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http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/classic-mini- ... 527wt_1185


Welded up the planet gears :S WHY!!??

they use them in grastrack racing, and they are actually not as bad as you think, on the slippery mud they can be quite controllable

I ran one of those in the early 80's after blowing planet gears, but I had replaced the output shafts with one long solid heat treated bar with the rubber UJ connector welded on the ends, once assembled I could not change the diff bearings but they were ok after 2 seasons hard racing, I eventually went to a LSD as the locked diff was too hard on drive shafts, I had to change them every meeting as the ends would twist off, I still have a garage full of twisted shafts.

We used to pick up old mini's for free most times, take the shafts out and anything else interesting and then weigh them in, scrapped dozens - sorry.

We eventually had some specially made out of EN24T I think it was and they were fine.

Racing in the dry with the locked diff was interesting to say the least, after a 4 lap heat I was unable to get out of the car for quite a few minutes as I was absolutely knackered, another reason to go to a LSD, they felt so gentle after a locked diff, if I can dig the locked diff out I will take a picture and post it for your amusement.

Pete

I must admit, that this welded diff stuff didn't work for me.

no no no Vegard, not the pinion, the spiders!

Welded diff is the poor man's locker. The trick with the Mini was to weld them up, but not more than one tooth welded on each side of the spider. Then the welds will crack nicely the first time you drive it, so the spiders will rotate almost half a turn before the two welded teeth bump again and won't turn further. This gives you a little bit of differential action on turn-in, then you had better be full on the gas again because now its a locker. Car will not turn a corner unless power is on, if you coast or brake it will go try to go straight ahead with the steering turned. But it works, the car handles beautifully on a dry track which has big wide turns like Daytona, with new slicks, you develop a banzai braking habit and a hmmmm unorthodox cornering line that allows you to get around a lot of the rear-drive cars. Works badly on a rough dusty surface like Sebring. Car becomes an evil pig in the rain, if one tire gets a bit more traction than the other it immediately translates sideways, it doesn't rotate it just zzzzip is over in the next lane already.

Vegard wrote:I must admit, that this welded diff stuff didn't work for me.

:'] damn dude this has made me giggle just a tad aha

You could always use it for this

AHh good old russ swift I met him when I was doing level one motor vehicle with the local college out workshop was next door to rockingham speed way and Honda racing team


but surely you;d just buy an LSD