LSD for a Spitfire
Discussion
Hi everyone new to the site and need advice.
Just started racing my Triumph Spitfire and on long corners I can be accelerating though them and getting constant inside wheel spin. What is the best way to sort it? Is it worth investing £600 in an LSD or are there other tricks that will work, like a stiffer front roll bar or different tyre pressures.
Just started racing my Triumph Spitfire and on long corners I can be accelerating though them and getting constant inside wheel spin. What is the best way to sort it? Is it worth investing £600 in an LSD or are there other tricks that will work, like a stiffer front roll bar or different tyre pressures.
Don't know what class you are racing in or what you've already done but I think I'd concentrate on suspension, tyres etc. first. That way anything you do will still work with any other upgrades. Again, I don't know what you're running but a good set of tyres and a car that doesn't lean enough to go light on the inside wheel could make a difference. Might be best giving out the spec' of the car so we know what you've already tried. Just for interests sake a guy I know who fitted a LSD to his V8 Spit swore blind that the car was slower 'round the track afterwards because of the effect on the handling - don't know myself, just what he said...
What Spit are you racing and what rear suspension does it have?
Early Spit with fixed rear spring - Fit stiffer (late 1500 spit) front anti roll bar and a rear anti-roll bar.
Spit IV and some 1500's with swing spring rear suspension, just go for a thick front bar, fitting a rear bar will result in the lifting the inner wheel even more.
Late 1500? Rotoflex rear, should be fine but could fit a rear bar.
To fit a rear anti-roll bar will take some innovative engineering as the only kit on the market (Moss?) is rubbish and does nothing more than chew up the rubber bushes.
For non-rotoflex cars get the rear as low as possible, when I was racing my Spit on standard rear axles I used to run 6 degrees neg camber and it went round corners very well. (I now have CV jointed axles at the rear with an LSD and no need for a rear anti-roll bar)
Andy
Early Spit with fixed rear spring - Fit stiffer (late 1500 spit) front anti roll bar and a rear anti-roll bar.
Spit IV and some 1500's with swing spring rear suspension, just go for a thick front bar, fitting a rear bar will result in the lifting the inner wheel even more.
Late 1500? Rotoflex rear, should be fine but could fit a rear bar.
To fit a rear anti-roll bar will take some innovative engineering as the only kit on the market (Moss?) is rubbish and does nothing more than chew up the rubber bushes.
For non-rotoflex cars get the rear as low as possible, when I was racing my Spit on standard rear axles I used to run 6 degrees neg camber and it went round corners very well. (I now have CV jointed axles at the rear with an LSD and no need for a rear anti-roll bar)
Andy
Thank you for both pieces of advice.
This has all given me something to think about.
The cars spec: I am running the standard (mk3) rear spring although I have flattened it,standard front anti roll bar, Spax shocks and lowering springs, the tyres are Toyo proxy T1R size 195/55 R14 so I know there is very little flex in the tyres. The body is slightly more rigid than standard due to the doors being sealed shut.
This has all given me something to think about.
The cars spec: I am running the standard (mk3) rear spring although I have flattened it,standard front anti roll bar, Spax shocks and lowering springs, the tyres are Toyo proxy T1R size 195/55 R14 so I know there is very little flex in the tyres. The body is slightly more rigid than standard due to the doors being sealed shut.
Spit50 said:
Late 1500? Rotoflex rear
Pedant corner 
No Spitfires were produced with rotor ex backend. Only some GT6s (mark 2 and early Mark 3). The latest GT6s had swing spring like the mark 4 and 1500 spits.
I find myself toying with the idea of sprinting/hillclimbing my 1500 - the place to look for most useful advice is probably, IMO, the clubtriumph motorsport pages - www.clubtriumph.org.uk
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