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the differential also makes a difference - (archive)

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Posted by David on July 16, 2000 at 12:46:16:

In Reply to: making a coupe a tricycle posted by kwillmorth on July 16, 2000 at 11:25:29:

With an open differential, the inside driven wheel will start to spin as it gets light. This cuts power to the ground and slows the car although the revs build as the wheel spins. As the car slows, it comes back down (the sudden recovery of grip at the previously spinning wheel is one of the things that snaps weakened or otherwise inadequate half-shafts and results in lost wheels).

A high-rate limited slip diff will keep power flowing to the outside driven wheel. Unless the tire is REALLY STICKY, you've got oversteer of the worst kind - and trying to power out of it makes it worse because twice the torque is going through half the contact patch. As the car slows, weight shifts to the front, further lightening the rear and lessening its already lower grip - now you've got trailing throttle oversteer. All of these can add up to a spin.

BTW - really stiff and/or overdamped suspension can make all this a little worse. Rapid weight redistribution may lighten a corner faster than the wheel can lower itself to remain in contact with the ground, if the suspension is too stiff or the shocks are too heavily damped in rebound. It's amazing how many cars on the street are set up so that the shocks actually hinder suspension movement (they're really shock dampers, not shock absorbers - they're not part of the springing). This is one of the reasons to use proven systems of suspension modifications, and not just add shocks or springs or bars in isolation.


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