Rear stabilizer on type 44 - long

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

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Adam:
All audis "no-no" really has to do with handling and forgetting to unlock the
rear diff, not really from a performance standpoint (and it drags that rear
tire around, the boys at gingermann were saying it smelled like tire - ok
with me).  Their own rally drivers (and even some race car dudes today)
advocate rear locked.  Jeff Goggin said many years ago, why fight the U of
the q, and just drive it like an understeering car fwd car with some quirks.
Who shares that judgement?  Buffum hisself.

WRT locking the rear diff, I have several Steamboat reports on the different
techniques.  A few years ago, I did the first SCCA rallycross at steamboat
and won FTD and overall (in a borrowed car no less - I remind Leach of that
when I can:).  The summary of the technique:  enter corner, hit apex, lock
diff, accelerate to next corner entry, turn diff lock off and blip throttle
to disengage, hit apex;  Repeat.  It's a lot of work with a lot of other
stuff going on (driving on ice being the first).  But for absolute speed,
it's the fastest way around a track.

That said, when the stopwatch isn't on me (for hardware), I tend to either go
both locked or center locked only depending on venue.  At steamboat this past
year, I just locked em both and played with scandinavian flick.  At RA last
year, I locked center only, at Gingermann I locked em both the other day (and
will next weekend too).  In snow on a track you can lock both and get away
with it.  I found in day to day driving, prudent use of the rear diff is
necessary.  Changing conditions can really throw the back around in corner
entry with rear diff locked all the time.

Specific to this list:  Put a SPST switch on the blue white wire and play
with the rear lock.  A torsen car should handle better with the rear diff
locked in a track venue since braking traction rear is more difficult with
rear diff locked.

HTH

SJ


In a message dated 10/4/02 4:48:11 PM Central Daylight Time,
adamgratz at hotmail.com writes:


Scott-

About locking the diffs: I used to lock the diffs in my old syncro wagon,
and do really stupid things (like humiliate 5.0 Mustangs on the streets of
Portland Oregon), until I read that Audi calls foul to locking on dry
pavement - so I stopped..... I also found the thing to be unpredictable in
the shallow Oregon snow with the diffs locked.

So, my question for all is: Am I doing damage (tires excluded) to my 200tqa
by driving locked on dry ground?

And as far as snow, please share stories and preferences.


Thanks,

adam-