Okay I know the characteriscs how each of these funtion. My question is why are they all the same price? Like I've found sites that have a Cusco 1 way LSD for 1,100 dollars which to me is a major ripoff. Especially sense you can get 2-way's from Nismo, Kaaz, or Cusco for like $900. So like what is the mechanical difference between these two that makes them the around the same price. I would think that it's obvious that a 2 way is better because it gives you the effect on both accel. and decel. so why even market the 1 way LSD's if you can't make them cheaper than the 2 way's?

 

You pay for the Cusco name; not saying it's all hype - Cusco parts are top-shelf stuff, but you don't necessarily need to buy a Cusco to get a really good diff.

Also, a 2-way is better for drifting - but not necessarily for other types of driving. Grip drivers or FF cars usually run a 1-way, sometimes 1.5-way. The only difference physically between 1-1.5-2-way diffs is the shape of the casing (?) and how they engage... if you search for the Cusco LSD diagrams, it'll show you the small difference in the shape of the diff casing which allows the diff to operate as a 1-way, 1.5-way, or 2-way. Think of it like how slotted and drilled rotors are pretty much the same prices too, although they are different physically

 

this is gonna be a sticky

Here are some good resources that talk about how differentials work.

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm

http://www.club4ag.com/faq%20and%20t...ential_101.htm (ignore all the biased comments about how kaaz are the best there are many better units)

http://www.kaazusa.com/answers.html#whatway

and this nice pic


You can see how the different pinion shapes push the housing around with different amounts of force. The flat-bottom pinion is unable to provide any force to separate the housing (And engage the clutches). The 1.5-way only offers partial locking on deceleration.

2-ways are better for drifting because they help keep the wheels locked on accel AND on braking.


ultimately they all offer somehing that is for a different kind of motorsports

1way is good for autoX due to the fact you will have the best inital turn in with this


1.5way or 2way is really a choice of preferance
however a 2 way is better for drifting due to it keeps your wheels locked or accel or deccel

 

perfect Cath... >> stickied

 

Sweetness!! Thanks guys for coming through yet again!

 

"That, my friend... is my job."

- Horatio Cain, CSI: Miami

[LOL]

 

Now if there was only a diagram to explain viscous from non viscous diffs. It was explained a little in the "how stuff works", but it was only 2 paragraphs and not very indepth. Why viscous is crappier and how they both work differently.

Also gear ratio's to transfer torque properlly. There are soooo many diffs on the market and engines with different HP what would be the best for your engine power output, and transmission gearing........

After comparing the clutch types, I would say that KAAZ is hands down the biggest bang for your buck. Cusco was just one of the first and few to make aftermarket clutch type LSD's, there just selling there name.

I would prefer 1.5 way, after all you wont always be drifting with your car.

 

sweet thanks for those links Catharsis its what I was looking for. trying to get an idea of how these lsd ways actually work and engage thanks again!

 

KAAZ is ****, its worth the extra $200 buch to get a ATS or a Cusco
and cusco has most thier **** made by OS Giken, so to sya with cusco you just paying for a name is the dumbest thing i have heard in a long time

 

Well for the people that own the KAAZ, I have heard nothing but good thing's. I have heard nothing but good things about cusco too. So for price I will buy something that is "not cheap", but simply more affordable. As far as production is concerned I've heard that KAAZ follows some strict standards when building there diff's, so from a production standpoint how can you say that KAAZ isn't any better than O.S Giken..... I mean cmon' it's not like we are a bunch of idiots buying a phantom grip..... Now that is S H I T IMO.

 

But how many Kaaz have you driven, do you own one or have you? I know many people with KAAZ LSD and thier biggerst gripe is how loud it is for how little bit it has, how quickly they wear out (1 year street use, ocasional drift and race use) where as a Cusco/OS Giken engages smoother, more quietly at are ajustable, i have friends who have been running Cusco/OS/ATS for close to 2+ years without a rebuild and remeber this is only $200 bucks we are talking about for inital price difference. A rebuild will cost you more.

The reason i did not say the ATS locks smoother and more quietly is beacxuse it doesnt, do it more quietly, however smoother and far harder.

In the end it is your money but it is worth the few extra bills to get a better diff.

 

My friends KAAZ has been tracked hard for about 2 years and still holds up.

