General diff question
09-03-2003, 01:38 PM
#1
Tech Apprentice
Thread Starter
General diff question
Why, in off road racing, should diffs be set so tight? Wouldn't that make them harder to drive in the corners
09-03-2003, 02:19 PM
#2
If it was loose the car wouldn't go anywhere.
Diffs distribute power to the easiest thing to turn. For example if you put one wheel on the ground and the other in the air the one on the ground wont move at all, but the one in the air will spin happily. With on-road all wheels are always on the ground.
So if you think about it offroad tracks are bumpy. So if one wheel bumps off the ground (or for whatever reason dosn't have full contact with the ground, which obviously happens a lot in off-road) all the power will be transfered to that wheel but not to the one on the ground and the car just wouldn't go anywhere fast. Also with loose surfaces the same thing applies so when there is less grip on one wheel it will spin more then the one with more grip. (which is pointless because it gives most power to the wheel with least grip)
This obviously creates a very in-effcient diff and will not only slow the car down but because of the extremley heavy usage melt it.
Thats why the diffs are tight to stop this un-necesary diff action. Whereas tarmac are flat and solid so on-roads have problems with bumps and loose surfaces.
Hope this makes sense
Diffs distribute power to the easiest thing to turn. For example if you put one wheel on the ground and the other in the air the one on the ground wont move at all, but the one in the air will spin happily. With on-road all wheels are always on the ground.
So if you think about it offroad tracks are bumpy. So if one wheel bumps off the ground (or for whatever reason dosn't have full contact with the ground, which obviously happens a lot in off-road) all the power will be transfered to that wheel but not to the one on the ground and the car just wouldn't go anywhere fast. Also with loose surfaces the same thing applies so when there is less grip on one wheel it will spin more then the one with more grip. (which is pointless because it gives most power to the wheel with least grip)
This obviously creates a very in-effcient diff and will not only slow the car down but because of the extremley heavy usage melt it.
Thats why the diffs are tight to stop this un-necesary diff action. Whereas tarmac are flat and solid so on-roads have problems with bumps and loose surfaces.
Hope this makes sense
09-23-2003, 12:34 PM
#3
Tech Initiate
figure, if your going up a steep hill with loose dirt... what usually happens? The one wheel stops and the other spins and digs into the ground getting you stuck... thats probably why you dont want it too loose. Sure the handling is reduced around corners etc., but on off-road with dirt and grass and whatever i dont think you'll notice it much.
09-27-2003, 12:06 PM
#4
Tech Apprentice
Thread Starter
thanks I have been running my diff a little loose to help in the turns but i think i may hav been losing power.
09-27-2003, 03:34 PM
#5
how tight or loose your diff is, is actually another tuning option. to a point! you don't want it too tight or too loose.
10-12-2003, 08:16 AM
#6
Tech Addict
you need them tight for better traction in loose soil or sandy conditions..also works great in hard packed too
10-13-2003, 02:42 PM
#7
Tech Apprentice
Thread Starter
thanks for all the input i have been turning faster lap times since i re tuned my diff
10-13-2003, 02:47 PM
#8
0
Last edited by lmunno; 10-13-2003 at 02:56 PM.
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