To get LSD or not?

[Bushido]

I do skid pan racing and use the car to its limits quite frequently. Need it. Thanks.

[GaryT]

Need it. Thanks.

You made the right choice

[Maniac]

How many posters to this thread own an e89? I see lots of responses from older Z's that don't have the tech that the newer cars have. I'm not bashing but they're different now and I just don't see where an LSD helps on the congested everyday drive. On track or if you live somewhere without other traffic so you can press on perhaps. Its a bit like the 300+ hp I have. I can hardly use it given the traffic.

[Bad_Pritt]

Do it, they look great!

[CornishRob]

I don't own an E89, but test drive a 3.5is and its crying out for an LSD. Yes, it has electronics, and the T/C was constantly on, which means it's struggling for grip. The roads were greasy, but I didn't get the T/C light on in my car, on the same bit of road, full power etc.

I understand what's being said, about can you actually use it if you don't track the car etc, but it's a massive yes.

Just pulling out of a junction for example. Do I want mechanical traction, or a spinning wheel braked and the power cut?

There is nothing wrong with an E89 without an LSD, but it would be an improvement with one fitted, and to be honest, I'm surprised the 35is doesn't have one with all that power.

[Bushido]

I should receive the LSD next week - got a quote from and plan to have it installed by "THE" BMW specialists in South Africa - JSN Motors. (Dealer)

All warranties stay in place if Birds installs the part in the UK.

The "guy" from JSN has reservations however.

Not quite sure how to pursue this since, obviously, I would like all warranties to remain unaffected?

[Machine monkey]

My experience of an LSD is it will transform the car. Yes Maniac its on a e85 but the LSD dose not only help when you braking traction. It changes the way the car drives. Turn in at the front is greatly improved its not just for when you braking traction. No amount of clever braking on one wheel can match a LSD.

[TitanTim]

I wished my M135i had LSD but if your looking on a 2.3 E89 I'm not so sure. I guess from a safety angle its probably worth it as I found the E89s handling very so so which was probably the runflats.

Tim.

[GuidoK]

You won't get a 'safer' car when you fit a LSD, it will be less safe as the chance increases that both wheels will spin instead of 1 wheel

[Yorkie Z]

I wished my M135i had LSD but if your looking on a 2.3 E89 I'm not so sure. I guess from a safety angle its probably worth it as I found the E89s handling very so so which was probably the runflats.

Tim.

Tim why don't you fit one to your M135.???

[buzyg]

You won't get a 'safer' car when you fit a LSD, it will be less safe as the chance increases that both wheels will spin instead of 1 wheel

The advantage of an LSD is that it is harder to break traction, but when you do it is far simpler,for a mk1 brain, to modulate the torque and control the spinning wheels.

With no LSD, just one or the other wheel is likely to spin up and when it does the relative change in torque, is far greater, as torque to the gripping wheel is not transferred through the open diff. It literally spins away to naff all

Braking the spinning wheel, maintains some of the torque, through the open diff and is probably the safest option. But you lose a chunk of power when you do that.

If you are not braking the spinning wheel then I would suggest that having and LSD, is safer than not having one. Just my thoughts.

[GaryT]

I wished my M135i had LSD but if your looking on a 2.3 E89 I'm not so sure. I guess from a safety angle its probably worth it as I found the E89s handling very so so which was probably the runflats.

Tim.

Tim why don't you fit one to your M135.???

BMW have welded the crownwheel to the diff (no bolts) on all 135i and 335i, you can put the diff in the lathe and turn down the weld, once separated you then have to machine the correct bolt hole pattern before fitting to a lsd, a major ball ache but do-able!

[GaryT]

these are the stages after removal from open diff

[TitanTim]

I wished my M135i had LSD but if your looking on a 2.3 E89 I'm not so sure. I guess from a safety angle its probably worth it as I found the E89s handling very so so which was probably the runflats.

Tim.

Tim why don't you fit one to your M135.???

BMW have welded the crownwheel to the diff (no bolts) on all 135i and 335i, you can put the diff in the lathe and turn down the weld, once separated you then have to machine the correct bolt hole pattern before fitting to a lsd, a major ball ache but do-able!

Birds do an LSD for the M135i at a very reasonable cost

http://www.birdsauto.com/news/bmw-m135i ... fferential

I'm tempted.

Tim.

[Yorkie Z]

Do it Tim..

When you sell the car in the future you could just remove the Diff and sell it on.