Cusco LSD?
#3
10-16-2008, 11:51 AM
Looking forward to hearing your report. I'd especially like to hear from someone who has tried both and could comment on the differences, but I suppose that's not likely to happen any time soon.
Quaife has been the only word in LSD for the MINI for so long that it's good to hear there's finally a competing unit available. And not only a competitor but one with a very different design. Well, I guess the Phantom Grip LSD might still be available.....
Quaife has been the only word in LSD for the MINI for so long that it's good to hear there's finally a competing unit available. And not only a competitor but one with a very different design. Well, I guess the Phantom Grip LSD might still be available.....
#4
11-05-2008, 06:33 PM
Cusco LSD done!
To recap: Lost the none LSD tranny on my '04 JCW after the last autox race of the year. The car has coilovers, strut tower brace, underbody brace, 22mm rear sway bar and -2.5 front camber.
Eventually decided to stick with the 04 replacement tranny vs 05 or 06 because of warranty and cruise control issues. Ordered a "rebuilt" '04 from Cincinnatti Mini for approx. $3160 plus tax. I say rebuilt in parenthases because when it arrived neither myself nor my mechanic could tell that any part of it was not brand new and never installed. Once installed it behaved exactly as the previous stock tranny except that now it will actually go into and out of reverse, first and second in addition to third through sixth.
On Jan's recomendation at RMW I went with the Clutchmaster FX400 clutch and flywheel set and the Cusco LSD. My local Mini certified shop completed the install of all items last Friday.
Have since driven the car about 110 miles while trying to baby the clutch for the first few hundred miles. My impressions are as follows:
The new CM flywheel weighs 14 pounds vs. the originals 30 lbs. The engine definitely revs quicker and makes the car feel "lighter" to me. There is a slight rattle at idle sometimes but it is hardly noticeable and a non issue in my book. Overall I give this upgrade a "B" as in you might do it if you are already in there.
The FX400 kevlar clutch is much different than stock. Pedal effort is definitely alot lighter and I prefer this aspect to original. Clutch engagement is in about the same spot in the pedal travel but the engagement is MUCH faster and harder than stock. Shift timing and coordination is different and takes some getting used to. Once I get totally used to it it will be a good race improvement. Worth doing for very aggressive drivers/racers but I might go with something less aggressive for street only drivers.
Now to the Cusco. Keep in mind that I have not driven a Quaife equipped car for comparison and I have not driven the car too aggressively yet due to clutch break in (please do not reply with "You don't need to break in your clutch." For the amount of money I just spent I am taking the conservative approach.) In spite of this I can already tell the car drives very differently than w/o LSD. It seems to pull harder around turns with little or no wheel spin. When you get on the gas on a curve it grips and goes. I did notice while going fast on an 270 degree offramp that the car jerked unexpectedly to the inside of the curve when I let off the gas, something that did not used to happen (oversteer?). I sense the car being more stable in the turns (as long as you are on the gas) and feel this will lead to better lap times next year due to increased driver confidence coming out of the curves.
As an aside, the Cusco (or maybe the flywheel?) makes this REALLY cool low growling sound at low RPM.
I can't wait to get on it hard just to see what it will do. Too bad the autox season is over. Overall this mod seems to be well worth the money as long as it holds up mechanically. Once I get 3-400 miles on the clutch I will do my best run it through the ringer.
Regards
Eventually decided to stick with the 04 replacement tranny vs 05 or 06 because of warranty and cruise control issues. Ordered a "rebuilt" '04 from Cincinnatti Mini for approx. $3160 plus tax. I say rebuilt in parenthases because when it arrived neither myself nor my mechanic could tell that any part of it was not brand new and never installed. Once installed it behaved exactly as the previous stock tranny except that now it will actually go into and out of reverse, first and second in addition to third through sixth.
On Jan's recomendation at RMW I went with the Clutchmaster FX400 clutch and flywheel set and the Cusco LSD. My local Mini certified shop completed the install of all items last Friday.
Have since driven the car about 110 miles while trying to baby the clutch for the first few hundred miles. My impressions are as follows:
The new CM flywheel weighs 14 pounds vs. the originals 30 lbs. The engine definitely revs quicker and makes the car feel "lighter" to me. There is a slight rattle at idle sometimes but it is hardly noticeable and a non issue in my book. Overall I give this upgrade a "B" as in you might do it if you are already in there.
The FX400 kevlar clutch is much different than stock. Pedal effort is definitely alot lighter and I prefer this aspect to original. Clutch engagement is in about the same spot in the pedal travel but the engagement is MUCH faster and harder than stock. Shift timing and coordination is different and takes some getting used to. Once I get totally used to it it will be a good race improvement. Worth doing for very aggressive drivers/racers but I might go with something less aggressive for street only drivers.
Now to the Cusco. Keep in mind that I have not driven a Quaife equipped car for comparison and I have not driven the car too aggressively yet due to clutch break in (please do not reply with "You don't need to break in your clutch." For the amount of money I just spent I am taking the conservative approach.) In spite of this I can already tell the car drives very differently than w/o LSD. It seems to pull harder around turns with little or no wheel spin. When you get on the gas on a curve it grips and goes. I did notice while going fast on an 270 degree offramp that the car jerked unexpectedly to the inside of the curve when I let off the gas, something that did not used to happen (oversteer?). I sense the car being more stable in the turns (as long as you are on the gas) and feel this will lead to better lap times next year due to increased driver confidence coming out of the curves.
As an aside, the Cusco (or maybe the flywheel?) makes this REALLY cool low growling sound at low RPM.
I can't wait to get on it hard just to see what it will do. Too bad the autox season is over. Overall this mod seems to be well worth the money as long as it holds up mechanically. Once I get 3-400 miles on the clutch I will do my best run it through the ringer.
Regards
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