get an lsd either way

My LSD (Limited Slip Differential) adventure begins

Taylor doing his most excellent work again!

www.slkworld.com

mb says and has oem at 245 rear but says 255 ok.......

 

get an lsd either way

@jbanks15 ; I read the thread on the LSD , even before buying my '55 a month ago. So I have this stupid question on situations where you are with one side of the car on a slippery surface, like grass, on the highway, where you got because whatever (you have to evade something) and you can't immediately slow down (let go off the throttle) ; in a stock 55 you'd get a lot of power going to the wheel with little to no traction (on the grass).
Say you are on the right line. Your right wheels are on the shoulder (grass). You were going steady and didn't lift yet. Now the right rear is spinning harder, your left rear isn't getting much torque. If the car were to change direction then it would be back towards the road which is "good".
Wouldn't the car go to the right with an LSD because your left wheel, on the road, would get most of the torque since the LSD knows the right rear is spinning, essentially crashing your car?

LSD in the SLK55 - MBWorld.org Forums

SLK55 (R171) - LSD in the SLK55 - Hello guys, is there a LSD built in the SLK55?

mbworld.org

I am referring to this thread.

"AMG said it would be too difficult to handle (aggressive handling) with a normal driver if the car had LSD.

"

 

i only turn off ESP when I know I am going to be street racing...

so I cannot address your hypothetical scenario

see my videos in the Driving Stories section if you haven't

 

The ultimate LSD is a plate type, Drexler may make one for the 55, I don't know. But the torsen type is fine for a road car. Any LSD will help stability in a difficult situation, race cars wouldn't use them otherwise. As for rim/tyre widths for a 55 I'd use whatever widths that will fit under there. What 55 owners have said here indicates to me that the wider the better with good grip tyres.

Unless you are one of those who bought a 55 for other than performance reasons.

 

The ultimate LSD is a plate type, Drexler may make one for the 55, I don't know. But the torsen type is fine for a road car. Any LSD will help stability in a difficult situation, race cars wouldn't use them otherwise. As for rim/tyre widths for a 55 I'd use whatever widths that will fit under there. What 55 owners have said here indicates to me that the wider the better with good grip tyres.

Unless you are one of those who bought a 55 for other than performance reasons.

I a-b-s-o-l-u-t-e-l-y bought the 55 because it has the V8. Sounds. Torque. Feeling. Engine. NA. These engines are dinosaurs and they will go extinct, unfortunately so I wanted to enjoy them. I could have gotten a much newer model (R172) or a 'better driving' Porsche (Cayman or even a Boxster e.g. a 987 3.4) but ... those no have no V8 Sir! However that doesn't mean I like to sit on a skateboard the whole day with zero dampening so ride comfort should be like a GT3 track-car with about 0.5 inch of suspension travel. I like to GT. To cruise. One day I might get some hardcore Cayman or so, throw out everything except 1 seat and the steering wheel, put in a sequential gearbox, new camshafts and go apeshit with it.

Regarding LSDs/ATBs ; I might try my luck with the Wavetrac. I hear good stories, not just here, also in the BMW forums (... what did he just write?) and people in general really recommend onsay 335i's the Wavetrac or Quaife. Quaife seems to be more 'old' and 'reliable' and Wavetrac a bit cheaper, a bit more innovative.

I just have to think who I can bother here to install that diff on a fairly unknown car in this area.

 

This brings me to a very stupid question perhaps ; since I just got this '55 and its history is 99% unknown and it was modified (exhaust, no center mufflers, butterfly muffler valves) ; how could I see if someone upgraded the car to have a diff - without opening the differential? Is there a quick test that 100% certain would say ATB or no ATB ?

 

I was running 325/30/19 and they'll still easily spin when I floor it, so it doesn't help very much. I'd get an LSD first and try it out.

Regarding your control issue, yes an LSD makes it easier to slide, and it takes a little more practice, but overall it'll allow you to control both understeer and oversteer. Without LSD, all you'll get is understeer, which is only better for absolutely basic drivers. Get an LSD, and then do some autocross or just find a big empty parking lot and play with it a bit. Either way, the car still has traction control unless you disable it. LSD just gives you one more way to control your car.