[Scott Collins]

My open diff gave me a major headache this winter. Plenty of snow, wheel spinning, and one "swapping ends" event that has me motivated to mod "Claudia II" to some kind of non-open diff. There's always a lot of craziness in New Jersey for starters, and even more so in the winter. Even the lightest touch on the gas in the snow makes me start to go sideways, with the back end always going to the left. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Anyone have experience in Northeast-type driving who has done a mod like this? If so, what make and model diff should I be considering?



Thanks for posting responses.



-Scott

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[badberry68]

[quote name='Scott Collins' post='34633' date='Apr 24 2007, 07:46 PM']My open diff gave me a major headache this winter. Plenty of snow, wheel spinning, and one "swapping ends" event that has me motivated to mod "Claudia II" to some kind of non-open diff. There's always a lot of craziness in New Jersey for starters, and even more so in the winter. Even the lightest touch on the gas in the snow makes me start to go sideways, with the back end always going to the left. <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/ohmy.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



Anyone have experience in Northeast-type driving who has done a mod like this? If so, what make and model diff should I be considering?



Thanks for posting responses.



-Scott[/quote]





My dad wad the last person I've heard use the term Diff, and he had a Tractor Trailer business. I think what you need is an LSD unit for your transmission. I may be wrong but aren't you more likely to lose the rear (during acceleration while cornering) if you have both rear wheels driving?

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[doster]

My experience with a locking differential in the snow is (sketchey) but fun

I put a detroit locker in my truck for better traction in the dirt but in the snow,

when it breaks loose it goes sideways in a hurry. but when you get used to it ,its more

controllable.



lsd in your car will help in the corners on dry pavement but will probably be

a handfull in the snow, until you get used too it, I drove my car all winter w/o lsd and was pretty surprised

how well it did in the snow although when it got bad I dropped a sack of cement

in the trunck <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Mark]

I would guess good snow tires and additional weight in the back would take care of most snow.

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[PorscheDude]

Mine was horrible when I got cought in the snow a couple weeks back. Rear pretty much went sideways at the slightest touch of the gas. You may be better with the open diff for that type of driving.



In the dry it is a whole different story.

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[Anchorman]

Scott, I drove my car through this winter - and the three previous ones - in the same territory you're in. I don't know what you do re tires in the winter, but from Thanksgiving through Easter I run Bridgestone Blizzaks mounted on 16" wheels on all four corners. I still need to be careful, but the car is quite drivable, and I've never gotten stranded or stuck. Before next winter, you might give tires a consideration before dealing with the differential.

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[Scott Collins]

[quote name='Anchorman' post='34662' date='Apr 25 2007, 04:07 PM']Scott, I drove my car through this winter - and the three previous ones - in the same territory you're in. I don't know what you do re tires in the winter, but from Thanksgiving through Easter I run Bridgestone Blizzaks mounted on 16" wheels on all four corners. I still need to be careful, but the car is quite drivable, and I've never gotten stranded or stuck. Before next winter, you might give tires a consideration before dealing with the differential.[/quote]



Anchorman et All,



I am running Toyo Proxes 4 on 16"rims, and find them to be OK. Previously, I had Bridgestone SO3's on 17" rims, and they had to come off as soon as the temp got below 50 degrees. Below that, they have less and less grip and are absolutely unsafe in the snow.



I'll have to give the Blizzak tires a try next winter. Thanks for the tip. Would I create more problems for myself in the snow if I had LSD instead of an open differential? Seems like that is what I am hearing.



[quote name='smokiemon968' post='34660' date='Apr 25 2007, 03:14 PM']Mine was horrible when I got cought in the snow a couple weeks back. Rear pretty much went sideways at the slightest touch of the gas. You may be better with the open diff for that type of driving.



In the dry it is a whole different story.[/quote]



Hey Smokiemon968,



What kind of LSD do you have?



-Scott

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[gamath]

I second the opinion that proper snow tires are the solution. I've driven my 968 through 3 Michigan winters with Hankook Icebear tires in the OEM 16" sizes. The car was very good, except when the snow gets so deep that one enounters ground clearance issues.



Gamath

'95 968 Coupe w/Tip

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