Mk1 MX-5 LSD question

[shoes]

This one is the 1.8 but it's certainly not a power house - feels about the same in terms of acceleration as my old 1.6 focus although perhaps marginally faster. Not really too fussed, everything feels faster in this car - when I'd cruise along the A519 at 60 in the bmw I'd almost forget I was driving. Thewsame speed in the mx feels like I'm doing 100+ and is simply more fun

I think that the lanes it happens on are covered in dust and dried mud from the deluge we had a couple of weeks ago, which isn't going to help, but I think with the outer wheel being locked to the inner wheel it'll help somewhat.

 

[Vigoro]

Never happened to me with my supercharged one with properly-set up suspension, alignment and correctly-inflated sticky tyres. I never took it on a track, granted, but on the roads I could push it as hard as I'd like and all I'd get was oversteer.

Mine is exactly the same. You really have to be driving like a dick to get the backend unintentionally.


Also with alignment go for fast road, it is a brilliant setup!

 

[-westy-]

Per chance, do you know the setup you're running? I am new to the mx5 and have no idea what stock is, let alone a more sporting setup.

Throw me an email: west(dot)ben(at)gmail.com

 

[shoes]

Throw me an email: west(dot)ben(at)gmail.com

Done and done

 

[crinkleshoes]

Never happened to me with my supercharged one with properly-set up suspension, alignment and correctly-inflated sticky tyres. I never took it on a track, granted, but on the roads I could push it as hard as I'd like and all I'd get was oversteer.

You supercharged an mx5 without a limited slip diff???

Without a LSD, you most certainly will have spun up the inside wheel - especially with a 'charger. Sounds to me like you just don't know what it feels like

If you're on the limit of grip and apply power, without a limited slip diff, the inside wheel WILL spin & the outside one won't... it's very simple driving dynamics

 

[shoes]

With sticky tyres he may not have, especially if body roll was reduced with springs/dampers/ARB etc.

With the linlongs on the car currently (well, some other brand I know not of) they seem awful under traction. As I mentioned earlier though lateral grip and braking is fine on them.

 

[crinkleshoes]

I've spun up R888s, in the height of summer, in a well setup 1990 115bhp mx5... after a few runs and they were running hot/soft.

If the inside wheel isn't spinning up - he's not trying hard enough.

However if it's sliding & he's putting power down... then the inside wheel IS spinning up, it's just going un-noticed.

I'd put money on being able to get the inside wheel spinning like a madman, given the chance

 

[Howard]

You supercharged an mx5 without a limited slip diff???

Without a LSD, you most certainly will have spun up the inside wheel - especially with a 'charger. Sounds to me like you just don't know what it feels like

If you're on the limit of grip and apply power, without a limited slip diff, the inside wheel WILL spin & the outside one won't... it's very simple driving dynamics

Oh don't be so ridiculous and melodramatic. If you're driving in a manner on public roads that causes this to occur on a good-condition standard MX5 then perhaps you should re-think your driving style and take it to a track. We're all guilty of pushing our cars towards their limits but mine was a 'fast road' car and it was nothing like you preach it to be. The entry and exit cornering grip was staggeringly good. I'm sure any oversteer was caused by spinning up a wheel, but an LSD isn't going to prevent any back end antics now is it

I'm not denying that an LSD would help, but come on.

 

[crinkleshoes]

Oh don't be so ridiculous and melodramatic.

Huh? How did you read that... I was expressing simple fact.

There are two simple scenarios:
- you're not trying hard enough
- you don't know what it feels like



Genuine question though - why would you supercharge an MX5 with an open diff???

 

[Howard]

- you're not trying hard enough

On the road, you're probably right. However I didn't particularly want to cause an RTA. You're making out as if it'll drive like a POS without an LSD though, which is bull****. You're the one who is probably not a skilled enough driver if you can't drive a 115bhp MX5 properly without it sliding all over the place.

Genuine question though - why would you supercharge an MX5 with an open diff???

Because I wanted more power?

 

[Firestar_3x]

Huh? How did you read that... I was expressing simple fact.

There are two simple scenarios:
- you're not trying hard enough
- you don't know what it feels like



Genuine question though - why would you supercharge an MX5 with an open diff???

In 90% of road driving conditions having an open diff or LSD makes 0 difference.