My tomei was the same way, i beat the crap out of it. Sold it and when my friend had it re built (he is very stupid) they guys at kaaz were like its still has alot more life on it.

The ones that clunk kinda loud from what ive driven were KAAZ, tomei, Cusco (for got what type)

Nismo is pretty quiet, damn i need to try more diffs.

 

O.K now you went off base...
I don't own a KAAZ yet because I still havent fried my VLSD.
Now for the facts, if I have a VLSD with thin ( silicon viscous) silicone goo unlike the one's that come in the KAAZ, I can let you know right now that they will last longer than a year on street use (My vlsd alone has out lasted over 13 years of street abuse with basic fluid changes).
Secondly I have installed the KAAZ a few times not only on the 240sx's but also on 300z's (there all the same accept when you deal with the twin turbo).
Now to reiterate what you regergitated.
You claim that KAAZ is NOISY, and not as SMOOTH?
Please that is just riding on JDM **** for far too long expressing that you like "OS Giken" probably because they manufacture some of the best transmissions for the RB and SR, ( i really don't care, but alot of people follow name brands based on there popularity, not really quality). You will have to expect a little noise coming from the KAAZ, tomei, or cusco ( if you really want to call it an O.S then fine) for that matter, consider the thickness, friction, and heat that is created when the disc's engage. It is never going to sound as quiet as the Nismo, but then again KAAZ, cusco are supposed to have larger discs than the NISMO anyway, it is to be expected.
Smoothness has more to do if it is a 1 way, 1.5 way or 2way, (Not the brand). Granted people have claimed that the KAAZ 2 way engages kinda stiff and sloppy. Dealing with the 1 way they engage a bit smoother, and the 1.5 way is a little bit more noisy than the 1way. I recomended a 1.5way, it's really not that loud, and can be used for auto x, drifting, or daily driving use. The cusco 2 way has alot of the same stiffness, and noise issues as the KAAZ, there really is no way around it and it wasn't really designed for daily driving use. Stop and go traffic alone can fry the 2way weither you drive fast or slow, it wasn't really designed for your average street abuse.
As far as helping my friends install there KAAZ, there still running strong after 3 years of track, and street abuse. I don't have to own something to know that it works great.

EDITED for Content: I was pretty drunk when I left my first reply, it was out of context, derogatory, and some of the info was misguided.

 

mani dont have a hardon for "JDM" name brands

again all clutch types will clunk, however after all of the diffs i have tried i can say i like them in this order,

OS Giken Super Lock, ATS (any of thier LSDs), Cusco RS, Nismo, Tomei, Cusco MZ, KAAZ.

In the end the Kaaz has the least going for it... it doesnt have the most plates 8 per side vs. the OS 14 per side, so it wont be as smooth. It doesnt have the largest cluches the ATS does, and it doesnt have the ajustablity of the Cusco RS. It isnt as quiet as the nismo or the ATS Carbon. so really all a Kaaz has going for it is the price. and really when it comes down to it an extra hundred or two is pocket change.

the locking properties smoothness has to do with clutch design and with the intial tourqe you have your LSD set to... more than if it is a 1, 1.5 or 2 way

 

No it doesn't, it deals with the if it is 1 way, 1.5way, or 2way.
Pinion design is what makes it the (X)way that it is...

As stated from KAAZ USA...
1-Way L.S.D. means that only when the accelerator is stepped on, the L.S.D. comes into use. The 1.5-Way L.S.D. means that when the car is braking, there is little L.S.D. effect and the 2-Way L.S.D. means that either when the car is accelerating or braking the L.S.D. is always active. The difference between these are the shaping of the cam into different shapes for the pinion to fit.



Now what that means by it's design it makes it the way it is. The pinion design between the O.S giken and the KAAZ share many similarities in shap and design making them whatever (x)way they are. The only differences that are consistent between the brands are the clutch disc's.


2way LSD's weither they are O.S giken or the KAAZ will be NOISY! 2ways are noisy from heat and friction, that is all it is. The disc's are engaged so they are always building heat and friction.
They are not for street use, because they are ALWAYS active the clutch type is engaged when ever power is delivered through the drive train. Less clutch plates aren't going to make an LSD any louder, it just effects it's life span, and that isn't always any sign of it's longevity either, it depends on the type of fibers that are used in the manufacturing of the clutches.
KAAZ claims that if you properlly brake in ther L.S.D to the time recomended for break in they can last for a long time.