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I need to start thinking about replacing the rear diff - it's producing quite a noticeable thump when the power is taken up in the transmission these days.
What are my options - re-con/ OE new/ or put in something completely different?
What sort of job is it on the 3B? Straightforward, or mighty PITA?
Ex S2 owner, now running around in an A4 Avant quattro...
I need to start thinking about replacing the rear diff - it's producing quite a noticeable thump when the power is taken up in the transmission these days.
What are my options - re-con/ OE new/ or put in something completely different?
What sort of job is it on the 3B? Straightforward, or mighty PITA?
Unsure of your best options mate...but if I were you I would lean towards getting a recon diff or having your diff reconditioned.
An OEM Diff would surely cost big £££££££
This place does diff rebuilds (they do audi so Im told)
Just put a Torsen rear diffy from a V8 90- in there? Unless you guys have Torsen in there all ready. But you only need to swap the gears not the whole assembleys. Just a case of opening up your diffy in the car & putting the V8 gears in there.
The rears would pretty much never lose traction - kinda like having an LSD - so the bias would be slightly more toward the rear wheels. This means a little bit of oversteer, though i imagine it would be rather controllable due to the nature of the torsen. I imagine it would be rather fun in the wet! I was gonna do one of the V8-rear diff swaps (along with a 6-speed conversion) courtesy of Jeffer, unfortunately that'll have to wait till next year now
I need to start thinking about replacing the rear diff - it's producing quite a noticeable thump when the power is taken up in the transmission these days.
Allso the noise you maybe hearing is the Center Bearing Support on the Driveshaft. Or maybe the tranny mounts are bad or Engine mounts. The "thump" eminates from the front, center, or rear of the car?? Can you feel anything in the floor pan when it makes the "Thump"??
But yah the rear V8 Torsen diffy will give you more rear grab. It'll take a bit to get usta but should be very managable. & a blast at the same time.
Dan, spoke to Allaudi about a month ago about all the slack i had in mine, like tranmission lash. There's got to be about 1/2inch of slack before the prop hits the next cog. Dean said that its normal for there to be a bit of play and that the rear diff is bulletproof really and most other parts have bits to be replaced before that does, so centre prop mount is probably a good place to start or even the joints on the prop too wear over time. £117.50 for a replacement and they can fit was the price quoted to me.
Think Porkkis used one off an 80/90 Quattro which is subjected to far less stress than another S2 one but not sure how simple to get it ready to work in an S2....
The rear diff mount is a very likely cause aswell, this takes alot of stick and you can physically see how much movement is in it by gently jacking the back end of the diff, mine had 3/4" play as the rubber was shot to hell. I replaced it with a powerflex jobbie and had no problems since. When you go from off to hard on the diff thuds really heavily into the mount.
Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.--:Albert Einstein
Thump is definintely coming from the back of the car - I have one of those horrible Powerflex rear diff mounts in there which served only (it seemed to me) to increase low RPM vibrations from the drivetrain... I've also replaced all gearbox mounts and subframe mounts. You can see when the car's on a ramp and you bring in the clutch that there is play in the front of the rear diff - I suppose it could be the centre propshaft bearings though.
Question is, how much more oversteery does the rear torsen make the car? I'm already running it on H&Rs and with RS2FARB/ Whiteline RARB so the suspension's stiff to start with, don't want it to be swapping ends on me now I'm a responsible father, especially in the wet!
Ex S2 owner, now running around in an A4 Avant quattro...
Question is, how much more oversteery does the rear torsen make the car? I'm already running it on H&Rs and with RS2FARB/ Whiteline RARB so the suspension's stiff to start with, don't want it to be swapping ends on me now I'm a responsible father, especially in the wet!
I've sold 7 or 8 of these things to fellow Urs4/6 owners(in America) & they love the V8 Torsen. The only recognizable difference is in the handling(obviousley),
which is a vast improvment. But as I said you'll get usta it. For example it's just like if you are usta driving a rear wheel drive car or front wheel drive car & go to a 4wd car theres a difference that you'd have to adapt to..same thing with the Torsen rear diffy.
With the combination of parts you have on your car the Torsen rear diffy will only enhance the feel of the road for you.
& as I said all you need to do is swap the gears...the diffy you have in your car now can stay were it it's at. Just open up the case & replace the innards(guts...gears), swap out the fluid while you'r doing it.
If I were one of your kids I'd say "do it dad...do it!!"
I'm all for improving the handling, but like I said, I don't suddenly want to have a car that behaves like a 1970s era 911! My wife drives the S2 as well, and we have a wee one to cart around, so still want to retain the easy driving characteristics. How much does this change the dynamics of the car?
Ex S2 owner, now running around in an A4 Avant quattro...
I need to start thinking about replacing the rear diff - it's producing quite a noticeable thump when the power is taken up in the transmission these days.
What are my options - re-con/ OE new/ or put in something completely different?
What sort of job is it on the 3B? Straightforward, or mighty PITA?
The hardest part will be
a) siezed bolts
b) Propshaft CV onto the gear box
PM Sal and just get a replacement, or watch ebay as they come and go. As your wife drives the car i dont think a V8 would suit your needs.
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