FTO Drivers Club, Western Australia

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

Wahoo...!

Just managed to source a limited slip diff for my FTO. It came up at auction in Japan, and is now winging its way to Oz. Should be here in a month or so... then we'll see if it's possible to punt the FTO a little bit quicker around a motorkhana course! Very Happy

- Rich

astroboi · Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 68

sounds awesome...

would be wicked to see u go...

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

I'll post up about the next competition day... when I know. I'm a reserve driver, so may or may not get called up.

- Rich

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

It's arrived... should go into the gearbox next week, or the week after. Can't wait...

- Rich

marke · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 2:04 am Post subject:

I know something that might get u round a bit quicker, the 4x4 running gear from a Galant VR4 Wink

now wouldn't that be sweet.

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

As luck would have it, there just happens to be a Galant VR4 in the carport right this minute!

Malcolm lent me his for the night, as my FTO is 50% of the way through its LSD transplant. Given a fair wind, I should get my car back tomorrow.

- Rich

marke · Posted: Mon May 16, 2005 8:49 pm Post subject:

Well there you, you have the perfect donor car for the 4x4 transmission Smile

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

Okay, an update on the diff... It's done!

I've now got an EVO III clutch-plate diff tucked away inside the gearbox. It's only set up moderately, so it's pleasant to drive on public roads, without clicking/graunching noises that would scare my wife when she occasionally drives the car! Smile

It was quite a job. The inner driveshaft ends had to be swapped to EVO size (2mm smaller than manual FTO). The diff was also set up strangely when it was disassembled, and required bringing back to a known, sane configuration that wouldn't be a pig to live with.

Driven normally about town, there is no noticable difference between it and the original open diff... perfect! The car spends 95% of its time doing commuting and daycare dropoff duty.

I did try a few quick takeoffs, a few throttle applications in first with some steering lock, etc. The only way I can describe it is that it feels like I'm on r-spec tyres, when in fact I'm on two-year-old road tyres. More grip, but well behaved. I haven't experienced the torque steer horrors yet, so I obviously haven't really given it heaps.

So, it's off for some enthusiastic punting around a tight motorkhana course... Taking it for a little run on Friday! Smile

- Rich

marke · Posted: Thu May 26, 2005 12:22 am Post subject:

Has it reduced wheelspin at all on hard takeoffs? How about hard takeoffs on gravel? Smile

Let us know how it goes on the course.

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

You can keep your gravel! hehe.

Yes, definitely less wheelspin! It's doing its job, that's for sure.

I'll be timing some MC runs on Friday, and comparing them to previous ones using the open diff (all else being as equal as is possible). I'll let you know.

Realistically, it's going to take me some time to relearn stuff to take advantage of it. I'm not expecting miracles straight away! So the times may be a bit crap the first few sessions with the LSD. We'll see, I guess...

- Rich

astroboi · Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 68

good to hear that everything is running all so well on your car...
cannot wait to hear from u the results and the feel of the car with the LSD...

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

Stunning. Awesome result.

We tried Course 10 this morning. For anyone who does MC's, this is the one with three gates, where you go through a different combination of gates each time. Quite high speed.

We tried this in a practice session three weeks ago, and got:

46.60 (using 2nd gear throughout)
46.73 (downshifting to 1st at each end)
46.51 " "

Today, the only vehicle difference was the LSD. Otherwise, all else was equal. Same weather, people in the car, tyres, fuel load, whatever.

And today's results:

45.77 (2nd gear throughout)
46.04
45.63
45.35
45.37
45.66
45.94 (2nd and 1st gear)
45.74 " "
45.20 (2nd gear throughout)

That's a 1.3 second reduction... which is pretty damn good! Especially considering it was my first drive ever in a FWD car with slippery diff! Very Happy

Also tried Course 11 (the hairpin one), and got a 1.2 second reduction on my previous best there too.

So I've got a very big grin on my face now, and I reckon it will last for quite a while!

- Rich

marke · Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 4:41 pm Post subject:

How does it change the feel of the car under cornering etc? are there any tihngs that stand out as being completely different?

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

It go voom! Very Happy

- Rich

RichardH · Joined: 27 Jan 2003 Posts: 804

Seriously, though...

There is no difference at all during turn-in, and no difference when manoeuvering with the throttle balanced, or on light throttle. It still handles just the same.

At moderate/full throttle with some steering lock on, there is no longer any wheelspin (which gets you nowhere with an open diff).

A standing start is also better, with more go out of the blocks.

You can still get wheelspin in 1st with steering lock on (ie. unwinding out of a corner) if you overdo the throttle, but there is still acceleration. And lots of tyre wear, too, from the looks of it! Shocked

I didn't once experience any serious torque steer. Nor did I get any "straight ahead" push when accelerating out of a corner.

So it's pretty damn good, really. Smile

- Rich