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LSD question

3K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  glacialmoraine 
#1 ·
i'm looking into purchasing a 08 exige s 240. however, this vehicle is not equipped with lsd. i'm not planning on taking this car to a track at all, but is lsd a must if i do decide to track this car? also, will i notice anything on the streets? tia
 
#4 ·
My personal opinion, LSD not required on track, and maybe not welcome with race track with small, medium and long radius curve. On my old Lotus Europa I removed it (was a Quaiffe) for better control.

LSD is welcome on slalom.

The Elise/Exige have plenty on traction and small power package, you will not notice it on street, and a little bit on very slow curve on race track.
 
#8 ·
I dunno about LSD, but my lotus IS equipped with LDS. (Being that I am a member of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon Curch) here in Utah. My Lotus is technically LDS driver equipped! ;) Bad Joke, but I couldn't resist.
 
#10 ·
Many feel that LSD is detrimental on a road course. You won't miss it on the street. I have no first hand knowledge of this as I didn't hear it personally from any of the engineers or factory drivers, but I have heard reports that the Lotus factory drivers do not like the LSD and Lotus only put it in as an option to help the autocrossers.

If you are ever, ever, ever, EVER going to autocross AND are never, never, never, NEVER going to track it you want an LSD
fixed that for you rnr ;).

ksp3c, don't think that you won't get bitten by either the Auto-X or the track bug. I've seen it happen several times. "I'm never going to track my car" then when it's up for sale "only tracked for 20K miles and autox'd 40 times :D."

I dunno about LSD, but my lotus IS equipped with LDS. (Being that I am a member of the Latter Day Saints (Mormon Curch) here in Utah. My Lotus is technically LDS driver equipped! ;) Bad Joke, but I couldn't resist.
Yes, very bad. Resist that temptation next time...... p-l-e-a-s-e -poke-.
 
#11 ·
rnr said:
If you are ever, ever, ever, EVER going to autocross AND are never, never, never, NEVER going to track it you want an LSD
fixed that for you rnr ;).
Actually haven spent plenty of time tracking the Elise at 3 different tracks I have to disagree - the car has been just fine with an LSD and at least one owner has datalogged proof of an improved laptime after putting in an LSD into his car :shrug:

The reason I specificaly mention autocross is because it much more likely that you will notice the lack of LSD at autocross than you will notice any supposed understeer at the track.
 
#12 ·
Thank you all for your response.

It seems that having an LSD is better than not having one in both track and auto-x situations. Unfortunately, this car that i'm looking at doesn't have one installed.

Do you guys think that this is big enough reason to walk away from this deal? I don't want to regret it later when i decide to track this car or even take it to an auto-x event.

Also, how much is it to retrofit or to install after market lsd? Anyone with a similar experience where you purchased a non-LSD'd vehicle and ended up installing one? Did it really make a noticeable difference and was it worth it?

Thanks
 
#14 ·
Interesting, as I have just installed an aftermarket Cusco LSD on my '05 Elise, and I track my car frequently.

I will say this (and in my experience alone) that I prefer the handling of my car without LSD. This is probably a function of the aggressiveness of my LSD. The feeling on long radius turns is that of a slight understeer which after the LSD clicks in turns to a slight oversteer. There is definitely a feeling when the LSD locks in place.
I have heard that depending on the LSD, you may have to adjust the ramps to adjust the aggressiveness of the LSD.

To answer your question in a nutshell, you do not need LSD - even if you track the car.
 
#16 ·
I drove my Elise on a track without LSD and then with LSD and found I personally liked the feeling with LSD on the tighter corners. AT Buttonwillow turn 1, I used to get horrible wheel spin without the LSD.
 
#22 ·
Well, joking aside, here is my initial impression of an Exige S with LSD. I have never tracked it, or autocrossed it, but I have done both, in FWD and FR so have some ideas what they take.

Tight corners it pulls out of like a tractor. If grip breaks it slides in a very predictable and confidence inspiring manner. Pulling out of faster corners you don't feel it unless you lose grip, again breakaway is progressive, not sudden.

For me, the biggest reason I want an LSD is the predictability of loss of traction. With an open diff it can be more sudden and upset the balance of the car. With LSD, hit the gas and slide the ass, hehe.

take care,

Steve
 
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