LSD options?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Am looking at getting an LSD for my E46 Compact but with the M3 units being strong money, even before a rebuild, I wondered if anyone has tried one of these from Racing Diffs? At 231 Euros are these too good to be true?

My car is just a weekend toy with the occasional sprint or hill maybe, so a Quaife is just too expensive and/or overkill for my needs.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

I know right? However, it was suggested to me by someone who knows his stuff usually, which is why I almost paid for one. Had I known what diff I have I am sure I would have.

[d_a_n1979]

Wouldn't touch that at all

Have you looked into MFactory? I know my pal that has Grinspeed has had a few E46s and E9x M3s now with them and they're well thought of

[Mark-insert old BMW]

d_a_n1979 said:

Wouldn't touch that at all

Have you looked into MFactory? I know my pal that has Grinspeed has had a few E46s and E9x M3s now with them and they're well thought of

Nope, but I'll take a look. Thanks.

I did find a review on the RD conversion though...

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/review-racing-...

[Aluminati]

Mark-insert old BMW said:

Nope, but I'll take a look. Thanks.

I did find a review on the RD conversion though...

https://www.e46fanatics.com/threads/review-racing-...

For £231 it’s got to be worth a go.

[tgr]

I'd say the opposite: for £231 it can't be anything other than rubbish

[premixer]

Been looking at these myself, seems very mixed reviews.
Still thinking about it simply because its a low cost gamble compared to going a full LSD in my cheap E86 Z4, worked out that to buy and install a LSD for it would be a quarter the value of the car, man math's doesn't quite add up on that one.

[I-am-the-reverend]

Bloody hell.

Imagine if that breaks and bits get between the crownwheel and pinion. One big bang, a skid and all over the road.

You'd be better off just welding the diff up.

[d_a_n1979]

tgr said:

I'd say the opposite: for £231 it can't be anything other than rubbish

^^^

This; wouldn't piss on it if it was on fire... At that price its poorly made with inferior materials and you'd run a risk of it damaging all sorts.. No thanks

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Have been have a bit of an email exchange with the company and they've basically said that were I to buy / fit one of their diff conversions and I'm unhappy with the results they'll refund me. I have a spare E46 diff available and I'm tempted just to try one. I also notice Vink Motorsport are a distributor so have reached out to Ton Vink for his opinion. I've also messaged 10 different people that have posted YouTube footage of their converted cars and had 6 replies that were pretty positive. The general consensus seems to be that this works for normal driving in cars with modest power but, if you fancy yourself as a pro drifter in a 400 brake 3 series, it's probably not the answer. So I've decided that if I can blag one for the purpose of testing, I might give it a go. Otherwise I'll just have to save my pocket money until I can afford one from an M3 or similar.

Seems they're available even more cheaply...


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394868893811?hash=item5...

[Santacruzjack]

Heard of many of my customers blowing these up, sometimes causing back wheels to lock on diff implosion.

I'd avoid like the plague myself.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

I wish some of these people would write about their experiences on some forum or other. You're the second person who's had lots of customers have them fail on them. I assume they made use of their refund policy?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Have been in conversation with Racing Diffs and the long and the short of it, is that they're sending me one of their diff conversions to review. If anyone has a spare diff they'd donate to the cause in the name of research please say.

[MDMA .]

EmailAddress said:

€231?

That's missing a '0' surely.

It's got to be made of chocolate no. I'll wait to be educated.

It is just the metal bits inside, not the full diff.




From watching a few previous videos on the BMW ones, you may need to do a bit of machining to your existing diff too.

[Mark-insert old BMW]

Quite possibly, which is why I'm getting it done by a local engineering shop. Coincidentally it arrived from Serbia today. I just need a 325ti diff to convert now.

Edited by Mark-insert old BMW on Monday 23 October 16:07

Edited by Mark-insert old BMW on Monday 23 October 16:08

[EmailAddress]

Think that's the most exciting oil seal box I've ever seen!

[Mark-insert old BMW]

I know.

I'm on the hunt for a diff and a local engineering shop have said they'll do the conversion / rebuild for me.

Once it's in my Compact I'll do some 'warts and all' video to post here via YouTube.

I don't expect it to be as good as a proper LSD and nor do I go drifting in the dead of night or do massive burn outs. I'm simply looking for a bit more traction on greasy winter roads and a bit more progression in any oversteery moments. I won't be setting out to abuse the thing to try and induce failure. I'm just intrigued to see if it's a viable budget solution or something that's as dangerous as some folk believe.

As an aside, I did ask for the engineering shops opinion (after sending them the company website link and expressing some of the concerns here) and they said the kit appears pretty well made and that they saw no reason not to convert the diff.

[premixer]

Will be watching with interest. Same as you, don't want something for track days or smoky drifts, so hard to justify a full proper LSD.

Not brave enough to try DIY? Watching the videos on it they don't look too hard to install yourself?

[Mark-insert old BMW]

I just figured it's better to have the diff inspected and converted by someone who knows what they're doing rather than risk my ballsing it up.

[MDMA .]

I know on some BMW’s, the gears will need machining down and the shafts reducing in length. Not a true DIY job unless you’ve got some proper tools and access to machinery. Looking forward to see how it goes and what it’s like once fitted.

Edited by MDMA . on Tuesday 24th October 21:26