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Old 03-03-2009, 03:24 PM
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Default Torsen advice

Does a Torsen out of a 02 F-body act more like a locker or a open diff in a drag launching situation?
Old 03-03-2009, 03:35 PM
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It's supposed to react like a limited slip posi unit, but if it's on the way out, you'll get the dreaded one wheel peel. In a drag racing setup, both tires should hook/spin.
Old 03-03-2009, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by Blackhawk777
It's supposed to react like a limited slip posi unit, but if it's on the way out, you'll get the dreaded one wheel peel. In a drag racing setup, both tires should hook/spin.
I was under the impression that the Torsen's dont wear out just work or dont?
Old 03-03-2009, 10:34 PM
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torsens dont have springs or clutches like most differentials. torsens have gears and are torque biased
Old 03-03-2009, 11:05 PM
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This is whats in a torsen, if any of it wears out it'll break.
This one in the pic has 156,000 miles on it and does not show signs of wear.
These are torsen T1's that came stock in f bodies, they are torque biasing. That means 100% torque from the pinion goes to the diff. In a perfect world you'd get 50% to each wheel but if one looses traction it splits it. They work well but torsens theory of operation kind of contradicts itself because if one wheel looses traction it gets more torque. For example if you jack one tire up and run it, the tire in the air spins and the tire on the ground gets 0% torque.

So if for some reason your tires don't grip evenly, the one with the least traction gets more torque.
Old 03-03-2009, 11:17 PM
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Originally Posted by mtperformance
Does a Torsen out of a 02 F-body act more like a locker or a open diff in a drag launching situation?
Kind of in between.

You'll never get both wheels locked together with a Torsen, its not possible.

But its also not like an open diff at all, because it transfers torque side to side depending on traction.

So if the left wheel has 60% of the available traction and the right wheel has 40% of the available traction, thats exactly how the diff will distribute the power, 60/40. And it can change in a split second, depending on the conditions.
Old 03-04-2009, 02:30 PM
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Look at it like this. A stock open diff has a 2:1 ratio in the spider gears. This makes it easier to spin one wheel.
The Torsen works on the same theory but it uses a 4:1 ratio which makes it more difficult to spin just one wheel.

FWIW Torsens for different vehicles have different split ratios. And they also have a T2 which also uses clutches.
Old 03-04-2009, 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by 9000th01ss
This is whats in a torsen, if any of it wears out it'll break.
This one in the pic has 156,000 miles on it and does not show signs of wear.
These are torsen T1's that came stock in f bodies, they are torque biasing. That means 100% torque from the pinion goes to the diff. In a perfect world you'd get 50% to each wheel but if one looses traction it splits it. They work well but torsens theory of operation kind of contradicts itself because if one wheel looses traction it gets more torque. For example if you jack one tire up and run it, the tire in the air spins and the tire on the ground gets 0% torque.

So if for some reason your tires don't grip evenly, the one with the least traction gets more torque.
Is this the same concept for a Detroit Trutrac?
Old 03-04-2009, 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by wrd1972
Is this the same concept for a Detroit Trutrac?
Yes, the Trutrac works on the same concept. Its is a much stronger unit than the Torsen though.
Old 03-04-2009, 10:05 PM
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i believe the torsens do function well in real life. the minute i lose traction the car gets very loose in the back indicating that both wheels are breaking loose. all black marks starting from a dead stop are identical copies on the left/right side. i have NEVER one wheel peeled.
Old 03-05-2009, 02:06 PM
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Originally Posted by 01ssreda4
i believe the torsens do function well in real life. the minute i lose traction the car gets very loose in the back indicating that both wheels are breaking loose. all black marks starting from a dead stop are identical copies on the left/right side. i have NEVER one wheel peeled.
Cool thats what I was looking to here.
Old 03-05-2009, 04:50 PM
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Dont drag race with a Torsen unless you are slow, launch like a granny, or like to break stuff
Old 03-05-2009, 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by cam
Dont drag race with a Torsen unless you are slow, launch like a granny, or like to break stuff
I must be slow and launch like a granny b/c I don't like breaking stuff.
Old 03-05-2009, 05:33 PM
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You have to understand how the Torsen tries to
work. The "processor" (gear chunk) splits torque
between axles giving more to the slower one, up
to its torque bias limit. On the stock piece the
bias limit is only about 2:1. Two things about that.

One is, 2:1 is less than the ratio between static
and sliding friction for many materials-pairs. This
is where you can get "one wheel peel" - 2X the
sliding-friction back-torque on the spinning wheel
may be less than it takes to break loose the
other. I suspect this may have been a deliberate
choice on GM's part, because they don't want a
whole bunch of tail-happy Camaros hitting trees
and the wheel that doesn't spin, is giving directional
stability.

Two, what you get from this 2:1 split is a thrust
force that is 3X the slipping-wheel traction. Better
than an open chunk (1X), worse to some extent
than a locker (how much, depends on how far
wheel #2 is from breaking loose).

Now, I have a T2-R chunk in mine and it breaks
them both loose whenever I please and often
when I don't, because its bias limit is a lot higher.

My reason (or excuse) to go to the upgraded
chunk was, at 20Kmiles I had the cover off and
found a whole lot of shavings. The Torsen is
not supposed to wear, and it doesn't as long
as you don't abuse it. But once you go past the
bias limit it quits sticking and starts scrubbing.

I've been told the Torsens aren't up to hard
drag launches but fortunately my tires and
suspension are not going to put me there any
time soon.
Old 03-05-2009, 05:52 PM
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What is this chunk you speak of? and where do yo get it?
Old 03-13-2009, 02:02 PM
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The stock torsen break WAY too easy! I would go with an Auburn BUT have it balanced before you install it! I picked up a 50+mph vibration after installing the Auburn carrier...uninstalling it solved it! They are very heavy and need some extra attention.
Old 03-13-2009, 10:44 PM
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Originally Posted by 9987ta
I would go with an Auburn BUT have it balanced before you install it! I picked up a 50+mph vibration after installing the Auburn carrier...uninstalling it solved it! They are very heavy and need some extra attention.
Thats funny right there.
Old 03-13-2009, 10:56 PM
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Funny how is that? You don't think a carrier could be out of balance? Better think again...its quite common.Have any idea how much something that heavy can shake the rear? By the way Torsen spends the extra time to balance their units!
Old 03-13-2009, 11:04 PM
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Originally Posted by 9987ta
Funny how is that? You don't think a carrier could be out of balance? Better think again...its quite common.Have any idea how much something that heavy can shake the rear? By the way Torsen spends the extra time to balance their units!
They come balanced. Auburns, Eatons. Guess you bought one off ebay that had the bubba mod.
Old 03-13-2009, 11:10 PM
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Well the new one i got from them was WAY OUT!. We finally pulled the axles and ran it on the lift, Rear shook at anything above 50 MPH. Bought a nice new Torsen and no more vibrations. The Auburn is aloso MUCH heavier than the torsen. The Auburn HAD NO signs of being balanced! The Torsen DOES. I know you know everything so just do me a favor and save your comments for the next guy...i've been doing this about 35+ years....


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