD's behavior and I still think if you have the article it's a good one to hang on to.
Will

 

Anyone have a scan of this article? I'd like to see what the fuss is about.