Caterham BMW LSD with carbon plates
Discussion
Anyone has feedback about the latest BMW LSD Diff using carbon plates instead sintered one's ?
The carbon plates are being introduced to reduced the chatter (tac-tac-tac-tac-....) by tight corners at low speed.
There was one guy on pistonheads saying the noise of the carbon plated LSD he just received was simply horrible.....
CC cars is assuring me the carbon plated diffs are completely silent.
Who has experience with them now ?
The carbon plates are being introduced to reduced the chatter (tac-tac-tac-tac-....) by tight corners at low speed.
There was one guy on pistonheads saying the noise of the carbon plated LSD he just received was simply horrible.....
CC cars is assuring me the carbon plated diffs are completely silent.
Who has experience with them now ?
I sent my new car back after 2 weeks because the original lsd was so loud I couldn't bear to drive it without ear plugs (no exageration) Apart from knocking loudly when any lock was applied it seemed to hit a resonance period at about 3500rpm which made it sound like a s1 Land Rover. CC didn't argue and fitted a new BMW carbon plated lsd which I've now driven the car with for about 200 miles. Silent it most certainly is not. It doesn't knock when applying lock but it makes a metallic sounding whine at similar revs to before. Maybe that's typical of these carbon plated diffs, I don't know as I don't have a point of reference to compare. It does it's job, it does work, but quiet? No way.
This is interesting. I have a new-to-me 1997 Supersport which is heavily modified. Among the list of mods is a 3.64 Suretraq LSD which works superbly on track, but by god it's loud.
Unfortunately, it's at its loudest from about 30-60mph - as others have said, a loud metallic whine. Below 30, not too much noise, above 60 it gets quieter and is drowned out by engine and exhaust noise.
Funnily enough, I was wearing earplugs in my last drive. Cadwell Park to South East London which I managed in 5 hours including an hour through Central London to my house. The earplugs actually made it worse, as they drowned out everything but the whine. Ugh, it was horrible.
I might try Bose noise-cancelling headphones for my next long drive.
Joel
Unfortunately, it's at its loudest from about 30-60mph - as others have said, a loud metallic whine. Below 30, not too much noise, above 60 it gets quieter and is drowned out by engine and exhaust noise.
Funnily enough, I was wearing earplugs in my last drive. Cadwell Park to South East London which I managed in 5 hours including an hour through Central London to my house. The earplugs actually made it worse, as they drowned out everything but the whine. Ugh, it was horrible.
I might try Bose noise-cancelling headphones for my next long drive.
Joel
My diff is also noisy, however I accept this as being part of the nature of the car.
If you think about it, when you sit in your normal tin top there is normally a fair bit of steel, sound deadening, under felt, carpet and mats. Also you are probably running a non LSD in your tin top.
Now look at a Caterham, LSD, no carpet, no sound deadening, just a bit of alloy and a small gap between you and the drive train
If you think about it, when you sit in your normal tin top there is normally a fair bit of steel, sound deadening, under felt, carpet and mats. Also you are probably running a non LSD in your tin top.
Now look at a Caterham, LSD, no carpet, no sound deadening, just a bit of alloy and a small gap between you and the drive train
Yes, I get that, but there comes a point where it limits the range of the car. Given that I have already driven it from London to Castle Combe and to Cadwell Park, and plan to go to the Ring, I need to find a solution!
Having driven 100 or so laps of the ring I *need* to go there in the 7, especially with my 7 it would just be awesome...
Joel
Having driven 100 or so laps of the ring I *need* to go there in the 7, especially with my 7 it would just be awesome...
Joel
I'm not convinced that there is a solution, seeing as I'm on my second lsd with, presumably, the most cost effective installation Caterham can find. So I think the only answer is, accept that it's going to make a racket and try different types of hearing protection until you're comfortable.
Petrolhead said:
My diff is also noisy, however I accept this as being part of the nature of the car.
If you think about it, when you sit in your normal tin top there is normally a fair bit of steel, sound deadening, under felt, carpet and mats. Also you are probably running a non LSD in your tin top.
