Re: Differential Locking - a Racing View of low traction conditions

[Eliot Lim <eliot@u.washington.edu>]

On Thu, 8 Feb 1996, Bob D'Amato wrote:
> having the center diff locked on a really low HP car (Or should I say, in 
> the usable range of the engine..) like my 90Q 20V at an autocross, is a 
> real mess. This is NOT what you want to do. Im not saying the 90Q 20V is 
> low HP, but in an autoX you never get on cam, so...

wait a minute... the 90Q 20V does not have a manually lockable center
diff.  were you locking the rear when you throught you were locking
the center?
 
i had loads of fun playing with the v8 in the snow/ice with my
worn and gripless dunlops...  i found that the v8 behaves more
like a rwd car than any other Q that i have driven... i'll
wager that the rear torsen deserves the credit for this..

tail out powerslides are a piece of cake, and quite enjoyable.
the turn in understeer is also easy to cure with a dab of left
foot braking, which would then push the tail out....  hee hee hee..

i was even able to pivot the car on its front wheels and get the
rear to swing around to do a 180!!

i wouldn't mind ice racing this car, given its very predictable
and benign behavior.. but out here it never gets cold enough
for any advance preparations to be made for an event....
colorado is too far for me, and i would prefer to have a
turbo for high altitudes....

oh, putting on the studded snows pretty much eliminates all
the fun.. it digs in and that's that....


eliot