RolanTHUNDER

This is probably why in most Best Motoring vids you find the tuners have opted for 1.5 way LSD's instead of the stock Torsen since those cars spend most of their time on the track rather than the street. More neutral setup like you said and the ability to get hard on the throttle out of a turn while maintaining overall balance/traction sounds desirable. then there's the dynamics you mentioned - probably the main reason why Honda chose Torsen for our cars.

Car Analogy

Torsen is used by Audi in many of their awd center and rear diffs. They get by with this torque imbalance issue when one wheel loses traction by using the abs to individually brake that one wheel.

If you get stuck with the S in some low traction situation, you can sometimes get out by lightly applying the parking brake. While this brakes both wheels, when ideally you only want to brake one, if you get it right, the brake applies enough resistance so that some torque will get sent to other wheel, while not so much that it impedes that other wheel too much.

RolanTHUNDER

Thanks for the tip. I hope to never use it in future
I don't wanna park my babe in an awkward spot ever again.

I found some good descriptions/pros/cons to the various types of LSD. Will post below.

RolanTHUNDER

Helical:

• Will lock and apply equal rotational speed to both wheels
• Will distribute torque to both wheels, however not 50/50 – depending on type the ratios vary
• Locking on throttle but requires both wheels to be on the ground
• Helical LSDs uses gears and not clutch packs, hence do not require servicing or anything to be replaced. Maintenance would be similar to an open differential
• Often helical differentials react much quicker than viscous LSDs and do not fade with use as they use gears
• Great overall type of LSD but very limited aftermarket choices

Torsen:

• refer to helical, essentially the same type of differential with minor differences. Both use helical gears to limit slip across both wheels on the same axle

Viscous:

• Will nearly lock both wheels when throttle is applied
• Not a true 1:1 lock as one of the wheels will be spinning a little quicker than the other in most situations
• Unequal amounts of torque split
• Makes use of hydrodynamic friction from fluids with high fluid viscosity to allow both wheels to turn at nearly the same rate
• Will lose effectiveness fluid increases in heat, the effects of both wheels turning at the same rate will fade
• Not the best for track, as it can be unpredictable on throttle as both wheels never turn at the same rate (however they appears to)
• Perfect for street use as it engages gently, makes no noise and off/on throttle transition is smoother
• No maintenance is required, as the viscous centre is sealed

Mechanical aka Clutch Plate (common in aftermarket LSDs):

• Will lock and apply equal force on both wheels on throttle
• Will rotate both wheel at the same rate regardless if one is off the ground
• Torque is distributed 50/50 on lock
• Uses clutch packs inside the differential instead of gears or fluid to lock
• Requires regular oil changes and once clutch packs wear out, will require replacement and expensive maintenance
• Very predictable once driver understands the engagement and disengagement points
• Can be hard to drive with for the novice, for the experienced it’s a gift

3 Types of Mechanical LSDs:

• 1 way: lock only on throttle
• 1.5 way: lock on throttle and partial lock on deceleration
• 2 way: lock on throttle and deceleration

RolanTHUNDER

For street use and light track:

• Viscous
• Helical/Torsen
• 1 way

For track:

• 1 way
• 1.5 way

For drifting:

• 1.5 way
• 2 way

Mugen_is_best

Torsen acts as a "1-way" lsd: full engagement under throttle. That's why I'm curious as to how a Quaife is any better than oem in design or use. A 1.5 way means full lock on acceleration and partial lock on deceleration. I noticed you are asking all the right questions. I too am curious about this as I would like to know more about whether it's a worthwhile upgrade for me. From my limited understanding, 1.5 way Cusco and OS-Giken are the way to go.

RolanTHUNDER

Thank you. Describing our stock Torsen as 1 way is probably apt. Maybe Jackmugen can chime in on his Quaife suggestion?
As for Cusco and OS Giken those are great/well known brands in the LSD field widely used by tuners around the world for their often track only builds. Apparently for drifting the 1.5 way is preferred although this doesn't mean a Torsen. 1 or 2 way unit cannot be used to drift effectively. The cool thing about Torsen is that they are maintenance free and are capable of street and track duty which is why Honda, Toyota and other brands have turned to them for their sports cars. If our S2K came with a mechanical "way" type LSD then we'd be required to every now and then service them which would detract from the average person's idea of low maintenance (beyond just a long interval fluid change).

Mugen_is_best

Mostly correct. Drifters prefer 2-way and Torsen=mechanical. Cusco and OS Giken are clutch-type/pack lsd

jackmugen02

I went with the Quaife LSD for the following reasons:
- Maintenance free
- Low noise
- Lifetime warranty
- Availability and long term product support
- Price( I can get these for about $1,000 shipped)
- Handles more power than OEM, I have a S/C S2000



Product information from the product page: https://shop.quaife.co.uk/honda-s200...d-differential
Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential for the Honda S2000. A direct replacement for the standard open differential, the Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential transforms your car’s performance. Unlike a conventional plate-style limited slip differential, the Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential relies on gears rather than clutch plates for its operation. That means it is much smoother in operation. The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential never locks harshly with a set pre-load of wheel slip across the driven axle, like a conventional LSD. Rather, the Quaife ATB differential automatically biases the torque away from the spinning wheel across the axle, to a constantly varying degree, and never locks. The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential has many benefits over a standard open differential, including maximising traction and minimizing wheel spin, eliminating torque steer and snatching in front wheel drive cars compared to conventional LSD units, and a maintenance-free design which retains the standard oil lubrication. The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential is proven in circuit and drag racing, rallying and road use, and is produced from Corus steel billets, and is CAD designed and CNC machined, then inspected to ISO 9001 standards. With over 250 applications - the Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential is the best option to utilise your cars performance. Quaife ATB Helical LSD differentials are used by Ford, General Motors and Daimler-Chrysler as original equipment. The Quaife ATB Helical LSD differential is also now subject to a lifetime warranty (subject to terms and conditions). This product is available direct from QUAIFE, please confirm your application using the attached technical drawing.

Mugen_is_best

...but how is it any better -from a performance standpoint- than the factory unit?