Why does everyone in drifting use limited slip differentials and no one (to my knowledge) has brought up or used a TRUE locking differential? I just think it would be much more suitable for drifting as when it locks, it's 100% locked. And if locks via pneumatics, there wouldn't be clutch packs to wear out right?

Just wondering/thinking out loud.

AZ89two4Tsx wrote:Why does everyone in drifting use limited slip differentials and no one (to my knowledge) has brought up or used a TRUE locking differential? I just think it would be much more suitable for drifting as when it locks, it's 100% locked. And if locks via pneumatics, there wouldn't be clutch packs to wear out right?

Just wondering/thinking out loud.

Welding the diff locked is a rather popular 240sx mod. Having driven open diff, welded diff, and limited slip, I can tell you that there are trade offs to all 3.

Open diff takes more skill to drift. Welded diff (same as locked diff) takes away some steering control ability and wears the hound out of tires on the street. Limited slip costs more.

Yeah, but why does no one use a LOCKING differential? That's my question.

OpenDiff wrote:
Welding the diff locked is a rather popular 240sx mod. Having driven open diff, welded diff, and limited slip, I can tell you that there are trade offs to all 3.

Open diff takes more skill to drift. Welded diff (same as locked diff) takes away some steering control ability and wears the hound out of tires on the street. Limited slip costs more.

I love responses that have nothing to do with the question asked.

After a (very) brief bit of searching, the only locker style diffs for the r200 I found are made in Australia by ARB and seem to be primarily for the truck crowd. It would probably be a great idea. Quiet during everyday driving, and ready to rock'n'roll on track day. I imagine importing one from Australia could be a bit expensive though.

Crazyirish wrote:
I love responses that have nothing to do with the question asked.

After a (very) brief bit of searching, the only locker style diffs for the r200 I found are made in Australia by ARB and seem to be primarily for the truck crowd. It would probably be a great idea. Quiet during everyday driving, and ready to rock'n'roll on track day. I imagine importing one from Australia could be a bit expensive though.

You are confusing a locked differential with an automatically locked or manual selectable locked differential.

Welding a diff locks it. Forever.

An automatically locked diff will lock and unlock.

http://en.wakopedia.org/wiki/Locking_differential

Anyway, the reason that automatically locking and selectable locking diffs aren't popular in drifting is because for the same money you can get the superior limited slip diff, which gives you much better tire-spinning control in a slide, and vastly superior street driving, too.
Modified by OpenDiff at 8:40 PM 1/4/2010

I'm not confused about anything. The OP asked about the kind of differential that I responded about.

You responded with generic info about every kind of differential except the one the op asked about.

Thanks for playing.

Didnt think they made locking diffs for imports. I always have known it to be more of a domestic thing. I have frequently thought about modifying a diff to get a locking diff in my S13

one reason i think is to my knowledge, no one really makes one for IRS. its mainly a solid axle deal.

under torque (accel or hard decel depending on your diff) a LSD is locked.

a true LOCKER is for off road use and will explode s*** on a street car/car on pavement.

you can get the r200's shimmed and the tighter you go the more it acts like a locker . i have one in my r32 and it chirps when i do u turns on certain road surfaces and it only cost me $180 to be done