LSD or not?

[highflyers]

Hi experts,

I am just wondering why is LSD needed for drifting. Can I do drifting without LSD? What is the technical explanation or how does LSD aid in your drifting??

ThaNK you VERY MUCH

[cfrost]

You can drift just fine without an LSD, it just takes more effort

to keep away from over-complicating the explanation

an lsd basically makes both wheels spin at the same time, which helps keep the rear of the car pushed out

when you have an open diff (no lsd) the inside tire only spins excessively and since the outside tire is no longer spinning, it gives the car a whole lot less reason to want to be sideways, which (if you don't have much power) will cause you to straighten out

if you want to go driving without an LSD, you should be able to negotiate a normal drift course, but it might take a little more practice and a little more finesse

[Soldat]

Have you ever seen My Cousin Vinny? Remember the part when Marissa Tomei was on the stand talking about Posi-Traction? LSD basically does the same thing. It makes sure that power is equally distributed to both rear wheels instead of just one primary wheel.

This is important in drifting because in order for the back of the car to come around and slide, you need to lose traction with both rear tires. If only one tire is getting loose it makes it very difficult to initiate and control a proper drift. The car just isn't as predictable or cooperative. It's not impossible, but it borders on "not worth trying". You'll be limited to E-braking and really heavy weight transfer techniques in order to get the back of the car to come around and those will only take you so far. If you try to accelerate during a drift or enter a technical section, the car is almost guaranteed to straighten out, regardless of how much you're boiling the tires.

If you've driven a car with an open rear (no LSD) and one with an LSD/Welded Diff/Posi/Locker/Spool (different ways of doing basically the same thing), then you'll know that there is a night and day difference.


/edit - Dangit Frost, you beat me to it.

[atlantian]

yes, i agree, the lsd would help a lot in drifting...
Have you ever gotten your car stuck in mud with one wheel in the air?
If you have an open diff, when you accelerate the loose wheel spins and the wheel stuck in mud is getting no power whatsoever, the stuck wheel is like the wheel that is gripping in soldat's example and the drifting wheel is the one getting power.

the end of the car will not "push out" because the griping wheel is still gripping and has no way of losing traction and so the rear will still grip and will not stick out. in essence, you will just going fast around a corner with a wheel spinning loose. you need the diff to lock up and provide equal power to both wheels, enabling both rear wheels to loose traction. this way, it doesn't matter which wheel looses traction first, or if you have one wheel hovering, you will get both wheels loose at the same time!

Drifting with an open diff is tricky because you need to "drop the clutch" on a straight at a very high rpm, or try to get both wheels to start sliding at the same time, that's if you don't use the ebrakes

And, ps, WELD THAT MOTHER F****ER UP!

[borodori]

here's some videos of us drifting open diff cars. gives the poor open diff folks hope!

stock sohc ka, 3rd gear, approach speed 65mph
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abtO99xJLDo

m30 w/sr20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a6QFFtU_ZM

the transition to open to LSD is minimal. Of course LSD feels better, but practicing without one is just fine. With my KAAZ, I still use the techniques I learned using an open.

not really related but i recommend practing with an underpower car also, noticed many drivers who transitioned from getting good at ka drift-to-sr, or hachi to sr drifts "cleaner" than a person who starts off with high power.