thefro526

So, I finally decided to bite the bullet and drop my differential and get it welded. I researched through all of the bull on here and NICO and finally decided that I would weld mine and deal with it. I really like how it feels and it helps substantially with launches. Also on high speed turns that have a very wide radius the car accelerates much faster. The only thing that I've found that I don't like about the diff is that I can't roll into parking spots like I used to, which to me isn't that big of a deal. In the end I really like it and think it was well worth what it cost me ~$75 and the 3-4 hours of labor. I'm going out drifting tonight so I will update this thread tomorrow with my results.

I'm hoping that by keeping a log of sorts on here with all of my ups and downs with the differential more people will be more well informed about welded diffs.

First Update! 8-9-08

For those of you with cement driveways or cement driveway aprons you might want to consider that sometimes when you pull in and out of the driveway you will be dragging a wheel so you may leave a mark or two. I just found that out but the marks wash right off with a garden hose.

Second Update! 8-10-08

I went out Drifting last night with some friends in a big parking lot and a teardrop shaped truck turn around and the differential makes a huge difference. Honestly, I'm worse now than I was on my open but I need to learn more. The differential is much better for drifting but most of us will need a bit of a refresher once you switch from an open to a welded.

Also I drove through Philly last night on the way in and out of our drift spots and the differential isn't too noticeable for city driving. Low speed turns are still a little noisy but it should be expected. Highway driving is unaffected for the most part, the car may track a little straighter but it may be my imagination.

Now here's what everyone's been waiting for, the RAIN. I took the car for a quick spin in the rain today, I didn't go over 40 or so but it's not that bad. I launched very cautiously when I was making turns from a stop and the car was very predictable and civilized. Rolling through turns in 2nd and then powering out is a bit scary and you will get the rear end out even with new tires but, a gentle lift of the throttle was all that I needed to do to get the rear in line.

One of the most important things I'm noticed though is the difference in tire performance. With my open diff, tire grip wasn't too noticeable between different tires but once I started swapping between tires the difference was obvious. I have brand new tires on my car that are A rated temp and traction and 400 treadware which are my street/DD tires and then I have a pair of steelies with some used goodyears for the rear when I'm drifting. When I drove from one spot to another which is about 20-30 miles (south philly to almost delaware New Jersey) on my drift tires I noticed that I had much less grip on the rear and if I would've driven in the rain on my drift tires I would've had to do all of my launches in 2nd instead of 1st to keep the rear in line.

Third Update!!!! 8-11-08

Much of anything to report. I'm really getting used to the welded diff when the road is wet, it's not to hard to keep the rear in line. I love how I can power out of turns with my almighty dohc KA!!! Also the rear grip in wide turns is much better I feel more confident flying into turns. That being said, sharp turns are easy to loose grip in so be cautious and use good judgement.

Update #4!!!!!!

Went to a local meet tonight and my welded is still awesome. I took a bunch of people for rides and let my friend drive it and the general consensus is that it's not that bad. I still love it and my friend who used to have an S14 (totaled by a drunk driver) said my welded is better than his 1.5 way was. That's his opinion but regardless it's still good.

People still give me crazy looks and in a parking lot of 150 cars that are modded I was getting a shitload of attention and my car is mostly stock. I absolutely love the noises, they're awesome.

Did a donut or two when giving rides and I'm getting so much better with this welded as I drive it more.

On the Subject of tires and price, Welded diffs are a cheap and effective alternative to LSD's. My Welded cost me a total of $75 and most LSD's are 10 times that much. But at the same time you need good tires to DD on. Don't complain that your welded sucks in the rain when you have shitty tires. I got brand new tires for $208 dollars that are A rated across the board so with the money you save you can buy new tires.

timster

I really liked mine when I had it. I haven't been tracking my car at ALL though so in the interest of keeping my 255/40 GForces looking nice I swapped back in an open differential. Once my car is track ready though the welded will be going back in, for sure.

__________________
- Tim

jackjack

ah yes

good times

only bad thing.... bald tires + rain or snow = no no

thefro526

First Update!

For those of you with cement driveways or cement driveway aprons you might want to consider that sometimes when you pull in and out of the driveway you will be dragging a wheel so you may leave a mark or two. I just found that out but the marks wash right off with a garden hose.

s13boy89

i just put a welded on too and i wore out my azenis in a half hour, i love it

k's_silvia2.0

Welded, 2 way, 1.5 way, .....

__________________

po12nh d

weld diffs are gangta.. when i drive mine around a parking lot at a mall or school you hear the tire skeet skeet and people would turn their heads.. lol gangsta.

thefro526

Hehe, from a price standpoint I would say a welded owns all of those. Honestly from what I've done with the car, I'd say the only time that a welded might not be good is autocross, and even then if one were to adjust their style of driving to the welded then it wouldn't matter.

Definitely, I pulled into a taco bell yesterday and this dude gave me this weird ass look and I smiled at him.

jdm510

I just scored a s13 coupe and its welded and although its the funnest thing i ever drove when drifting when it comes to parking lots (just waitng for a axle to snap when i pull in a parking space) and turns in the street the tires start barking then my stiff ass kei office coilovers start bouncing god it sucks I just picked up a VLSD for street driving

and if you live in cali its even more of a burn to be hopping threw the intersection in your illigal sr20 powerd 240 give the popo just another reason to pull you over

jdm510

i guess i need to learn how to drive then lol



i know these looks your talking about i get them everywhere!!!

thefro526

Hehe very true bro, it just gives Cali cops another reason to pull you over. As for the coilovers, have you tried a softer setting?

