RE: Disable rear diff lock auto disengage?

[Eaton Dave <dave.eaton@minedu.govt.nz>]

well, in a similar manner as locking the centre on the generation 1 cars
produces an understeering moment (around the c of g) during cornering
where the tighter the corner the greater the moment, so locking the rear
would also have this effect.

you can, of course, verify this in your local car park...

however, the effect of locking the rear will be less noticeable at
higher speed in wider turns (less wheel speed difference).  the relative
lightening of load of the inside wheel is also not a major factor
(unless at v high speed), due to rearwards weight transfer at speed
(which tends to compensate some).  it's more of an issue of course, at
the front.  the chassis (roll stiffness etc) is obviously an important
factor as well.

so, in summary,  so the *only* benefit (other than low speed traction)
is to compensate for lifting the inside *rear* wheel at speed.  if
you're encountering this, then i would respectively suggest, you'll have
a range of other issues to address as well ;-)

dave
'95 rs2
'90 ur-q
------------------------------
> 
> Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 16:55:12 -0700
> From: "Brandon Hull" <brandon@cardinalventures.com>
> 
> The rear diff lock on my CQ (and all Torsen audis?  US Audis?)
automatically
> disengages when the car hits 15 mph.  Has anyone contemplated the
wisdom (or
> lack thereof) in disabling this feature?
> 
> The more I cogitate over the implications, the more confused I get.
Would
> Torsen eliminate the prospect of power-induced oversteer with rear
diffs
> locked?  Or even if in response to the rear wheels spinning faster
than the
> fronts, torsen sends power forward, might the torque remaining still
be
> capable of spinning the rear tires sufficient to generate oversteer?
> 
> Has anyone done it?
> 
> Brandon Hull
> '91 CQ ersatz S2