Now look at a Caterham, LSD, no carpet, no sound deadening, just a bit of alloy and a small gap between you and the drive train
These explanation are logical.If you think about it, when you sit in your normal tin top there is normally a fair bit of steel, sound deadening, under felt, carpet and mats. Also you are probably running a non LSD in your tin top.
Now look at a Caterham, LSD, no carpet, no sound deadening, just a bit of alloy and a small gap between you and the drive train
My R300 is not my first CAT, so I also have an idea of what noise level is "normal" or not, due to the proximity of the differential and the lack of sound deadening and carpets.
However, when it comes to a point where it hurts, and when driving down a mountain road is becoming a pain even with any kind of earplugs, simply because everytime you lift the accelerator you can hear a long and very very loud "uuuuuuaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrggrrrrrrrrrrrhhiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaagggouaouaoauaouaggggggiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaa....." like if someone had the stupid idea of cutting a tree just behind you with a circular saw, and this EVERYTIME you lift the gas pedal, .....I come to a limit where , as engineer in the automotive mechanical devpt. area, I beginn to think that this may not be very normal, or I'm completely stupid.
Many ot Caterham owners will commonly say, the diff noise is normal, so was I, ....before I heard that deathening noise in my new car.
I'm now waiting a solution for 1 year, a FORD replacement diff set up by Phil from Road and Race changed absolutely NOTHING.
This week I get a BMW diff with carbon plates fitted, ....not very curious to see the result, when I read the experience above.
Get a straight cut box, you won't hear the diff then. 
Honestly, you Guys need to man up!
It's a Blokes car, no padding, no sound insulation, it's fast, and it's noisy, what more do you want?
Would you complain a Supermarine Spitfire was too noisy, if you got chance to go up in one? It's all part of the experience.
Honestly, you Guys need to man up!
It's a Blokes car, no padding, no sound insulation, it's fast, and it's noisy, what more do you want?
Would you complain a Supermarine Spitfire was too noisy, if you got chance to go up in one? It's all part of the experience.
)
Joking aside, I've never had anything to do with R&R, but they seem to have a very good reputation, and I think if they set up your Ford dif, then that's as good as it's going to get.
I found the chatter less of a problem on my R300 once I'd had the car a couple of weeks, and got used to the throttle.
Definitely a case of TADTS!
I found the chatter less of a problem on my R300 once I'd had the car a couple of weeks, and got used to the throttle.
Definitely a case of TADTS!
Well, I'm on my second Ford diff with Quaife ATB, and it is still uncredibly noisy when releasing the accelerator in 6th.....
The noise problems on the recent Ford diffs are not due to the kind of ATB or LSD but IMHO due to the poor quality of the Crown Wheel and/or pinion because also when set up correctly by R&R the noise remains....
When driving one of the affected cars you just constantly keep wondering when the damned thing is going to explode.
Tomorrow I pick up my CAT with it's 3rd diff.....this time a BMW one with carbon plates LSD.
Big-bad surprise....??? I will let you know !
The noise problems on the recent Ford diffs are not due to the kind of ATB or LSD but IMHO due to the poor quality of the Crown Wheel and/or pinion because also when set up correctly by R&R the noise remains....
When driving one of the affected cars you just constantly keep wondering when the damned thing is going to explode.
Tomorrow I pick up my CAT with it's 3rd diff.....this time a BMW one with carbon plates LSD.
Big-bad surprise....??? I will let you know !
PEGJY said:
The noise problems on the recent Ford diffs are not due to the kind of ATB or LSD but IMHO due to the poor quality of the Crown Wheel and/or pinion because also when set up correctly by R&R the noise remains....
I'm sure you're correct about that. It seems that rebuilding the new re-manufactured ones is a waste of money. It's actaully better to buy an old Sierra one that's nicely run in, and get that rebuilt.PEGJY said:
Tomorrow I pick up my CAT with it's 3rd diff.....this time a BMW one with carbon plates LSD.
I certainly hope you are happy with the BMW diff Gassing Station | Caterham | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff