[torsen] Future of awd - with text!

[QSHIPQ at aol.com]

Calvin
Drive the STI...  Although you are correct that a VC is  speed  differential 
dependent, remember that most lockup within a  quarter turn axle  
differential.  
The best compromise IMO, is the  VC differential lock vs just  a VC coupler.  
Only a few machines  have them, including my  landcruiser.  It's full time 
awd 
with a  VC as apposed to a fwd with rear  coupler.  Toyota actually went  
further, and has a locking (ala gen 1)  center for when the VC isn't  enough. 
 As 
many at Steamboat found out, the  stickage puts the  torsen at a distinct 
disadvantage.   As one with a  lot of  Torsen experience, I can share that 
the VCDL is 
better IMO.    Expensive tho, so I propose the future answer to awd will come 
down to a  race  between the locking torsen (ala 4 runner) or more likely,  a 
 
variable full  time haldex.

I put my money on the haldex, it's  already in cars (volvo TT, etc) that can  
take a full lockup mode or  anything in between.  It's bulletproof, and  
doesn't have the  dynamic handling issues inherent to the torsen.  And the  
biggest  
advantage to haldex is it's ability to program outside inputs in  lockup  
(roll, 
pitch, abs, yaw)

What I find funny about the  website of the Haldex performance modules, is  
the disclaimer that  sudden oversteer in braking in corners will happen when  
locked.   A lot of us Gen 1 quattro guys think that's quite manageable, but  
audis  
attorneys weren't so paranoid back then either, since they gave us a  ABS  
defeat switch too.

Scott "torsen boy"  Justusson


In a message dated 4/24/2007 9:31:25 P.M. Central Standard  Time,  
calvinlc at earthlink.net writes:

In the  VC Subarus  that I have riden in you can really feel it "hunting
around" a  lot more  than the torsen and the response time is not nearly as
good since  you  have to build up speed rather than sensing torque.  I have
always   wondered if the STI was better in this area (never driven/ridden   in
one).

Yeah, the V70R is a full 7 inches shorter than the UrS6   wagon and although
the interior specs seem awful close (I just looked  them  up to see if I was
remembering wrong after Scott seemed convinced  they were  bigger) the
interior still seems small to me....it seems like  I am almost  shoulder to
shoulder with the front passenger and I'm not  that big  :)

BTW, turning radius was 30% larger on the V70R vs. the  UrS...that is  an
awfully big  difference.

--Calvin






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