 

[crinkleshoes]

Oh don't be so ridiculous and melodramatic. If you're driving in a manner on public roads that causes this to occur on a good-condition standard MX5 then perhaps you should re-think your driving style and take it to a track. We're all guilty of pushing our cars towards their limits but mine was a 'fast road' car and it was nothing like you preach it to be. The entry and exit cornering grip was staggeringly good. I'm sure any oversteer was caused by spinning up a wheel, but an LSD isn't going to prevent any back end antics now is it

I'm not denying that an LSD would help, but come on.

Oh, so now we've limited ourselves to public roads?

I wasn't driving like that to get R888s spinning on a public road - I'm not a madman... that specific occurrence, I was referring to an airfield day.

The only "play" I partake in on public roads is the odd pushing the back-end out on a roundabout - surely we've all done that in our MX5s?

My main annoyance with the girlfriend's '5 is once you break grip... it's much much less controllable than if you have a LSD. It's just not fun, especially on a public road. LSD gives you the ability to control the slide.

I don't deny that entry and exit grip feels good on a well setup one (even with crappy tyres)... but people are saying it's not possible to spin the inside wheel... that's a joke! (ie, not trying hard enough).

 

[crinkleshoes]

In 90% of road driving conditions having an open diff or LSD makes 0 difference.

Why are people assuming I'm saying that if you're not spinning up the inside wheel on every corner you take on a public road, then something's wrong?

I have never said this

People are saying they've never spun up the inside wheel... in that case only the two scenarios I mentioned previously are possible.

It's very easy to force the inside wheel to spin up with an open diff.

 

[Howard]

Oh, so now we've limited ourselves to public roads?

I don't know, have we?

I wasn't driving like that to get R888s spinning on a public road - I'm not a madman... that specific occurrence, I was referring to an airfield day.

Probably worth clarifying the situation to which you're applying your hyperbole, then.

The only "play" I partake in on public roads is the odd pushing the back-end out on a roundabout - surely we've all done that in our MX5s?

Sure, easily achievable without an LSD.

My main annoyance with the girlfriend's '5 is once you break grip... it's much much less controllable than if you have a LSD. It's just not fun, especially on a public road. LSD gives you the ability to control the slide.

The MX5 is one of the most predictable and controllable RWD cars out there. Learn to drive.

but people are saying it's not possible to spin the inside wheel...

Are they?

There's a difference between a little bit of wheel slippage causing the back end to go light in a corner, and the all out wheelspin-fest you seem to be describing.

 

[p1RATE]

Weld it. have some fun.

 

[crinkleshoes]

On the road, you're probably right. However I didn't particularly want to cause an RTA. You're making out as if it'll drive like a POS without an LSD though, which is bull****. You're the one who is probably not a skilled enough driver if you can't drive a 115bhp MX5 properly without it sliding all over the place.

See - that's all I'm looking for... it is possible to spin up the inside wheel (quite easily if you're trying)... I'm not advocating trying your hardest on a public road.

No - I expressed why I (as in me, solely me... just me... only me...) don't like driving the gf's "new" '5 without one... I like full control of the car. Sliding around is part of the point of owning a '5 (when conditions/area are suitable).

MX5s without LSDs are still good fun cars... I just don't like driving one without an LSD.

Might want to talk to the guys who came to the palmersport day before accusing me of being a bad driver

Because I wanted more power?

Just seems pointless (to me) without being able to put the power down properly

 

[InvaderGIR]

Weld it. have some fun.

Like this one:

?

 

[Firestar_3x]

Just seems pointless (to me) without being able to put the power down properly

As said above, an open diff supercharged 5 can put it's power down fine in 90% of road going situations.

I got myself into quite a bit of fun trouble with my Torsen, which wouldn't have happened with an open diff.

 

[Firestar_3x]

Like this one:

?

ROFL!

Why car no move?

 

[Howard]

See - that's all I'm looking for... it is possible to spin up the inside wheel (quite easily if you're trying)... I'm not advocating trying your hardest on a public road.

You've told people to 'try harder' numerous times in this thread

No - I expressed why I (as in me, solely me... just me... only me...) don't like driving the gf's "new" '5 without one... I like full control of the car. Sliding around is part of the point of owning a '5 (when conditions/area are suitable).

Must just be you then.

Just seems pointless (to me) without being able to put the power down properly

What part of "I had no issues putting down the power" don't you understand? It had 165bhp, hardly big power.

Numerous OCUK folk have seen my MX5 and been out for passenger rides at meets and RR days. A few of them have even driven it. I don't recall any of them observing that fitting the supercharger without an LSD turned it into an undriveable POS. Maybe I'm imagining things. Did I even own an MX5? I don't know for sure, now that I think about it.. Is this even real?