Notices
RX-8 Racing Want to discuss autocrossing, road-racing and drag racing the RX-8? Bring it here. This is NOT a kills/street racing forum.

Let's talk about diffs, baby.

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old 08-05-2018, 09:08 AM
  #26  
Registered
 
Tamra's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: CT
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
Received 16 Likes on 12 Posts
We also ran an FD torsen and loved it. However, it will spin up the inside rear if it lifts (like over bumps, such as curbs at a track). It does shock load when it hits the ground again, and it does eventually grenade. Ask me how I know I did love that diff though.... but our local autocross site has way too many undulations/bumps that wind up causing us to get thrown up onto two wheels. It's super abusive to the diff especially.

We now run an OSG.
The following users liked this post:
Mr. Pockets (08-07-2018)
Old 05-19-2023, 12:45 PM
  #27  
Registered
 
hufflepuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Mid Atlantic
Posts: 541
Received 49 Likes on 36 Posts
Originally Posted by John V
And you also have to know whether it's the diff or something else in your setup causing the problem you're chasing. It's easy to convince yourself you're fighting a suspension problem when it's really a diff problem or vice versa.

If you have a suspension that generally works well it is hard to go wrong with a helical differential, especially one with some sort of preload like a T2R. They do not have the usual bad habits of a clutch-type diff on corner entry. They are very consistent and don't wear out over time like the stock RX-8 diffs do.
What is T2R?
Old 05-21-2023, 09:30 AM
  #28  
No respecter of malarkey
iTrader: (25)
 
TeamRX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 26,720
Received 2,007 Likes on 1,636 Posts
was never aware of them offering it for an RX7/RX8 any way and I believe they may be out of business now since their website is dead

but a fitting question I suppose considering that people here in this 2018 thread still weren’t sure or didn’t know that the FD3 RX7 and RX8 differentials are interchangeable despite it being discussed on the forum since back in 2005 if not sooner

it was essentially a torsen with spring loading that allowed the effectiveness to be dialed in wrt to wheel lift and inside wheel spin; stiffer spring(s) more bias towards minimal inside wheel spin and understeer exiting a tight turn, less spring pressure being more neutral but also more susceptible to spinning up the inside tire as Tamra explained in her reply. The RX8 factory diff can do the same thing under certain circumstances. I had a front speedway swaybar fail at a Wendover Pro Solo back in 2008 or 2009 and the excess chassis roll was doing the exact same thing she was explaining about the FD3 torsen.

just bite the bullet for the OSG and be sure to take another bite and use their spec oil too. If you want it to behave more like a torsen then OSG USA can adjust it to a 1-way or 1.1-way bias. Tamra and some others do (or did) it that way.
.

Last edited by TeamRX8; 05-21-2023 at 09:33 AM.
The following users liked this post:
hufflepuff (05-21-2023)
Old 05-21-2023, 07:06 PM
  #29  
Registered
 
hufflepuff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Mid Atlantic
Posts: 541
Received 49 Likes on 36 Posts
Originally Posted by TeamRX8
was never aware of them offering it for an RX7/RX8 any way and I believe they may be out of business now since their website is dead

but a fitting question I suppose considering that people here in this 2018 thread still weren’t sure or didn’t know that the FD3 RX7 and RX8 differentials are interchangeable despite it being discussed on the forum since back in 2005 if not sooner

it was essentially a torsen with spring loading that allowed the effectiveness to be dialed in wrt to wheel lift and inside wheel spin; stiffer spring(s) more bias towards minimal inside wheel spin and understeer exiting a tight turn, less spring pressure being more neutral but also more susceptible to spinning up the inside tire as Tamra explained in her reply. The RX8 factory diff can do the same thing under certain circumstances. I had a front speedway swaybar fail at a Wendover Pro Solo back in 2008 or 2009 and the excess chassis roll was doing the exact same thing she was explaining about the FD3 torsen.

just bite the bullet for the OSG and be sure to take another bite and use their spec oil too. If you want it to behave more like a torsen then OSG USA can adjust it to a 1-way or 1.1-way bias. Tamra and some others do (or did) it that way.
.
does OSG "bolt in" or does it require setup knowledge like shimming?
Old 05-22-2023, 06:05 PM
  #30  
Registered
 
RX0004's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 51
Received 10 Likes on 10 Posts
Originally Posted by hufflepuff
does OSG "bolt in" or does it require setup knowledge like shimming?
No doubt plenty of people would just pull one diff center out and replace it with another, however, you really need to measure the backlash between the crown and pinion gear to determine whether shimming is required.

I put a brand new cusco diff center in mine and it required different shims to achieve backlash that was within spec. It's not difficult to measure the backlash and calculate the shims required (Mazda stock a few different shims), but if you're not confident doing this just take your diff housing along with your diff center to a transmission specialist and they will set it up for you.

Last edited by RX0004; 05-22-2023 at 06:10 PM.
Old 05-23-2023, 08:52 AM
  #31  
No respecter of malarkey
iTrader: (25)
 
TeamRX8's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 26,720
Received 2,007 Likes on 1,636 Posts
they *all* have to be checked and set properly; *all*, at least if you have any understanding about it

it’s not just backlash, but also where the pinion teeth engage the ring teeth depth as well

so shimming has to be checked for both the pinion fore/aft (teeth engagement position) and the ring side/side (backlash position)

edit: if it’s just an LSD swap using the same R&P it’s possible that it may only need backlash shimming, but the engagement position should still be checked.

any place that does 4wd offroad work will likely be able to handle setting it up, but you can search for drivetrain shops as well.
.

Last edited by TeamRX8; 05-25-2023 at 08:33 AM.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Kinbote
New Member Forum
6
11-22-2013 10:37 AM
cwatson
RX-8 Racing
68
08-09-2013 11:05 PM
Cornbred
RX-8 Discussion
3
09-08-2012 10:30 PM
JPotta
Series I Tech Garage
67
11-14-2010 03:35 PM



You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.

Quick Reply: Let's talk about diffs, baby.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:03 AM.