Originally Posted by TL-Rocket

Fellow TL owners,

Does anyone know what type of limited slip differential we have in the 6MTs.
I've been trying to make my '04 TL 6MT HPT break loose in the rain and it seems as if only one wheel is spinning. Is this correct? Or should both wheels spin? Or is there some type of Torsen setup which limits the amount of spinning on the free wheel (tranferring torque to the gripping wheel) so that you don't loose the entire front end on a curve resulting in tremendous understeer?

TL-Rocket

Originally Posted by amosliao

I believe it has the helical limited slip differential, just like the one on my 2003 CL Type-S 6 speed. It is suppose to spin only the outer wheel when cornering. For some reason, my 2004 TL 6 speed doesn't drive as nicely and the torque steer is pretty severe. For my TL, I also get a big vibration from the front wheels and the engine bogs down when I try to punch the gas with traction control off. Still, I love them both.

Originally Posted by GreatWhiteNorth

The LSD on the 6-speed TL is a torque-sensing device that uses helical gears to "pre-emptively" send torque to the wheel with the most traction (up to a pre-set limit). Thus it doesn't need wheel spin to occur before the limited slip kicks in (like, for instance, a clutch type or viscous LSD). This makes it much more friendly for FWD cars (believe it or not).

Similar torque-sensing LDS are the Torsen (used by Audi, Mazda and many other AWD or RWD manufacturers) and Quaife (aftermarket supplier, primarily for FWD applications).

Unlike the ATTS, our LSD will function as a conventional differential (the outside wheel receives no more or less torque than an open diff car) until there is incipient wheelspin, and then will direct torque to the wheel that can use it (i.e. has traction). The ATTS can only send more torque to the outside wheel, even if it has less traction than the inside one, and thus doesn't function as a limted slip device.

.......In a worst case scenario, a torque sensing LSD can act as a completely open diff - think one wheel on glare ice or up in the air. It needs to sense SOME torque at each wheel in order to be effective. Those in the know can apply resistance (torque) to the spinning wheel by applying the brakes - a difficult proposition with three pedals. With traction control, the car will apply the brakes for you, and allow you a better chance to get going again.

Of course, this is only a benefit in very low traction conditions. For fast get-aways in the dry, most find it better to turn the traction control off, as it allows a little bit of wheel spin to get into the meat of the power band and no automatic throttle closure to spoil the fun.

Originally Posted by vtechbrain

Once you know how to use the LSD appropriately it will gives you an amount of speed through corners and curves that only AWD cars can match.

Originally Posted by Shoot2Thrill

So how is this going up a snow/ice covered hill? For example it reads like if you stop on ice it it might take some getting used to the differential potentially shifting power from one wheel to another but ultimately it reads like you will have more traction.