Since I shotgunned the lists with this, I figure the resolution should go
out to you all.
I thought someone had welded the differential spider gears on the Lotus.
This might have been a bit dicy for autocrossing as well as regular driving
I marked the top of the cheap tires with paint, rolled the chassis down to
the corner, cranked the front wheels over hard and pushed the car around
in the tightest possible circle. The tires did NOT stay in lockstep with
each other. Score one: It is NOT welded.
Bryan Blackwell suggested I take a torque wrench to one side whilst the
other was suitably blocked. He told me to expect 50 - 100 foot-pounds to
make it slip.
He was right. I blocked up one side and put a torque wrench on the other.
It broke loose smoothly at about 85 ft pounds. I can make it slip by
turning the wheel with both hands. Feels very smooth.
So, I think I have a properly-functioning limited-slip differential of the
clutch, or Positraction, type.
LSD is rare in pushrod Europas. Must be a Gordini or (Renault-)Alpine
thing. If anybody knows anything about this, let me know.
Thanks for your help everybody! Several netters Emailed suggestions.
Hope this has had enough general interest to merit its appearance on three
lists. I now leave the autox list to the perennial "what is stock?"
discussion to bore the denizens of the other lists with my car prep saga.
Phil Ethier, THE RIGHT LINE, 672 Orleans St, Saint Paul, MN 55107-2676
h (612) 224-3105 w (612) 298-5324 phile@stpaul.gov
"I have LSD! Now I am trying to hallucinate that the car is together..." -me
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