Re: more center differential stuff.

[sngan%netaccess.on.ca@shrrsm.shr.tdh.qntm.com]

Unfortunately I agree with you. I have the second generation TORSEN system.
I find the "Q" effect is less than my expectation.  I have been blaming 
it on my tires.  Of course the tires have something to do with it.  But 
in the back of my mind I do doubt the effectively of the TORSEN system.

Solomon

On Fri, 5 Jan 1996 dmichael@tdh.qntm.com wrote:

> There have been a few posts, and I have received a few messages regarding my
> posting asking if anyone had any experiance with a non-locking TORSEN
> center diff. There was also a question about how the quattro system works.
> 
> Evidently, there is some confusion out there about the differences bewteen the
> two generations of quattro systems, since several people have suggested that 
> I lock my center diff "using the switch".  That is not possible, since there 
> is NO manual lock for the Torsen center diff. 
> 
> The first generation Quattro system has THREE conventional differantials.
> One between the front wheels, one between the rear wheels, and one 
> between the front diff and rear diff. Each of these works like normal,
> everyday differential - Which means if one wheel has no traction, ALL the
> power goes to that wheel. Your FOUR wheel drive car becomes ONE
> wheel drive. That is exactly the same as any plain old  2wd drive car with a 
> normal diff. Except Audi knew this, and gave you the possibility of manually 
> locking the center and rear diff (either just the center, or both). With
> both center and rear diff locked you then have a THREE wheel drive car, since 
> you need to have BOTH rear wheels and ONE front wheel spinning before you 
> stop moving.
> 
> The second generation Quattro system replaces the manually locking center 
> diff with something called a TORSEN (TORque SENsing) differential.
> These diffs, insead of having the bevel or spur gears of a normal diff., have
> worm gears. With the correct pitch, the "worm" can turn the "worm gear",
> but not vica-versa. The is SUPPOSED to give the diff magical abilities
> to sense where the torque can MOST be used, and send the torque in that
> direction (up to 75%, the owners manual states). Cars with the Torsen center 
> diff still have a manually locking rear diff. 
> 
> The problem I had was that the Torsen didn't seem to do its job. It sent all 
> the power to the end of the car that could LEAST use it, just as a regular
> diff does.  So as far as I am concerned, Audi replaced a system that worked
> fine (manually locking diffs), with one that makes the whole quattro system
> much less effective. The really deceptive thing is that the owner manual
> stated that the diff "automatically locks", which, from my experiance,
> is simply not true.
> 
> I have not yet taken the car to the dealer, but in general, they have been
> friendly, cooperative and not very knowledgable about Audis (Audi is their
> Emergency-Back-Up, Auxilliary Car Line).
> 
> Hope that clears things up,
> 
> Dave
> 
> 

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