[s-cars] Rear Torsen differential

[kirbyasmith]

Igor Kessel wrote:
> Folks,
> I have finally gotten around to installing the rear Torsen differential 
> off a European Audi V8, that I acquired a few months ago with the help 
> from Bob Pastore.
> 
> As a precaution I decided to replace both axle seals while the 
> differential was still on the bench. The small seal is a generic VW and 
> sells for $1.50. The big one is unique and costs the whopping $65.
> 
> After I pried the seals out I realised with a great degree of 
> satisfaction that their lips were worn and the replacement was justified.
> 
> The installation of the rear final drive is straightforward Bentley with 
> a few exceptions below. I love finding ways to cut out the unneeded 
> steps and in this particular case I think I managed to do that.
> 
> 1. Bentley tells you to remove both rear muffler sections and replace 
> the two expensive clamps in the process. Last time I checked those huge 
> clamps were ca. $15/ea. Well, there is no need to remove the mufflers. 
> Just undo the rubber hangers and lower the exhaust carefully. Support 
> the exhaust with a jackstand by the tailpipe.
> 
> 2. Bentley tells you to remove both emergency brake cables. No need to 
> do that either. Unless of course the jackets are worn and the cables 
> need to be replaced, which seems to be often the case in the older Audis.
> 
> 3. You'll need to buy a tube of the Moli CV joint grease to add to the 
> three CV joints that you'll be dealing with.
> 
> 4. Drive the car up the ramps with the front wheels. Jack up the rear of 
> the car and rest it on fully extended good quality heavy duty 
> jackstands. This will give you enough room to roll about under the car 
> on a creeper.
> 
> 5. Renew the 4 jam nuts on the cross-members. Contrary to the Bentley's 
> recommendation I didn't replace the triple-square bolts on the propeller 
> shaft and on both drive axles. Instead I cleaned them up and put some 
> blue Locktite on the threads. I might be wrong though...
> 
> 6. Remove the differential with the rear mount attached. Bentley does 
> not tell you this. The top bolt out of the three bolts on the rear mount 
> is unreachable from underneath.
> 
> I will report on the snow performance after I get a chance to test the 
> car in the snow. So far the ride hasn't changed. No vibration either, 
> which means that I didn't disturb the propeller shaft's balance.

<useful directions excised>

Igor:

Where you will find the torsen to be of particular improvement over the 
open diff is in r.h. cornering where there are hardpack or ice patches 
extending partway into the road from the inside corner road edge.  You 
should see better acceleration around the corner with the torsen, and I 
suspect better stability.  I also sense (no controlled experiment here) 
better stability in passing when there is a slush berm between lanes.

kirby