Food for thought

[Chris S]

Given that the Syncro 4WD system (as fitted to the Golf 2/3 & the Passat B3 (35i VR6 & G60)) only transfers power to the rear wheels when the front wheels spin or slip, what is the point of fitting a limited slip diff at the front?

It would appear that if a limited slip diff did its job properly then it would prevent the front wheel ‘slip’ which is necessary for a usable amount of power to be transferred to the rear wheels.

Which would surely mean that first fitting a LSD to the rear diff is a better option?

or is this just Heresy? [:0]

Your thoughts on this please everyone!

[Hungry_Horse_1955]

If this is so, why did VW fit the electronic traction control? And why did it monitor both front wheels seperatly and the rear wheels as a single unit?

Personally I would think you would get more advantage from fitting it to the rear!

[Chris S]

The early type electronic traction control Elektronischer Differentialsperre (EDS) only works on the front wheels,

Thats electronic differential lock (EDL)in English

and the reason that it only worked on the front wheels is that it was basically designed for the 2wd system & not specifically for the Syncro, and lets be honest about this the rear wheels cant spin if they are nor driving can they? te he []

I am not sure but I don’t think VW system worked on all 4 wheels until the Golf 4 or maybe the Golf 5 with the electronic stability program (ESP)

Quote, Personally I would think you would get more advantage from fitting it to the rear!

I quite agree with you on this Clive! []

[alexisblades]

i believe the EDL system as fitted to the golf 2 platform worked in conjunction with the ABS system, and involved applying a braking force to the wheel which was slipping, in order to force the diff to provide more torque to the other front wheel.

a limited slip diff still slips, only the slip is limited, depending on the type of diff used. if using a torsen front diff there may still be enough slip in the faster-spinning front wheel to engage the viscous centre diff and provide power to the rear while providing more traction at the front. from my limited knowledge of differentials i don’t think either a viscous or clutch type front diff would allow this until both front wheels were spinning relative to the rears.

[no such user]

IMO my syncro needs an LSD in the frount at some point. when driving hard under some conditions your very ligth on the inside frount or have it completly off the ground. and having the lsd in the frount would mean some driveing chould still be done by the frount wheel on the deck, there will be slip so the rear will still get to do it’s thing.

also when it comes to playing on the track in the wet, i think it would be a massive feature

inside frount off the deck

[Hungry_Horse_1955]

You could well be right Danny, but the set up for track and road are usually different, if I can remember my CCC magazine days! When you have lifted a front wheel is not the majority of the weight on the rear, thus you want more traction there, as there is less slip????

By the way I have never been on a track so could be speaking out of the proverbial!

[no such user]

one question is just how much power that angel drive is gooing reliably transmit to the rear diff, and there whilst ( slideinig , cornering and the track is falling away) dynamic weight is all over the place.

what i have noiced is syncros are brilliant when the inside frount lifts as the rear dose a good job, but an LSD in the frount would allow me to put power to the frount wheel thats on the deck as well ( there would be plenty of slip to get the VC involved and power to the rear as well)

the setup of my car dose encorage wheel lifting tho as it was pritty much as light as i chould sensibly get it and the springs and dampers are quite hard.

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