kaaz 1.5 way LSD review
 

suspension mods:
JIC FLT A2
17x9 wheels with 255 RT615
tanabe sways

i recently blew my LSD going to SEMA so i figured what the heck. after doing some research, i purchased the kaaz 1.5 way lsd for well under $800 from a friend in the business. when i got the unit, it came with the LSD, owner instructions (not installation instructions) and a canister of Kaaz LSD oil.

installation was straight forward. remove the carrier (requires one side of the rear suspension to be removed and a re alignment), open the carrier, pull final drive and bearings (buy new bearings before installation), drop in new LSD... you get the idea.

the breaking period was a pain in the ass. not because its hard but because you have to find a place to do it where the cops wont bother you. to break in the unit, you have to do figure 8's for 30-45 min at 20 kph. i was stopped and forced to leave the area 3 times because people kept calling the cops on me. after you finish, change the diff oil again and your good to go.

my immediate impression of this unit was it is loud. as with almost all aftermarket LSDs it is clunky at low, tight radius turns. however after about 10 min of the break in procedure, the clunking should start to go away. now that i have a few hundred miles on it, it still clunks from time to time but only during parking which is normal

before the Kaaz:
i take the EB 10 freeway to the 605 North (tight 270 degree turn, slight decreasing radius) everyday for work. before the 1.5 way, i would enter the turn at about 40-45 mph, accelerate to about 47-48 mph at mid corner. at that speed the rear end would step out as the radius begins to decrease and i would have to counter steer just before the road straightens out. i usually exit at about 55 ish mph.

after the Kaaz:
the day after the install, i entered at about 47mph and accelerated to about 50 mph mid corner. believe me when i tell you, there was more speed there but traffic was coming up awfully fast. as the radius of the turn decreased, i felt the rear tires lose traction however, the rear end held the line beautifully and did not step out. its a strange feeling. you can tell when the LSD kicks in and forces the tires to rotate. the amount of mechanical grip is just insane now.

unfortunately, i blew my motor the very next day while going to work. i was going slow too *sigh*. all in all, i think this mod was the best bang for the buck next to tires of course. too bad the maintenance schedule is a pain in the ass or id recommend this mod to everyone see below.

i give this mod a 9.5/10 for serious track addicts. the 9.5 is only because i havent tried a 2 way (definitely not for street application) or any other aftermarket LSD's for that matter on the rx8 or it would be a 10.

i give it a 4/10 for the average Joe because nobody wants to change their LSD oil every 1200 miles



pros:
crazy increase in mechanical grip
moderately expensive (i spent under $1000.00 for everything)
moderate difficulty for install
car control becomes even easier when you loose the rear end
HUGE boost in confidence during spirited driving

con:
moderately expensive (going to cost at least $700.00+)
dino oil only so no more royal purple
have to change the oil about once ever 1200 miles or so
clunky at times
pain in the ass to break in
HUGE boost in confidence during spirited driving

great review !
sucks about the 1200 mile oil intervals . . .

ahahaha lol I can only imagine what people were thinking when they saw you :rollingla

im just glad i didnt get a ticket :lol:

Nice write up!

i have the kaaz 2-way and its good :) only thing that during daily drive, the locking sound annoys me :P

i would imagine lock up on on throttle lift would be a bit much on the street. ive driven a 240 with a 2 way LSD (not sure which one) but it was at the track. it was also a long time ago and i dont remember what it was like parking it after the sesion.

why did you go with the 2 way vs the 1.5 way

rofl