INeedNewTires

I LOVE my welded diff... I would say i would love a 2way more, but for the money welded is this shit. My acceleration in 1st and 2nd is unbelieveably better, before i would just spin, now in first it spins a bit, 2nd it grips and goes! Chirping in the plot is no big deal, people usually think that means somethings broken or its a POS which i love even more because that means they dont know, but those that look at you like aww yea, then i say wasup cause they know.

However the hard clunk a 2way gives you and the noises it makes are irreplaceable.... So if money were no object, i'd rather a KAAZ.... their better anyway (in every way) So dont be fooled newbs, the welded is not the end all... just a cheap alternative thats not a POS.

__________________

jdmstatuS13

u fuckin pot head

hahaha and weldededs are dopeskeez except if you wanna keep tread on your tires, but usually when u get an "lsd" its cuz u dont want any tread left.

s13_Angelo

a guy name carlos from here just put mine on and its insane i like it a lot .thanks Carlos for putting it in and Ethan for giving me the weld diff

s13coupedrfter

I'm going back to welded after having a Kazz 2way, call me crazy but I love um.

Z33dori

i cant wait to get my welded in..

ditching my VLsd for it...god that thing sucks

__________________

thefro526

Just for the record, please don't turn this into an argumentative thread because I want to put some good info out there.


Back on topic though, I'll have a new update tomorrow morning about drifting performance and then tomorrow evening I should I have an update about driving the the rain.

Leetheslacker

i went from open to welded on my old s14 and i really missed the nice turn in and rotation when cruising on twisty roads.

it was either pushing or sliding, no inbetween.

my s13 came with a welded but i drove a buddies s13 with a kaaz 2way and liked it a lot.
its great for drifting but eventually i want to budget in a real lsd so i can still enjoy my twisty commutes.

derek_s13

i dig welded.

i thought everyone knew the pro's and con's by now though.

jdmstatuS13

im pretty sure they do, but hes just giving a review...im actually interested to see how it all comes out.

just nice to hear another side of the story especially after giving us the specifics as to what he is rating the performance on.

im in.

Z33dori

QFT.. +rep

i <3 twisties ... but i <3 drifitng more

__________________

tru180sx

i like the MILLER diff but IF i had the money id buy me a nismo 2way.
but i dont see that happening anytime soon.haha
d1 pro manabu fujinaka told us on guam "you rill never git betta wis a welded diff". may be true but ive seen some guys with a welded diff kill it!
any reviews on that obx helical

__________________

tru sport

Vinny

Dustin! What?!?!?! Thanks for the inform hahaha, we were supposed to do this together! Lemme know man!

__________________
Kolab Agency | Limitless Society

i8yourfwd

That guy never updated his thread on the helical I was watching it for a while too. Open sux, I prefer grip styled driving over drifting, so I no longer have a welded. Also the fact that I live in a court, and U-turns twice a day+welded>tires

__________________
http://jaythroughglass.blogspot.com

irax

Best compromise of welded and 2 way is a shimmed locked vlsd. Its a little more expensive than a welded, but tones cheaper than a 2-way. It's basically a rebuilt VLSD with 2-3 extra shims thrown in there.

__________________
Drives a BRZ and is building a V6 S12 coupe.

thefro526

Second Update!!!

I went out Drifting last night with some friends in a big parking lot and a teardrop shaped truck turn around and the differential makes a huge difference. Honestly, I'm worse now than I was on my open but I need to learn more. The differential is much better for drifting but most of us will need a bit of a refresher once you switch from an open to a welded.

Also I drove through Philly last night on the way in and out of our drift spots and the differential isn't too noticeable for city driving. Low speed turns are still a little noisy but it should be expected. Highway driving is unaffected for the most part, the car may track a little straighter but it may be my imagination.

Now here's what everyone's been waiting for, the RAIN. I took the car for a quick spin in the rain today, I didn't go over 40 or so but it's not that bad. I launched very cautiously when I was making turns from a stop and the car was very predictable and civilized. Rolling through turns in 2nd and then powering out is a bit scary and you will get the rear end out even with new tires but, a gentle lift of the throttle was all that I needed to do to get the rear in line.

One of the most important things I'm noticed though is the difference in tire performance. With my open diff, tire grip wasn't too noticeable between different tires but once I started swapping between tires the difference was obvious. I have brand new tires on my car that are A rated temp and traction and 400 treadware which are my street/DD tires and then I have a pair of steelies with some used goodyears for the rear when I'm drifting. When I drove from one spot to another which is about 20-30 miles (south philly to almost delaware New Jersey) on my drift tires I noticed that I had much less grip on the rear and if I would've driven in the rain on my drift tires I would've had to do all of my launches in 2nd instead of 1st to keep the rear in line.

thefro526

Maybe if someone showed up to meets we could plan stuff. Actually I dropped the diff myself and drove it to Will's to get it welded so it was only $50 instead of the $175 you were quoted. If you want though I'll help you drop your diff so you can get it welded too. BTW, Reese from Drift Nasty and I roasted two of the tires you gave me last night.

Vinny

lmao...puttin those crappy tires to good use, huh? hahaha
and I totally come out to the meets! I only missed 1 week! :P and sure as hell I'll be out for the 16th!

and I'd rather just take the car to the shop and have them do it all. I need other things installed as well.

__________________
Kolab Agency | Limitless Society

thefro526

Word? Well if you want to go out there one day this week then hit me up and we can go out there. It seems like I got to the shop once a week anyways.

Vinny

Next week for sure, we'll talk more on tuesday

__________________
Kolab Agency | Limitless Society