Yuille36

As the title states, I had a discussion with my Tech at Benz Elite Automotive. I told him about my desire to install a Quaife LSD on my E63. He said that he can installed it for around $1400.
But a caveat to this was that, he installed a LSD on a C63, and literally the next day, the owner wanted it swapped out. The owner didn't like the harshness of it. The owner wanted more traction is the snow.
These cars have a lot of torque and in the snow, the traction control just goes wild, constantly flashing. So I assume with an LSD you have even more traction....yes

My tech said that if I was drag racing, then yes a LSD is the way to go, but for everyday driving...No.

I'm curious to know, how many members have switched to a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) and how you like it so far. I mainly drive my car as a daily, but it's very spirited most of the time.
Would a LSD help or hurt me? Someone please educate me on this. I know what a LSD is and does. I just want to know if I can live with it everyday. This is mainly for those with Quaife.
But any advice would be excepted. Thank you

tlambert

There’s been a lot of posts over the years for LSD. Here are a few.
LSD search in this sub forum is how I found these.
There are tons more. Lots of installs also.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...etrac-lsd.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ac-issues.html

Mine has LSD never noticed any horrible noise. Drives fine.

Yuille36

tlambert,

Thank you for this, this definitely helps out a lot.

tw2

All the accounts I have read say you wouldn't notice it driving around. The wavetrac sometimes does some weird clicking at very low speeds while cornering but not quaife. I plan to get one after headers are built. It might not be best in snow, I am not sure.

Yuille36

I just need assurance that it's civilized for daily driving. And then aggressive when the Need for Speed arises. I'm just looking for a LSD that is a little more aggressive putting the power down.
And this isn't a cheap upgrade either, the Quaife LSD runs about $1400, and to install it another $1200-1400. So I want to make dam sure, I'm getting exactly what I want, and won't regret it later.
So that is why, I want to here from owners that have already done this to their E63's. More importantly the Pro's/Con's of doing this, before I take the plunge

fazxs

I can't speak about Quaife as I've never driven a car with it however have driven a few cars with the standard AMG mechanical LSD and Drexler (the OEM for AMG) setup slightly different locking ratio. They are brilliant in comparison to a car with an LSD and very good for daily driving. I believe if the Quaife is installed well, you wouldn't have in issue for a daily drive as menu members here have one installed and are very satisfied.

The cars I've driven are the standard AMG with performance pack, Väth and two MKB cars. They were setup based on the customer requirement of whether you need to exit corners with more grip or for spirited drifting. Acceleration from a standstill is where you will see the most difference as the car doesn't wiggle and the ESP doesn't light up like the standard car.

You will be happy with the difference over the standard car for sure.

Yuille36

That this exactly the confidence inspiring testimonies that I want to here. Thank you

drothgeb

I put the wavetrack in mine, had it in for a couple track seasons now. Lots of passes down the drag strip with slicks. Never any issues, and never noticed anything negative (noises, control quirks, etc). I just stopped doing pegleg burnouts and got some more traction.

Yuille36

This just inspires me to move forward on this.......thanks

VictoryRoadPerformance

We can get the diffs to you pretty quickly, Feel free to browse our site and send us an email if you have any questions.

Yuille36

That's funny, because you're the guys that I was going to order my LSD from anyway. So tell me, what is the differences between the Quaife and the Wavetrac LSD's?
Why should I buy one over the other. Sell it to me I want the salesman pitch, because I don't know the differences between the two.

VictoryRoadPerformance

Price is a big difference, About 1500 for Quaife, about 1000 for Wavetrac

Both are Torsen-Type LSDs Installation is nearly identical.

I can almost guarantee you would not notice a difference driving 2 cars side by side with the 2 diffs

Wavetrac is a US product, Quaife comes from UK

Quaife is a well known name that has been around forever.

Wavetrac does have a few additional features. Here is a quote from someone at Wavetrac

"The Wavetrac works different from the Quaife. Where the Quaife and other ATB's rely on both wheels having traction to be able to bias power, the Wavetrac is able to generate additional load due to it's "Wave Hub" that acts as a cam internally. But it doesn't lock, so each wheel is still independent from each other, so no push or understeer. The Wavetrac can also bias in deceleration where the others cannot."

We sell alot more wavetracs than Quaifes, Simply based on price. But we do have Customers who have used Quaifes in the past and purchase based on previous experience.

Yuille36

Thank you for educating me, on these facts. Much Appreciated. So it sounds as though the WaveTrac's might be the way to go.
So why aren't other AMG owners buying the Quaife, it can't be just because of the price? What makes one better than the other?

Fountain35

Do you install them? If so PM me a cost.

Yuille36

I would like to know the cost as well, if I was to buy it directly from you!
besides your located close to Leesburg, so isn't far.

tw2

In other parts of the world quaife is easier to get, we have a quaife distributor but not for wavetrac and the price is fairly similar if you import one.

The Fly 1

I’m interested on the Quaife also I heard the installation is plug and play with the Quaife, not so much with the Wavetrack can you confirm.

drothgeb

Install is the exact same. I had to take just a hair of material off the inside of the housing with a dremmel to get the wavetrack in, maybe you don't have to do that with the Quaife but it was 10 seconds and less than a fingernail width of material with a dremmel and she popped right in.

Based on the entire procedure to install these I wouldn't really call it "plug and play", because it's a PITA.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...e-install.html

Also Joe J did the wavetrac and didn't mention shaving anything. It may have just been due to how I had my spreader set up: https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...lsd-setup.html

Fountain35

?????

VictoryRoadPerformance

We do not do installations here. If you are looking for someone in the DMV area We can refer you to a few shops in the area.

Fountain35

Ok, thanks for the reply. Do you know any shops down in my neck of the woods? (Norfolk/Newport News/Va. Beach)

Yuille36

I will have this done at my shop in Fairfax, after I purchase my LSD this winter.

tlambert

Another thread that might help.

https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...etter-e55.html

Yuille36

tlambert,

Thank you for that, it explained a lot. Especially this statement "Open diff = wheel spin, power keeps going to it, brakes applied to that wheel by ESP (even when off) which tries to balance it so we're off and gripping again (maybe), some parameter puts something out of wack (bump in road, camber in road to allow rain to run off or tyre is slightly colder than the other..IDK), wheel spin again, brakes again, rinse and repeat this until car gets good traction or you get to top of 1st gear at which point power cuts because wheels are spinning at different speeds, you almost headbut the steering wheel from such aggressive cut in power, gear changes, power comes back, off we go.

So we have excessive wheel-spin due to power being routed to wheel with least grip by open diff, we have the brakes applied, oh, perhaps some timing is pulled as if the ESP was on, we have a slow 1-2 shift. Straight line loss = tragic."

This is the issue that I have when I get on it; breaking traction, traction control light flashing, at it happens with 1-2 gear every freaking time. So I drive it in Sport or Manual, to limit the damage, and it works okay.

I'm definitely getting a LSD, and I'm leaning towards Quaife more so then Wavetrac.

Fountain35

I am not sure which way to go either.