creamy-nuts

what the heck does it do, i've checked other post and they only talk about it in ways i don't get. can some one help me?

Aegir

It's a device that, through clutches or gearing, attempts to speed up the slower moving axle. It receives rotational input from the transmission, and outputs rotational energy to the two axle shafts. Power is biased to the slower moving axle. By doing this it biases power away from the wheel that is slipping to the wheel that is not.

rets

LIMITED-SLIP DIFFERENTIAL

When equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission, the TL features a standard limited-slip differential (LSD). This helical-gear-type LSD enhances traction during acceleration and reduces understeer in high cornering load situations.

A set of helical gears mounted within the ring gear carrier responds to wheel spin at either front wheel by directing torque from the spinning wheel to the wheel with the best traction. This system improves traction when cornering, and when negotiating slippery surfaces or surfaces where traction is uneven from side to side.

caball88

where you plagiarize that from? but its correct if you can understand that whole ring thing. lsd allows one wheel to spin faster than the other and transfers power to the wheel with more traction.

creamy-nuts

thanks

spidey07

just remember it is a good thing.

Now i'm no car expert but IIRC the problem with a regular differential is the wheel with LESS traction gets more power and just spins. For a FWD car that is bad and would result in severe understeer as the car plows forward through a turn giving power to the inside wheel (which isn't doing much traction wise as most of the weight is on the outside wheel)

I remember my prelude SH and how much that outside front wheel just loved to dig in...similar to an LSD, but not the same.

Take this post for what it is...a car enthusiast (but not expert) jabbering.

Incubus

The Type-SH had ATTS (active torque transfer system). I always understood it to be an LSD. Now that I think of it, if it's "Active" then it's most likely electronic, no?
Please clarify my confusion.
I am also looking for an LSD for my AUTO TL-S.

texas_acura

Most differentials are what we call "open" differentials. A differential does just what it says...it allows a "different" speed across an axle. All cars have differentials. In the case of a two wheel drive car you will have one differential that splits the power between the two drive wheels.

When you turn a corner, the outside wheel must turn faster than the inside wheel. If the two wheels were forced to turn at the same speed, then the car would literally hop as the inside wheel tried to turn too fast and the outside wheel turn too slowly. Here is where the differential comes into play and allows the different speeds.

However, if you have ever gotten a car with an open differential stuck in the mud or sand you may have noticed that one of the drive wheels was not turning at all, while the other drive wheel was spinning away. When given the option, an open differential is lazy, that is, it will take the path of least resistance if there is one available. This is what can cause one drive wheel to remain still while the other turns.

The same thing can happen when accelerating; if one wheel is on a slippery surface then it will spin away and the other wheel will not spin. This can be less than desirable. For one, it will inhibit acceleration and it can also pull the car to one side.

So a limited slip differential does just what it says, it "limits" the amount of slip betweent the two drive wheels. It allows enough slip so that you can turn corners, etc. But when one wheel starts to really speed up it takes over and tries to split the torque equally to BOTH wheels for added traction, control, etc.

Similarly in hard cornering, the weight begins to come off of the inside wheel and an open differential would like to be lazy and start sending all of the power to the inside wheel. But he LSD tries to make sure that the outside wheel keeps turning and pushing the car through the corner. A limited slip cannot "accelerate" a wheel so to speak, that is more along the lines of what happens in a PreludeSH...see a couple of paragraphs below.

There are a couple of methods for implementing a limited slip differential...it can be a mechanical interaction such as a clutch or some complex gearing. It can also be a viscous interaction where a fluid can only take so much shearing stress until it forces each wheel to turn equally.

In the case of the TL, it just helps tame the power to the front two wheels and help "push" through hard corners, but only in the six speed. The auto does not have an LSD.

However the TypeSH in the Prelude was NOT a limited slip. It would actually accelerate the outside wheel in a corner by means of a complex clutch pack. A very similar system is being implemented on the '05 RL. A alot of people gave Honda crap about the TypeSH not having a limited slip ability for straight line acceleration. All of the hardware was there to do it, but it was only functional for cornering. The TypeSH system had electronic control but the actual function was all mechanical.

Sorry for the length, I hope this helps.

Bitium

The 5AT does have a differential...just not a limited one. Also called an open differential.

A differencial transmit the power to the wheels while allowing them to rotate at different speeds. Is all mechanical. Remember that the open differential always applies the same torque to both wheels

The 6MT has an LSD (Limited slip differential). Limited slip differentials use various mechanisms to allow normal differential action when going around turns. When a wheel slips, they allow more torque to be transferred to the non-slipping wheel.

there are different types of limited slip differentials, including the clutch-type LSD, the viscous coupling, locking differential and Torsen differential.

About prelude ATTS system, here is more info:

http://dwolsten.tripod.com/articles/honda4.htm

BTW the RL is not base on the ATTS system, but DYC developed by honda in the early 90's.

spidey07

And while we're talking about ATTS...folks can complain all they want. But that prelude SH was one of the most fun cars I've ever owned. For a front wheel drive car it actually felt like it had a tendency to OVERSTEER.

In a corner? Giver 'er some more throttle and feel it dig in. If only that thing had more power it would have been perfect.

texas_acura

I agree, I have driven a TypeSH and it was great. I was just stating that Honda should have gone the next step to make the system function like a LSD when needed, not just in cornering, but whenever needed. It was an oversight on Honda's part as all the hardware was there to do it...the control just needed to say "hey work" all the time, not just in corners.

roadman

My old school thinking is that a differential is for rear wheel drive and front wheel drive has a transaxle. In theory they work the somewhat in the same way, but in the snow they will provide you with less traction.

In a traditional 2 wheel drive scenario, 1 wheel will always propel the car forward, the opposite will always propel the vehicle backwards

big2mo

Go to www.howstuffworks.ocm. They give a great explination with pictures.

texas_acura

roadman,

i REALLY hope that you are kidding....not even close on either point

-tx