The hunt is on for my sierra, although no huge rush as i have a chassis to build first.

I was planning on getting a 4x4 for the LSD and rear discs. Will i notice the difference between LSD as non LSD diffs in normal fast road and the odd track day? If i don't have to go with a 4x4 it will just open my donor hunt up hugely.

Also i'm going to fit a red top so engine won't matter either.

Ta

Rob

[Edited on 12/9/07 by Mr Rob]

Firstly I have got a LSD in my Indy, anf I like it, so you can take it I am biased towards them, so after saying that , you probably don't need one, if at a later date you felt you did, you can get the quaiffe internals for the standard diff, which by all accounts is much better than the sierra LSD. One thing I've noted about my LSD is that it sure likes to eat tyres, because both wheels are constantly been driven, you normally squeel round corners.

Just my Opinion

Cheers


Scott

Had an interesting chat with the head of powertrain engineering at fords and his opinion was that for road use the LSD would tend to push you on in roundabouts and fast corners i.e understeer. For serious track days then LSD will help.
I am currently still undecided but have a 3.9 pushfit on and a 3.6 pushfit and a LSD 3.6 Lobro in the spares pile.
If i were you i would pick the best donor you can find and keep an eye out for a spare diff or two, that way you can try them out and decide for yourself

Just a thought, the Vin plate has the diff ratio code and on my donor it was a 3.38 which i sold on, if you find one of the rare diffs you could make enough money back to buy 2 diffs.

[Edited on 12/9/07 by snapper]

I had a std diff in my 1st indy and an LSD in the 2nd and i noticed no difference on normal road driving.

i've got an LSD in my BMW, and its a nightmare in the rain. its quite a heavy car too, i wouldn't bother in a 7...

Sierra diff. push fit and bolted output shafts are interchangeable by removing the circplips inside the differential and sliding them off.

Mal

I have an LSD in my seven and have no trace of under steer. That said, I adjusted the rear ride height until it was neutral under / over steer but it was nervous and twitchy. a quarter turn of the rear ride height made it slightly oversteery on the limit.

I hadn't noticed it being bad in the rain, but then the bec characteristic of low torque / long revs might have something to do with it.

On the track, I can put the power down in tight corners very easily. I do occasionally break traction but it is not at all scary, and yes my LSD does work.

Whether you need one or not is another question but I can say there are no bad effects of having one.

Thanks for the feed back chaps. I do want rear disks though, not just for the better brakes but also because they'll look better through the wheels... looks are important.

My jag hasn't got one and she's always sliding in the wet despite having 7" wide tyres

I have a quaife LSD on my BEC. I think I might be able to feel it operating when accelerating in a low gear: I can feel what feels like a series of jolts up the rear. Originally I thought this was some weird "coming on the cam" behavior, but not when it does it between 2 and 5 times as the car accelerates. I'm starting to think it's the diff locking - and that I'd otherwise be lost ina cloud of tyre smoke. It occurs in 1st & 2nd.
Bob

I have one in my BEC, it does make the car straighten if you boot it on roundabouts so I had to play around to minimise the effect.

In the rain even with my little 893 blade engine it will accelerate wheel spin both rears with ease in the first three gears, I would recommend one if possible.


Regards Mark

I haven't got an LSD and the handling seems fine for what I use it for (road and the odd track)

Cheers

(Escort live axle )

[Edited on 13/9/07 by Humbug]

i have one, disad is that they are quite a lot heavier than the non lsd, advantage is that the weight is in the right place.
only had one scary moment in the damp, if you get acceleration wheel spin, both wheels spin and you lose all grip, back end slipped down the road camber sending me towards the other carriageway oops!!, in the dry it just hooks up both wheels and off you go.

chas
ps i only got it because it was cheaper than fitting new oil seals on the one i had :-)