Thar be snow!

muwhahahahaha

Reply to
Carl Gibbs
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ESP : Electronic Stability Program.

Pug use the same CAN-bus system that Mercedes pioneered in the late nineties. I've found it rather nice so far.

TCS : Traction Control System.

It's all integrated with the ESP and ABS (effectively, all three are one big system). I'm not sure how the TCS works exactly, but I don't think it's a brake-setup (like Volvo's on the earlier T5s). I think it drops power until it decides there's no slip (via the ABS) - basically ABS in reverse.

Nah - the more my car drives itself, the better. I want to get where I'm going as quick as possible - I'm all for things that help me along !

Reply to
Nom

I'll join you in that confidence.

From memory, it was only the ghetto-spec MX5s that came without the LSD.

Reply to
Nom

Which was it ?

A TorSen diff is not a LimitedSlip diff !

TorSen is a torque multiplier - usually with a 4:1 ratio (the manufacturer can choose) or thereabouts. If a wheel starts to slip, then four-times it's given torque, goes to the other wheel. So the slipping wheel gets a fifth of the total torque, and the other four fifths goes to the gripping wheel.

So if one wheel has *zero* traction (ie ice, or it leaves the road, or whatever) then the TorSen sends *zero* torque to the wheel with grip (because 4 x 0 = 0) - so you don't go anywhere ! Basically, the TorSen only does TorSen things if one of the two wheels (or axles) has *some* grip - if one has *zero* grip, then it functions as a perfectly normall diff (ie, sends all drive to the wheel with no grip).

The Hummer uses TorSen diffs allround - their solution for when one wheel leaves the ground (whilst offroading) is to simply apply the brake. The off-ground wheel then has some torque to twist against (cos it's driving against the brake) meaning the TorSen can send a bunch of torque to the other wheel (or other axle if it's the centre diff) and you can move.

In practice, it's a great system - Rover used it to fine effect on the TI (and the other Rover Turbos, but seeing as their chassis were all far too s**te to handle the 200bhp through the front wheels - TorSen or otherwise - we won't mention them :)

You already how what an LSD is - suffice to say, it's completely different to the above :)

Reply to
Nom

In the MX-5's - the only one that comes with LSD is the 1.8 Sport - pov spec

1.6 and 1.8's don't have one.
Reply to
DanTXD

Its a Gleason apparently. From what I can work out its the same one used in the Ti.

I read that on how stuff works too :)

otherwise -

LSD is quite a broad term as theres quite a few different types that work in different ways. Personally i would have said the torsen comes under that heading too.

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

This only applies to new MX-5's

Reply to
DanTXD

What, the Hummer bit ? The rest of their TorSen description is a bit crap :)

An LSD is a specific type of diff - it offers limited slip. Some are adjustable (right upto no slip at all sometimes, in which case it ceases being a diff), some are not, some use a clutch-plate, some use other wierdness. All allow only limited power-spread, so *all* the power *can't* go to one wheel.

TorSen is completely different in operation - all the power *can* go to one wheel, if that wheel has zero traction.

LSD and TorSen are two different entities. I don't see LSD as a broad term at all - it applies specifically to LSDs :)

Reply to
Nom

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That's a good read.

I thought TorSen diffs were invented by Zexel, and they'd patented the design ? Perhaps not. I dunno who makes the TI's diff, but it is a TorSen unit...

Reply to
Nom

Yeah,

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is better!

Meh, couldnt care less really. Plenty of companies call them TorSen LSDs when referring to MX5s which is why i said it

Reply to
Carl Gibbs

Ah, there's an explanation of the Zexel stuff there :

Founded in 1984, the company was formed under the name Gleason Power Systems. This was a division of the Gleason Corporation. To see a history outline of the company, click on the hyperlink! Gleason Power Systems was acquired in 1989 by Diesel Kiki, who then changed their name to Zexel. We adopted Torsen in the name to better distinguish what our division does as compared to the rest of Zexel Corporation. Zexel Torsen, Inc. was a part of the global Zexel Torsen business which was majority-held by Robert Bosch Corporation since 1999. Torsen designs and currently manufactures the patented TORSEN® differential. Toyoda Machine Works Ltd. purchased the worldwide Torsen division from Robert Bosch / Zexel Corporation. Zexel Torsen, Inc. has been renamed Toyoda-Koki Automotive Torsen North America Inc. to reflect this change. The company change became effective September 1st of this year.

Reply to
Nom

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