Retrofitting Traction Control and LSD

[Sven]

After a long search, we purchased a sport pack '07 to autocross in SS. Unfortunately, the car does not have the factory bundled Traction Control and Limited Slip. Anyone out there who has retrofitted these features? Cost? The retrofit must be SCCA legal for Super Stock.

[Hello Kitty]

I added LSD to my exige. The cost was about $900 for toyota LSD, and about $500 to install it. IMO you dont need traction control. Your just going to turn it off at events anyway

[philethier]

Originally Posted by Hello Kitty

I added LSD to my exige. The cost was about $900 for toyota LSD, and about $500 to install it. IMO you dont need traction control. Your just going to turn it off at events anyway

What you NEED and what's LEGAL are often two very-different things...

[Sven]

It is a given that Traction Control is useless for autocrossing, but Lotus made the decision to not sell a limited slip without it. Legality is the issue here. Retrofitting a LSD is straight forward, but it appears that adding Traction Control is much more complicated (ECU and sensor changes?).

[antinym]

I don't know if TC is all that complex, I think it's part of the tune.
Why?
I have an 06 without TC. I sent the ECU to Charlie to get tuned, and it came back with TC.
Which was really annoying because I didn't have a button to turn it off.
I sent the ECU back, and now have no TC. yay!

[Sven]

Traction Control as a stand alone option cost just under $500 from the factory so it must involve some hardware.

[jds62f]

Originally Posted by Sven

Traction Control as a stand alone option cost just under $500 from the factory so it must involve some hardware.

Ya, the hardware is the button to turn it on or off...

[aschen]

I believe traction control is enabled in every ECU, and all you require is the switch and pigtail harness. I am not sure of this though. One of the vendors sells the OEM switch. I think it is BOE/koldfire or perhaps radium.

If you are planning to shoot for a national trophy I am sure you will need lsd/tc. Otherwise, a big front sway bar does alot to keep the inside wheel down.

My elise did not have an lsd and the front sway bar changed it from a one wheel peeler on tight turns to the point where I never had traction issues.

[GSXtasy]

It's not a big deal to do it yourself. I dropped my tranny and installed my Toyota LSD last week.

If you're even a bit mechanically inclined, you can get it done in 10 hours or less.

[R4Racin]

GSXtasy - How did you adjust the pre-load?

[Subparpunk03]

TC retrofit involves buying the switch, drilling a hole in your gearshift cover to mount it, and then getting a reflash on the ecu... I'm not sure if kold fire can add tc, but I've heard that the dealer can do the necessary reflash.

Another way to do it would be to buy a brand new ECU from the factory and sell your old one... but that seems overkill.

The first few key cycles, the ecu will look for the presence of the TC switch, if it's not there it eventually disables the feature.

[Sven]

Thanks for the info.

[sprocket3]

For auto crossing how bad is the lack of LSD? The guys here have really small tight courses and I'm thinking I will have a ton of spinning. I just got an Elise as well and I'm having the same concerns. The back end seems to spin real easy from the little driving I've done so far.

[Davemk1]

Originally Posted by sprocket3

For auto crossing how bad is the lack of LSD? The guys here have really small tight courses and I'm thinking I will have a ton of spinning. I just got an Elise as well and I'm having the same concerns. The back end seems to spin real easy from the little driving I've done so far.

The BWR sway bar does a very good job of keeping the rear tire on the floor - worth every cent.

Is a LSD still a good thing? Yes of course. But you can do very well without it with the proper front bar and driving technique.

Dave

[apexdc]

It is my understanding that every ECU is set up for traction control but on the very first startup, it looks to see if the TC switch is installed. If it doesn't find that switch, it defeats the TC portion of the ECU. The switch can be fitted, but a reflash is needed to get it to all work.

Allen Strommer can do it.

[philethier]

Originally Posted by Davemk1

The BWR sway bar does a very good job of keeping the rear tire on the floor - worth every cent.

Is a LSD still a good thing? Yes of course. But you can do very well without it with the proper front bar and driving technique.

Dave

All true.

I'd like a little more negative camber up front. Been thinking of breaking out of Stock just to use the trick front control arms, but SM seems the lowest class I can get into with an Elise. Don't want to run in SSP with the supercharged guys. Hmm. I'd better start a new thread for that and not hijack this one...

[sprocket3]

Thanks. Not to hyjack the thread, but this seems like a good question for both OP and myself:

I had really stiff sway bars and springs on my 911 that I used for auto-x. The problem was on the street the car was not pleasant to drive, so I don't want to make that mistake again with this Elise. The car crossed the line of street comfort and then I really didn't use the car very much.

My goal with this Elise is to keep street comfort but still be solid at the events. LSD seems like it would really help in those 1st/2nd gear corner exits.

Also, where is the sweet spot for the car in SCCA Class? I know I could read the regs, but if someone tells me Stock + x y z is a good place to be at with the car.

[sprocket3]

Just noticed the 11 pages of sticky. Sorry, i'm new here.

[Davemk1]

In my experience the ride with the stiff BWR is just fine and not in anyway harsh. I doubt anyone would feel the car is compromised by the bar.

Dave

[Fast Toys]

Traction control can be added with a BOE/Kold Fire tune an traction control button. You will need that with the factory LSD to stay in stock class.

You definitely want the LSD for auto-x but you could still have fun without it. You just will not be as fast and will have to deal with wheel spin accelerating out of the tight corners.