I have never seen so much polarization over the mechanical LSD - some folks swear by it, others at it!
That, and the debate over whether the LSD decreases or increases the torque steer!

 

I believe it only works with DSC/DTC off...If you think about it, that makes sense. With both DSC and DTC it's going to "limit" wheel spin on any tire that is loosing traction anyway, either by using the engine to reduce power or by "pulsing" the brake on the wheel that is spinnning. The E-Diff uses the same logic, but just doesn't reduce engine power, and doesn't take into account what the rear wheels are doing, it's only trying to "match" the rpms of the two front wheels.

I've only driven mine with dsc/dtc off once, although I think when the weather gets nicer, I will be leaving it off a lot more, and definatly off for track events. It seemed to have less torque steer and felt better planted with only the e-diff on.

 

What will the driver notice when the eLSD is 'doing its thing'?

I was at the track on Monday and had the eLSD engaged (DTC/DSC off) and noticed what I thought at the time was inside wheel wheelspin on tight 2nd gear corners (even on some high speed corners).

The engine was revving like the inside wheel was spinning... but I'm now realizing that there wasn't any tire smoke... so perhaps the eLSD was braking the inside wheel? But if that was happening, why would the engine be revving up? I'm confused?

At the time I was assuming that I had the wrong setting selected (that I had somehow turned everything off, including eLSD), but confirmed that I had done the right thing (held the button down for 3 seconds until the warning triangle appeared)...

I'm confused...

That said, the JCW was astounding on the track in nearly every other way keeping up with or passing cars it shouldn't have been able to compete with (by the numbers).

 

Let me say this out loud... I hate assistance from ABS, powersteering, traction control... Anything electronic that interfeers with the driver's responses could tend to pose numbing effects and limit the vehicle's controlled agility. Give me an old 1980's rwd japanese sports car with LSD, no PS, no ABS and I'm happy as a clown...

Taking that into consideration; I did an about-face with my JCW. ELSD is not just some 'upgraded' traction control - I actually LOVE the way it allows me to run the car. ELSD is the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to Electronic assistment. It has such precision that its practically undetectable other than the positives - inside wheel not breaking loose.

Ive driven a bunch of fwd cars with mechanically lsd and although they are better than an open diff there is no comparison with my JCW. The eLSD is amazing!! I can literally floor it in almost any corner wet or dry and both wheels maintain maximum gripping power. If I push it too hard then both wheels will start to spin and push the whole front of the car wide. Driver feedback is very good. A little bit strange at first from certain elements of torque steer but everything is smooth and predictable - its not like traction control or ABS - eLSD effect is basically the 'perfect' LSD in my opinion. Under all cornoring conditions the 'diff' or 'brakes' are dynamically assisting for the best case scenerios.

For the everyday street and occasionaly track user eLSD paves the way.

On a track I'd stress some caution not to overheat the front brakes.

 

I don't know whether or not you guys have experienced what I have, but when trying to do a full bore standing start, unless I'm on full throttle all the time and the wheels are spinning, the brakes will lock down and bog me down big time.

It is SO annoying, and dangerous as well. If the wheels are spinning a lot and I back the throttle off a little to temper the wheelspin, I can say goodbye to trying to do a quick start, cos it'll bog down immediately. It's worse in the wet.

Has anyone else noticed this?

 

Can I just ask again, what will the driver notice when the eLSD is working?

In my example, above, the car tracked well through the corner (no understeer) but the engine was revving up like I had an inside wheel spinning. I didn't notice any torque steer either. How is this possible with eLSD?

In hindsight, I probably agree with the eLSD 'converted', the car performed increadibly well in nearly all conditions on the track so I have to assume it did a great job... but I don't understand it and am therefore sceptical still...

 

I drive my JCW with DSC/DTC off most of the time. It allows the car to act more on your input rather than the computer suspecting danger at every corner. I can get the car to under steer and over steer at my command and I can get the wheels to skid and drift without the braking system bogging down the car. But I have had some racing classes so I wouldn't recommend this for the novice who wants to push things on the corners. You could end up in the ditch. The DSC and the DTC will keep most drivers on the road.

 

Um... ya.

Let me ask this another way: what will a driver notice when the eLSD is on (the DTC/DSC is off) and he's accellerating hard out of a tight corner on a track at speed? Assume, for a minute, the driver is me and has... some (read considerable) experiance with high performance driving... and driven RWD, FWD and AWD cars on tracks with and without LSDs and yet hasn't got a clue what the eLSD is doing...

Will the engine be revving like the inside front wheel is spinning when, in fact, the wheel is not spinning?

Will my Mini JCW be holding its line through the corner (no over or under-steer)?

BTW, 'considerable' experiance on tracks doesn't nessesarilly imply that I'm any good!!!

 

Well I have done this on the autoX with the Porshe club and using your scenario that is a lot to ask.

Short answer: If you are accelerating hard out of a tight corner, the wheels do not spin, but I have coilovers and a 22mm rear sway bar. The JCW will hold its line in this situation.

But I find that it depends on the condition of the manuver at the time you accellerate. If the car is not loosing traction at the mid point of the turn you can hit it and head for the apex in lower gears it it will just follow the line until you get to the point where you push it into an understeer.

If you enter the corner hot and the car is already understeering because of the way you entered the corner, you will not correct the understeer until the speed of the vehicle is scrubbed off to point where it has traction again. If you are in an understeer you can't add accelleration to correct the understeer unless you know how to trailbrake the car. This is more difficult with the front wheel drive and the heavier front weight distribution.

If you can over steer the JCW then more power to you. In this case just hit the gas as soon as you see the end of the corner.