Rear differential lets inside tire slip underpower

[Patorlando]

When accelerating at the apex of a turn, inside tires begins to spin robbing outside (loaded tire) of power. Only way I have foundto remedy this is to momentarily left of accelerator and reaccelerate. This might be so drivers don't lose control in the rain or who knows why, but annoying on a high performance car!! Dosn't affect high speed driving cornering, but driving involves all types of corners. Significantly impacted performance at Lime Rock and Watkins Glen!!

[Paula&Marcus]

Hi,
The only way to get rid of this problem is installing a limited slip differential (=LSD)

I personally like the Quaife ATB torque biased LSD most.
If you like, you may have a look: http://freudhoefer.de/lotus/esprit/products/gearbox/index.htm

Cheers
Marcus

[feffman]

Patorlando:

I've a Quaife limited slip in my 1999 and yes it does make a huge difference in the drivability at the track. Contact Mike Fridamn at Michael's Motorsports (www.MichaelsMotorsports.com) about having one installed.

Mark Pfeffer
www.LotusCarClub.org

[bojangles]

I find this very hard to take seriously.....
I mean if you dont really understand why the inside wheel is spinning.. then I question you driving a lotus on a racetrack..
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AND the killer here is that you acutally said the remedy is to lift the throttle at the apex of a racetrack turn... that is basically insane.. if you are anywhere near the limit of cornering it will cause you to spin.

It is what we are all taught in driving school DONT LIFT!!!!!!!!!!

I Find that the lotus is a car that you never floor it unless you are in a straight line.. it is too easy to spin the wheels. what I think is needed it modulated throttle during the corner.. you need to feed in more and more power as you unwind the wheel. If you are spinning the tire and you are at the apex there are 2 likely things going on
1) you are not going that fast to begin with. ( this is why your car is not in the body shop )
2) you are pressing tooooooo hard on the accelerator.

I may be totally wrong here, but most find the Lotus is much more car than they can handle and it takes endless track time to get to the point where a limited slip is needed to improve your track times.

The post was so short it is kinda hard to add any real help here. Just the guys selling diffs have seen $$$$ hehehe.

I do wonder what the car would be like with a LSD in normal street driving. My car sure can get away from me in a hurry if I lose concentration.

Bruce

[Cross-eyed-twit]

I agree with what you have said bojangles me old mate but I have had my S4 for a while and it has less torque than the V8s but I still see the inside spin on cornering (my bad driving no doubt).
I find also that modulated throttle, like you said, is the key.
I lifted off on track and spun but that was a BIG liftoff, using the sensitive throttle and controlling it on this with small changes and I can find the breakaway point and be able to stay just inside it.
It was Emmerson Fittipaldi that said it needed a Limited Slip Diff so I expect he knew what was what. I think they didn't install it because a. the cost and b. to give the car a less track oriented more road oriented ride and allow a bit of a safety margin for the novice driver as the breakaway is more progressive without a lsd, I think you get a little warning of impending spin when the inside squeels and you can ease off. If both let go then a. you're going faster and b. it is more sudden.
Correct me if I'm wrong of course.

I thought they didn't put an LSD in because it wasn't any quicker around the track at Hethel to warrant it?

[patorlando]

I'm not sure how u guys that don't spin the inside tire are driving, but I'm full throttle alot in my Esprit and anycar for that matter well before exiting a turn. Yes letting off the throttle should spin u right away, but as soon as inside tire starts sliping, the car already acts as if you've letoff the throttle as power isn't going to outside tire anymore!!! I will probably have to put in a LimitedSD to solve problem,just don't understand why there wasn't one in the first place. And I know the Lotus isn't made for Redlight racing, but it would sure be nice to get of the line without having to deal with loss of power when a wheel starts slipping!! Anyone want a regular diff to help me finance a purchase of LimitedSD!!

[cptsideways]

If the inside wheel is spinning you in theory are loosing lateral & forward traction. An LSD will inprove both of these aspects & hence lap times. You can drive an LSD equipped car a lot quicker if you know how to drive one.

I should imagine bean counting at Hethel had more to do with it not having one than any other factor.

[JeffYoung]

Do you have a V8 or a 4? I have not found the lack of a limited slip to be an impediment at all on the track in my car (93 SE with S4 chip and no cat, otherwise stock). I have driven a highly modded 91 on the track with about 350 hp and I got crazy wheelspin, but that was on old Dunlops (I run Toyo RA-1s, "R" compound).

Put good rubber on the car, drive it right and I don't think the LSD is an issue with this car. While I concur bean counting was a part of it, I do think Lotus is right that an LSD is an expensive and marginal improvement on a SE/S4.

[patorlando]

I'vegot a v8, and I think LSD would be #1 improvement I could make for improving performance tied with better brake balance, #3 would definately be rubber, but I've found it very difficult to upgrade due to wheel size and clearance. Esprit could use a bit more power, but really secondary to the hadling issues. I ate up all types of cars on the track, there was a very very fast straddale and a type r spec racer that was almost untouchable though. The braking and lack of LSD really hampered perfomance on corner entry and exiting tight and/or long sweeping corners. LSD isn't too expensive in the grand scheme of things, guess I'll get it. Brake balance will probably have to be a custom job with lots of testing (but then again, I've driven the Esprit at the limit enough and was amazed I made it out of Limerock and Watkins Glen without visiting the bodyshop!!) I might buy something else more appropriate for track days and save the esprit for everyday fun driving.