My perception of a daily driver was too messed up!

[klr142]

Originally Posted by iwannadrive

Won't a stiffer rear spring and no sway bar keep the one-wheel peel to a minimum? Less weight transfer = moar even amounts of traction between the two rear tires = less one-wheel peel... right?

I know there are some really quick cars that just rely on an open diff - like a lotus elise, for example (lsd is optional, but they seem to be at least ok with an open diff)... Obviously those are mid-engine and have a larger percentage of weight over the rear axle, but still, they seem to be able to shoot out of corners pretty quickly and don't seem to have much of a problem with inside tire spin... right?

I know I'm sort of comparing apples to oranges here, (different suspension designs/geometry, different layouts, different engine powerband characteristics, etc.) but that's my thoughts on the subject right now. Anyone want to correct me? I'm still a bit of a car noob.

Stiffer rear springs = less weight transfer to the rear = less rear grip. Stiffer front springs/sway, no rake(lower rear than front) and geometry correction go a LONG way to reducing the amount of inside rear wheel spin and rear traction in general.

[The Aspirator]

If you're looking for something fun to do, a fun change to your car, for free, weld the diff. It's not like it's permanent (unless you get slag in the bearings). If you drive it for a few months and hate it, save up for an LSD or G80. But for the short term it's a hoot! It's not like your car is particularly grandma friendly, that was my biggest complaint about the welded diff in my 242 (which I daily drove for 3 years with a wife and baby in), was the chirp chirp chirp in parking lots and the inside wheel skipping/studdering. But at more than 5mph it's fine. The first time you turn the wheel at parking lot speeds you will DEFINITELY feel the understeer, I can still remember that time, the steering wheel requires more effort, but you just compensate and get used to it over time.

Do it. It's practically free and you'll get to do some mad drifting. Doing donuts in a car with a locked diff feels completely different than an open diff, like a pendulum with your front wheels being the pivot. You'll love it!

[amerbritcan]

Originally Posted by The Aspirator

If you're looking for something fun to do, a fun change to your car, for free, weld the diff. It's not like it's permanent (unless you get slag in the bearings). If you drive it for a few months and hate it, save up for an LSD or G80. But for the short term it's a hoot! It's not like your car is particularly grandma friendly, that was my biggest complaint about the welded diff in my 242 (which I daily drove for 3 years with a wife and baby in), was the chirp chirp chirp in parking lots and the inside wheel skipping/studdering. But at more than 5mph it's fine. The first time you turn the wheel at parking lot speeds you will DEFINITELY feel the understeer, I can still remember that time, the steering wheel requires more effort, but you just compensate and get used to it over time.

Do it. It's practically free and you'll get to do some mad drifting. Doing donuts in a car with a locked diff feels completely different than an open diff, like a pendulum with your front wheels being the pivot. You'll love it!

You are a great salesman for the welded diff. I may just have to weld my spare one up.

[iwannadrive]

Hmm... If I can find a spare diff, that's actually sounding pretty tempting now. I'm sure it would help a lot with winter traction too... Hmm.

You now have my permission to weld the diff, Jerd.

[Jerd]

hahah im sold ill do it before davis then everyone can lol when i spin out at the autocross.

[The Aspirator]

Originally Posted by iwannadrive

I'm sure it would help a lot with winter traction too

In snow you have to learn pretty quickly how to manhandle the car when sideways, because it will get sideways. A LOT, sometimes even when you're not asking for it. It's a bit scary to decel in gear down a steep icy/snowy hill and feel the back end start stepping out . But if you push in the clutch fast enough it'll straighten out. As John Lane always tells me, do it often enough that you never get that Ohh Shiii feeling anymore. Preferably often enough that your wife/gf doesn't get scared either! My wife now just says dorifto!

God I miss my 240, been daily driving my 850 for 6 months this winter. I mean e-brake turns in teh snow are fun but nothing compared to RWD.

[D.E]

Originally Posted by The Aspirator

sometimes even when you're not asking for it. It's a bit scary to decel in gear down a steep icy/snowy hill and feel the back end start stepping out .

^This.

I almost wrecked in the beginning of the winter when I downshifted into 2nd gear at about 50mph entering a turn on a narrow forest road.

[badvlvo]

^^^ Hey, get back under your rock!

