limited-slip differential

Also called limited-slip, LSD

Draft: this page has not had its final check yet, so check the sources behind anything you rely on.

A differential that limits how much faster one wheel on an axle can spin than the other, so a wheel without grip does not take all the power.

The story

History: facts, each with the kind of source it rests on

An open differential always sends equal torque to both wheels, so a wheel that slips limits what the wheel with grip gets. A limited-slip differential limits the difference in speed between the two shafts to keep a minimum of traction. A published reference

A published reference names several kinds. A clutch type has a stack of thin clutch discs. A viscous type uses silicone fluid to resist a difference in speed. A geared type, such as the Torsen, uses worm and spur gears and does not bind up the way some others do. An electronic type has a computer control the clamping force on its clutch. A published reference

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  • A worn unit grips less Wherever it is fitted One source so far

    Wear changes how a clutch or cone type grips. A viscous unit's silicone is sealed and cannot be serviced, and a load that overheats it ends the limited-slip effect for good, so a tired one works much like an open differential and has to be replaced.

    A published reference