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Message text written by "John J. Stimson-III"
"The LSD increases the freedom to adjust the car's handling balance
without inducing wheelspin. A car with no LSD needs a stiffer front
swaybar to avoid wheelspin than a car with LSD, and the stiffer front
swaybar may create an undesirable amount of understeer. Without the
LSD, you have to decide which area to give up. With the LSD, you may
not have to."
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Let's get on with the discussion.
My point is the contact patch on any given wheel and tire combo is only so
big.
How much power can you send to that wheel when the magic LSD does its
limiting thing?
I sincerely doubt it amounts to double of what was there before.
It is my contention the ultimate goal is to have BOTH wheels
driving forward and also to have the FRONT wheels (on a rear-drive car)
aimed dead ahead (as much as possible) to prevent drag in that area.
(A front driver also needs to be aimed straight ahead to provide
maximum power on (the ground without understeer. It is a delicate
balance, to be sure.)
Bear in mind an LSD that locks up causes a distinct amount of understeer.
The sharper the turn the more understeer you're liable to get.
That's why an open rear end allows a car to make sharper turns.
But the key point is putting power to the ground. That's why fixing
the spinning wheel problem must be solved first before spending any money
on an LSD.
Of course after installing the LSD you are liable to be confronted
with an understeer problem in turns that wasn't there before.
So move slowly in making adjustments.
--John Kelly
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