ATB Torsen Limited Slip Differential (LSD) for Land Rover Defender 90 / 110 / 130 front and Defender 90 rear axle
Product Description
On off-road vehicles, limited-slip differentials are one of the most important and stressed mechanical components and can make a huge difference in performance, especially off-road. That's undisputed, but then the question often arises whether there should really be a real differential lock on the axles or just a self-locking differential? If you don't beat your Landy full-time over hill and dale, prefer to climb with it rather than drive it and otherwise do extreme things, a real Locker won't make sense for you. In demanding everyday use, however, retrofitting with a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) such as the Ashcroft ATB or the TrueTrac from Eaton is recommended. For the majority of drivers and most of the time, these self-locking differentials are probably the best solution in most driving situations, both on the road with changing surfaces and weather conditions and off-road.
Basics: In contrast to real locks, which usually completely lock an axle electronically or pneumatically, purely mechanical limited slip differentials always work and not only when you switch them on. In addition, they do not require external control. In addition, they balance the torque on the wheels of an axle gradually or in stages, while the real lock knows only two degrees of locking: all or nothing. This means that the LSD almost imperceptibly supports the driver at all times in unequal traction and slip situations on loose or slippery surfaces and that the torque distribution is dosed. When the vehicle is parked at an angle on muddy ground, every off-roader knows the effect that the lower, more heavily loaded wheel of the locked axle pulls the rear of the car away when you accelerate. The enormous forces that can be applied to locked axles then usually require reinforcements on the drive train in order to avoid expensive damage. This is also a reason for the LSD in 4x4s in predominantly everyday use.
The Ashcroft ATB LSD, which we have in our range for Rover axles front (Defender 90/110/130) and rear (90) as well as for the P38 rear axle on the 110/130, works according to the proven and low-maintenance Torsen Type 2 principle as does the Eaton Truetrac, but with one small difference. The English hobbyists from Ashcroft installed 6 pairs of balance wheels running parallel to the axle instead of 3. The parallel axis differential generates the frictional resistance required for torque compensation on the wheel with less traction by pressing the differential gears against the housing walls. And if you now think of rapid wear when you hear metal-on-metal friction, you are wrong: the differentials, whether it's the Ashcroft or the Eaton, compensate for the wear and tear and, despite the hard work, last longer than most of the other moving parts in the car.
A design-related disadvantage of the Torsen T2-LSDs in general is the fact that a load must be applied to at least one wheel per axle in order to ensure the function of the differential gear. A preload spring reduces this effect on the Ashcroft. If a wheel still spins freely, light braking while accelerating helps to initiate torque compensation in the differential again. In vehicles with automatic traction control, this braking is done by the electronics. Otherwise, the ATB additionally reinforces the effect of the traction control. Due to this design-related characteristic of the differential, vehicles with the Ashcroft ATB should never be tested on a roller brake tester. The Ashcroft ATB is reliable, smooth-running, supports traction control, if available, is low-maintenance and, depending on the vehicle configuration, convinces with sometimes significantly improved driving characteristics and tighter power transmission in the drive train. It fits Rover and P38 axles (with mounting accessories). Alternatively, Eaton's Detroit Truetrac is recommended for Salisbury axles.
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