[Zyzzthetic]

Found these guys when looking for parts. The company is called Racing Diffs, they make an interesting product so I decided to dig deeper.

Can somebody explain this to me? My car currently doesn't have a diff and I've been looking at buying one and saw this on ebay. Thoughts?

Ebay listing

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/264498938646

Video

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Zyzzthetic

Thoughts?

What's it going to cost you to have it installed, or can you DIY?

Do you know what its strengths and weaknesses are compared to the other diffs available for our cars?

I'm no expert on diffs, so I have no idea. My habit is to just go to Dan at Diffsonline, tell him which car I have now and how I'm using it, ask him which diff I want and how long it will take - and then send him the money. Same process as buying the BMW diff except there's more choice.

[Zyzzthetic]

Originally Posted by dradernh

What's it going to cost you to have it installed, or can you DIY?

Do you know what its strengths and weaknesses are compared to the other diffs available for our cars?

I'm no expert on diffs, so I have no idea. My habit is to just go to Dan at Diffsonline, tell him which car I have now and how I'm using it, ask him which diff I want and how long it will take - and then send him the money. Same process as buying the BMW diff except there's more choice.

To be honest I don't know much about LSDs.

What I do know is that I'm sicking of seeing my traction light go off while turning at 15 KM/Hr

How are the ones from Dan compared price wise?

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by Zyzzthetic

Found these guys when looking for parts. The company is called Racing Diffs, they make an interesting product so I decided to dig deeper.

Can somebody explain this to me? My car currently doesn't have a diff and I've been looking at buying one and saw this on ebay. Thoughts?

Ebay listing

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/264498938646

Video

I would steer well clear of this limited slip diff addition for the following reasons:

- several of the photos show poor or damaged surface finishes, indicating poor quality parts.
- the face of the side gears is used as the metal part of the "clutch pack". They say to grind these to exactly 30mm spacing, to do this accurately through a good machine shop will likely take several hours of setup, costing more than the kit itself.
- the surface area of the friction washers is so small, that there will be very little locking effect anyway.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Zyzzthetic

To be honest I don't know much about LSDs.

How are the ones from Dan compared price wise?

1) That's a good reason to pass on products like this one.

2) You can see what Dan offers at: https://diffsonline.com/. As you can see in my signature, I went with the Wavetrac - it has no clutch packs that will someday wear out. Plus, Dan recommended it, and I've relied upon him for years.

Whichever diff you end up with, the installed cost is generally going to be in the USD $2500-$3000 range. No idea how different it is where you are.

[Zyzzthetic]

Originally Posted by dradernh

1) That's a good reason to pass on products like this one.

2) You can see what Dan offers at: https://diffsonline.com/. Whichever diff you end up with, the installed cost is generally going to be in the USD $2500-$3000 range. That's just how it is.

Dammit BMW really did this to us ):

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Zyzzthetic

Dammit BMW really did this to us ):

For significantly less money, an LSD could have been a factory option.

BMW didn't bother because the take rate would have been tiny, just like it is with manual transmissions. MT fans are noisier than are LSD fans, however, so we got our MTs, but we had to pay a couple of thousand extra for the LSDs.

This is just part of what you sign-up for with BMW.

[Maynard]

OMG, this is hilarious. It can't be for real, can it. Do several thousand dollars of machine work to a diff, and then cram a lump of potmetal into the gears. And lines like [comparing to how it isn't like that thing that wrecks civic trannys] "its a RWD anyway, so the worst that could happen is you need to replace an inexpensive differential". I really wanted to see them try to put some horsepower thru this, but couldn't find that.

OP, just pay the dealership, or a good indie place if you go aftermarket.

[costa84]

I had some experience with exact same kit on E46 330. LSD was not working properly. I dont recommend it. It is just waste of money.

[Rocky58]

When I saw the parts of that thing, it reminded me of my wife's Kitchen Aid attachments:
Except those look better machined

[Dylan86]

This is not what you want unless drifting only. This will cause a full lock experience (all the time), this is for cheap folks who will spend more in the long run anyway...

[Zyzzthetic]

Thanks for all the responses. I wasn't planning on getting this anyways, I just wondered if this thing could possibly be legit @ me

[thormessiah]

Originally Posted by dradernh

1) That's a good reason to pass on products like this one.

2) You can see what Dan offers at: https://diffsonline.com/. As you can see in my signature, I went with the Wavetrac - it has no clutch packs that will someday wear out. Plus, Dan recommended it, and I've relied upon him for years.

Whichever diff you end up with, the installed cost is generally going to be in the USD $2500-$3000 range. No idea how different it is where you are.

Don't want to jack the thread, but hows that 17 in the front and 18 rear conversion working for you? Did you have to change anything major? Any changes in driveability and comfort?

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by thormessiah

Don't want to jack the thread, but hows that 17 in the front and 18 rear conversion working for you? Did you have to change anything major? Any changes in driveability and comfort?

It's a track setup, and it works fine there. Also changed for the track and so the 255 R888R tires would fit: coilovers, negative camber of -2.6° F & -2.2° R, a bit of a fender roll F & R, and 5mm spacers in the rear. Driveability: much improved; Comfort: N/A.