Welding it is better than open but can really suck autocrossing if you don't learn what the car is going to do with both rear wheels spinning the same speed all the time.

Keep a small rear bar on there with the welded, a little lift of the inside tire will do you some good exiting the corners. It will spin a little, it's travelling a shorter distance than the outside tire, but lifting it a bit will lessen the desire to slide until you go heavy on the pedal.

[Jerd]

Originally Posted by badvlvo

^^^ Hey, get back under your rock!

Welding it is better than open but can really suck autocrossing if you don't learn what the car is going to do with both rear wheels spinning the same speed all the time.

Keep a small rear bar on there with the welded, a little lift of the inside tire will do you some good exiting the corners. It will spin a little, it's travelling a shorter distance than the outside tire, but lifting it a bit will lessen the desire to slide until you go heavy on the pedal.

So a larger rear bar might even be wanted in this case?

[2fast242gt]

i wouldnt do it if your a auto x lover i would just jump to a g80 for 100 dollars. welded gets old fast..

[iwannadrive]

Originally Posted by The Aspirator

In snow you have to learn pretty quickly how to manhandle the car when sideways, because it will get sideways. A LOT, sometimes even when you're not asking for it. It's a bit scary to decel in gear down a steep icy/snowy hill and feel the back end start stepping out . But if you push in the clutch fast enough it'll straighten out. As John Lane always tells me, do it often enough that you never get that Ohh Shiii feeling anymore. Preferably often enough that your wife/gf doesn't get scared either! My wife now just says dorifto!

God I miss my 240, been daily driving my 850 for 6 months this winter. I mean e-brake turns in teh snow are fun but nothing compared to RWD.

Haha, sounds like a lot of fun, once I get used to it. I already manhandle the car in the snow anyways, and get 'er sideways nearly every snowy corner I go around, but I long for more forward traction. I'm thinking it would probably be pretty awesome in the snow if I just welded the diff and removed the rear bar to counteract the extra oversteer.

[Jerd]

Originally Posted by 2fast242gt

i wouldnt do it if your a auto x lover i would just jump to a g80 for 100 dollars. welded gets old fast..

im really not that big into auto x any more. Local club sucks ass and the car really took a turn in a different direction i am no where close to competitive.

[Jerd]

Help? http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=232646

[Danyul]

Originally Posted by Jerd

im really not that big into auto x any more. Local club sucks ass and the car really took a turn in a different direction i am no where close to competitive.

They're still using your car on the flyers. :P

[Jerd]

Got the car running again. Waiting on Josh's boxing plates to pull the front apart put poly bushings in and replace the tie rod ends.

[Jerd]

With weight in the back i was getting a weird noise coming from the drivers side rear tire. It was rubbing.. So i Jacked it up today pushed the fender out a bit, smashed it in with a hammer and adjusted the pan-hard bar one turn to the passenger side. I then cut a little more off the jeep springs to get it to sit about another 1/4" lower in the back. I need to order coilover springs and get the adjustable seats on... The car looks a little better and feels like it puts power down slightly better tempted to take the bump stops off and go a bit lower. As if i had not cut my bump stops it would be sitting on them and even though they are cut there is only about 1.5" of travel before they hit.

[Tom Wiley]

Can we get some pictures?

[Jerd]

Ill snap some tomorrow Before class.

[Jerd]

Seems like my power steering rack is going out... Thinking about looping the lines.

[klr142]

What makes you say so?

[Jerd]

Difficult to discribe. Its a very unpredictable feeling. One while turning the wheel there is a patch in the rack that is rough non assisted..

belts tight fluids filled hoses are tight no leaks on the rack.. cant think of the problem being anything other than a seal in the rack.

[klr142]

Ah, ok. Yeah... Does sorta sound like it then. I'd still just run it until it's more dead or you can find a replacement. I know you won't like turning those 245s...

[Jerd]

Yah i pm'd towery on his opinions. I might loop it just to try out of curiousity but either way i have a feeling ill be replacing/rebuilding the rack because i like powersteering.

[FunkyStankyChicken]

Check your steeting u joints?

[WeezilUSA]

Before you bother looping it, just try taking the belt off for a quick taste... Effort will be the hardest it ever will be, but its a quick way to tell.