How 3J Plate Limited Slip Differentials Work
Thanks to 3J we can have a deeper look into how their limited slip differentials work. Continue to read on to find out what Pre-Load, Ramp Angles, 1-Way vs 1.5-Way vs 2-Way all mean and how they affect the inner workings & the handling characteristics of your car
Fast Road - 50/90 Ramps 25-35 lbs/ft Pre-load
Occasional Trackday - 40/90 Ramps 25-35 lbs/ft Pre-load
Regular Trackday - 40/90 Ramps 35-40 lbs/ft Pre-load
Long Circuit Race - 40/90 or 30/90 Ramps 65-75 lbs/ft Pre-load
Short Oval Race - 40/90 Ramps 50-55 lbs/ft Pre-load
Sprint/Hillclimb - 40/90 Ramps 60-65 lbs/ft Pre-load
Rally - 30/90 Ramps 65-80 lbs/ft Pre-load
Drift - 45/45 Ramps 40-50 lbs/ft Pre-load
The very nature of a plate type differential means that it will produce some noise. More often than not, this noise will be more prominent when the unit is first installed, but will drop-off with use
Our best advice is install the unit with a good LSD oil, then straight away put it to work. If you have the space carry out some figure of 8's and lots of tight turns with as much throttle-load as you can. Your LSD will quickly 'settle in' and work at its best. It's best practice, and our recommendation, to replace the oil with fresh after around 30 miles of driving
It does depend on the type of use it is getting. Units that see road and track day use can go for years and years, and still outperform other LSD types. The rule of thumb is if you feel like the performance has dropped, get it serviced. Very generally, if the unit gets a heavy amount of motorsport use, it is good practice to service the unit at the start of every season