Steve (dmb) and I jsut finished installing the OSCAI on his car, so i brought up the slick idea to jack up his car and find out if he had a VLSD.

he does.

- matt

 

Cool! That means I do to . I guess they decided to use the same setup as the advertised one in Canada.

 

how did you check?

 

to check me jacked up the car and spun one wheel and the one wheel and the other one didn't turn. this is supposed to indicate a VLSD, i'll check the other way too. go around corner really fast, look for two skid marks.

 

Jack the front end of the car up and spin one wheel and see if the other wheel stay's still. If only one wheel spins I think it means there is a LSD on the car. I am not sure how accurate this test is though.

 

the skid mark test is the better way to tell. more fun too

 

Ummm, the way that I know to check is to shift to neutral, and spin the tire. The other side should rotate the same way. If it is an open diff. the tire will rotate the opposite direction.

 

This all depends on the design of the differential. I havent checked what happens with my Quaife, but the Quaife is an all gear design which is different from the "viscous limited slip dif" that is OE in the new maximas. My factory service manual says cars with the viscous limited slip if you jack up the car the opposite wheel should spin the SAME way. I think having it in gear rather then neutral also makes a difference, now with an open dif or a quaife, the oppsite wheel will rotate reverse. i'll check again tomorow to see what my Quaife does.

 

Another way to find out is read your window sticker! I still have my window sticker it it says VLSD

 

I didn't think the 2002 Maxima was coming with a VLSD. I thought it was either an open diff or HLSD. The dual rubber stripe test really isn't effective. My open differential 4th gen will almost always leave to equal stripes thru first. I think Nissan did a great job in designing the 4th/5th gen suspension/axle geometry in that the car hardly suffers any noticable torque steet nor peg-legging unless you're driving on slick surfaces. My 94 Z28 with posi-traction (VLSD) wouldn't always leave equal stripes. VLSD doesn't distribute the power equally to both wheels. It's usually a 70/30% split in traction between both wheels. This is also why VLSD don't always leave equal rubber on the pavement. Only HLSD will get a near 50/50 split is torque.

To test the effectiveness of the VLSD on a Z28/Mustang is to lift the rear axle. If both wheels spin in the same direction, the VLSD is working. If the other wheel spins in the other direction, the VLSD clutch pack is toast. I can only assume the Maxima VLSD would behave the same way.


Dave

 

So since he spun one wheel and the other didn't move, does that mean he doesn't have a VLSD as per the other posts saying that the wheel should spin the same direction.....

 

search the other posts... most say it is EITHER same direction or the other is not spinning...

- matt