vibrating_cake

Whats the difference between an ATB (automatic torque biasing) differential using helitical gears and a standard LSD

i know the LSD uses clutch plates and helps put the power down to the wheel with most resistance. but the ATB differential in its discription says it does the same. but doesnt wear out as it hasnt got clutch plates like the lsd's (not that i know as i have only ever had standard differentials)

so. whats the difference??
including what can be used with more power?
which would be better to drive/race with
same but drifting
etc etc etc
Pro's and cons please as the ATB is cheaper but i want to know... why havent i heard of these before?

Markb_s1

ATB doesn't need servicing, and the locking action is apparently more progressive, however from what i've been told if you lose all traction on one wheel (e.g. it's in the air) then you lose drive to the other as well.

regular plate type lsd tends to be a snappier locking action and you will always have grip. from people I know who race, they definitely prefer plate type as long as it's not from quaife due to their shocking after sales service. (apparently Tranx are a good bet) for road use, ATB is probably a better bet i reckon.

hope that helps. (and hope it's actually correct!)

dojj

iTrader: (3)

the atb diff is, put very simply, the same mecahnical theory mechanism as you'll find in a stud extractor

there are a few bits of metal that progresvily lock with each other the more you turn them against each other, but while they are both turning at the same rotational speeds there is no locking action

but wheel up in the air scenarios make them send all the power to the wheel that has no drive, trange that

also, as far as i was aware, it's not a quaife orignial design as maserati used the same diffs on their cars from at least the early 80's (was speaking to a marerati anorak a good few years ago who had techincal drawings of all the various components he had on his car, exploded diagrams and all that "only nerds love this" type of paraphinaliay )

Stavros

atb's suck ball/cock/anus.

esp for drifting, despite quaife originally claiming they ideal for drifting, they are exactly the opposite, fucking rubbish for it.

they certainly are a little more civilised and road friendly than a plated diff, but deffo not as good for pure performance.

boXXer

Agreed! i wouldnt bother with an ATB. I got a Tran-X plate slipper in my mk1, and its the absolute bollox. Locks 100% of the time, and is fine on the roads (albeit a bit noisy around tight corners/roundabouts).

Markb_s1

seemed to be working ok on sunday too Mike.

Markb_s1

other thing about the ATB is they don't require adjustment i believe.
wheras a plate diff actually has to be set up.

vibrating_cake

ahhh. so basically. from a standard diff to an atb diff. i would be gaining booger all, as if one wheel was spinning like a nutcase you'd loose all power to the wheels (same kinda thing as it being lifted off the floor?
atm sadly the capri tends to cock a rear leg still in chicanes (sp?) and just spin the inside wheel up. dependin on how aggressive your right foot is .

so ATB diff basically works well (when your launching before wheelspin) and good at tending not to want to lock when going too hard on the throttle round a corner (if you cock a wheel off the floor)

whereas the plated diff (after being set up), will always send power to the wheel on the ground, and (with enough right foot action) will lock both rears to power around a corner thus keeping the wheel on the floor with plenty of power to use (or break free in a drifting circumstance)?

ATB sounds like a waste of money so far lol

Markb_s1

if both wheels are on the ground with the atb then you're ok. if one's in the air or on really soft ground then that's not much good.

boXXer

yeah, they are very similiar to cossie diffs. Only work when they want to!

lead_foot

iTrader: (1)

Just weld up your diff. Job done!

lammylama

iTrader: (1)

i had an atb in my old saff and it was the nuts...so much better than a standard diff.
I spent half my life sideways in that so who says you cant drift an atb???
A certain white 3 door on youtube that you all know probably also runs an atb and also praises them!!!!!!!!!!!!1

vibrating_cake

interesting

Stavros

they are the worst TYPE of diff for drifting. simple fact.

you can go sideways on an open diff if you wanted to, but for drifting, out of the 4 main types of LSD, if they all locked up equally as much, that ATB is the worst due to how it works.

mostly on transitioning, as im talking about drifitng properly rather power oversteer round one corner.

unless you know better than all the pro drift teams/cars quaife GAVE one to a few years ago here an in other countries, and all promptly went back to proper plated diffs soon as they gave the ATBs good testing...

donutting round and round a mini roundabout at ace cafe isnt drifting, if thats who you mean

COCHYN

I disagree with a lot of the above. I for one really think the ATB is so much better. Appart from the 6 pot's, its the main thing that kept my Focus stable and safe, especially in the corners. The LSD just doesn't cut it for me, doesn't throw the power to the wheel with most grip like the ATB

Stavros

What other diffs have you tried? They certainly better than stock ford diffs, of course, but what do you expect.

And like said, for a FRONT drive road car its mint.

But they not talking about front drive cars, and he mentions drifting too, where they certainly dont work well.

You will find yourself hard pushed to find any real races front or rear drive that prefer ATBs over anything else tho TBH.

COCHYN

Ah right, well in that case its different. Their perfect for FWD.

But hey, wet, wide enough surface you can easily make a FWD drift

boXXer

for FWD they are really good, for rwd applications, i wouldnt bother. some people like them in RWD cars though, but after you have driven a RWD car properly with a plate type slipper, you wouldnt go back.