[s-cars] Differential symptoms -- wha's going on?

[Theodore Chen]

for what it's worth, my '92 UrS4 scrubbed at extreme steering angles
when the tires (dunlop SP8000 225/50/16 on stock 16x8 rims) were new.
i attributed it to the sharp steering angles of which the car was capable.

the scrubbing eventually went away, probably due to wear on the tires.
i replaced them with BFG g-force KDWS in the same size, and didn't have
any scrubbing even at the beginning.  the suspension is completely stock.

have you checked your alignment lately?  are the balljoints and tie rod
ends in good shape?

-teddy

--- Ian Duff <iduff at comcast.net> wrote:

> Your car has a Torsen middle diff. It does not have clutches, so  
> changing the fluid will have no effect on a limited slip diff clutch.
> 
> Are the front and rear tires the same? Same brand, same model, same  
> size, same age? If they are different, there could be a minor  
> difference in circumference, meaning a small speed difference between  
> the front and the rear that is accommodated at the middle diff.
> 
> Do you know which tires are scuffing? Inside front would say it's  
> prolly the front (open, not limited) diff. Either rear would say it  
> is perhaps the middle Torsen diff. If you're not sure which is  
> scuffing, find a flat sand or dirt patch, drive onto it straight,  
> then from a stop, and at hard lock either direction, slowly drive  
> ahead. If you have friends, ask them to look at the wheels to see if  
> they can see one slipping. If you're like me, and you can't pay  
> people enough to be your friends, after a few yards at very slow,  
> full lock driving, stop gently, get out and have a look at the tire  
> marks in the dirt. You might get lucky and have three corners of  
> clear tread marks and one corner showing slip/skid.
> 
> HTH.
> 
> -Ian Duff.
> 
> On 06 Jul, 2007, at 01:12, Steve Voit wrote:
> 
> > S-heads:
> >
> > My newly installed EDU transmission is great.  Only hitch is that  
> > the car
> > does not like big steering lock, such as in parking lot.  When I  
> > apply more
> > steering than usually needed for the street the drivetrain seems to  
> > bind up,
> > makes a rumble, and the tires seem to scuff, at least in smooth  
> > parking
> > garages.  WTF???  Never happened with old transmission.  It's  
> > exactly like
> > our 4x4 in low-range, except not as pronounced.
> >
> >
> >
> > My neighbor (talented mechanic) suggests this may simply be an  
> > imperfect
> > compatibility between the lubricant (Redline MT90) and the limited  
> > slip
> > clutches, and he suggests an additive (I didn't get the name of  
> > it).   Do
> > our cars have limited slip?
> >
> > Comments very much appreciated.
> >
> > Steve Voit
> >
> > 95.5 S6
> >
> > Seattle/Mercer Island
> >
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> 
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