limited slip diff possible?

[Lee MD]

I did a search and didn't find any info here about fitting a LSD on the 5. Is this possible with the diff from a Mazdaspeed 3?

[ucMP3]

Why would you need an lsd on a minivan? Sorry I don't mean to offend anyone lol.

Unless you're boosting/racing your 5 I don't see why you would want to waste the money putting one in.

[VenomDesign]

Why would you need an lsd on a minivan? Sorry I don't mean to offend anyone lol.

Unless you're boosting/racing your 5 I don't see why you would want to waste the money putting one in.

X10000000 (confused)

[Lee MD]

I'm curious because of the wheel slip on wet pavement.

[ucMP3]

I'm curious because of the wheel slip on wet pavement.

Lay off the accelerator. Be easy man.
Different (i.e better wet traction ratings) tires will take care of this problem as well.

[Lee MD]

Lay off the accelerator. Be easy man.
Different (i.e better wet traction ratings) tires will take care of this problem as well.

yeah, better tires would be beneficial.

i've been driving subarus for a decade so its an adjustment to go 2WD.

[ucMP3]

yeah, better tires would be beneficial.

i've been driving subarus for a decade so its an adjustment to go 2WD.

I think part of the adjustment is now driving a minvan as well... :D

[Lee MD]

I think part of the adjustment is now driving a minvan as well... :D

No kidding!

[JFRCross]

Its tires. The OE all-season lack grip big time.

In general, tires are always the first step and biggest bang for the buck when you want to improve grip and/or handling. The best LSD won't help you out much if your tires don't have traction.

[remarquian]

Its tires. The OE all-season lack grip big time.


Hear Hear.

I've been noticing the switch from my winters to the Toyos big time. I'm slipping a lot, when when stepping on it, starting from a full stop.

[Lee MD]

I thought the Mazda OE tires would be better than Subaru OE. Guess its all the same. I'll probably switch to better all seasons before the winter. I'll head off winter tire discussion by saying that I love them, but have no space to store an extra set of tires. Need a garage!

[bulwnkl]

No, it's not just tires. We have dedicated snows and they still spin like a banshee when trying to start moving from a stop on packed snow. No amount of clutch slippage and gentleness stops it. For these conditions, I think an LSD might be a very good option.

Unfortunately, I have no idea whether the MSP3 LSD would fit or not.

[Lee MD]

i think the 5 has to have a manual tranny to be able to install a LSD. I read this on a post on a Mazda 3 forum.

[rodslinger]

Why would you need an lsd on a minivan? Sorry I don't mean to offend anyone lol

Think of some reasons why it is a BAD idea first before blowing it off. You have to look at the driving dynamics of the 5 and understand it could benefit from one MORE than a 3 or Protege would.

The 5 is heavier. It is also more TOP heavy. These things light up the inside tire real easy even on dry pavement when pulling off a turn. The higher center of gravity and extra weight really unloads that inside tire making an LSD a sometimes necessary.

If I have the wife and kids with stuff driving in the rain, it can be a pain in the ass pulling out into traffic. If just breaks a tire loose gives it hell.

I'd be all over an LSD for my 5. Should have had one to begin with. It was never a problem on my 3.

[Lee MD]

Someone must have tried fitting a 4wd tranny from japan

http://www.worldcarfans.com/2050801.003/1

[morethan5]

Limited slip differentials are great when one wheel is on good pavement and the other has no traction, but as soon as the second drive wheel breaks free, steering control is lost -- meaning you go in whatever direction you are currently traveling. This has its disadvantages when curves and wheel spin are mixed.

[ucMP3]

Think of some reasons why it is a BAD idea first before blowing it off. You have to look at the driving dynamics of the 5 and understand it could benefit from one MORE than a 3 or Protege would.

The 5 is heavier. It is also more TOP heavy. These things light up the inside tire real easy even on dry pavement when pulling off a turn. The higher center of gravity and extra weight really unloads that inside tire making an LSD a sometimes necessary.

If I have the wife and kids with stuff driving in the rain, it can be a pain in the ass pulling out into traffic. If just breaks a tire loose gives it hell.

I'd be all over an LSD for my 5. Should have had one to begin with. It was never a problem on my 3.

It's won't help much. Tires will definitely help more. And the extra weight actually HELPS you get traction, not the other way around... And the lsd does more on the protege and the 3 because they have a higher hp/weight ratios meaning its harder to push the power down to the ground. There's a reason the only protege with an lsd is the MSP, cause its boosted and has much more torque & hp.
Also if you're "lighting" up the tires on the 5, there's a problem with your driving. It's a minivan, not a race car. Why are you taking turns at high speeds and pushing through them in a minvan? Lsd's were made for performance applications. Unless you're trying to turn your minivan into a performance car, they are pretty much unnecessary. Also, Lsd's will not give you much help in the rain. If both tires lack the coefficient of friction to gain grip then the lsd does virtually nothing, and you will simply have no traction with or without the lsd... Sorry to say but you argument is pretty much empty.

Is that enough "bad" reasons for you? LOL Like I said in my first post I wasn't trying to ruffle anyone's feathers and I apologize if I did so. But it looks like you're the only one who got their panties in a bunch about it. ;)

[Lee MD]

i think we can close out this conversation

[Zoom5Zoom]

ok here is a real challenge...instead of your LSD how about you start with a AWD version....

thanks

[rodslinger]

It's won't help much. Tires will definitely help more. And the extra weight actually HELPS you get traction, not the other way around... ..... There's a reason the only protege with an lsd is the MSP, cause its boosted and has much more torque & hp.....
Also if you're "lighting" up the tires on the 5, there's a problem with your driving. It's a minivan, not a race car.

There are no cons to including the LSD. The only benefit I can think of purposely excluding it is to save Mazda a few bucks to be able to sell me a van for $50 cheaper. Better tires might help traction (and I have upgraded), but one slipping tire isn't getting you anywhere. More weight does help traction, sometimes.... But if that weight is being transfered to a non-drive wheel and unloading the drive wheel then it isn't helping much anymore. The scenario I outlined about pulling out in traffic is not a flaw in driving.

[Lee MD]

ok here is a real challenge...instead of your LSD how about you start with a AWD version....

thanks

I wasn't going to go there since this would be a huge cost factor, but that would be #1 on my mod list after the warranty expires.

[ucMP3]

The fix to not spinning out in the rain: Good wet traction tires and easy on the gas pedal. Even if you're pulling out in traffic, it can be a pain in the ass. But somtimes you just need to take a right turn instead of a left and then turn around somewhere else if its that big of a deal. No need to endanger your fam cause you are impatient...

And yes Mazda doesn't put lsd's in minivans to save money... I am pretty sure that most other companies don't put lsd's in their minivans either and it becomes a competition/price factor at that point. The selling point for most people buying a minivan is not an lsd, LOL.

i think we can close out this conversation

+1

[rodslinger]

... need to take a right turn instead of a left


That's when it is worse. I'm not arguing any of your points. But sometimes when you gotta go, you gotta go. Easy on the gas isn't ALWAYS an option. I'm just wanting to know why you think it is a stupid idea to put one in.

And there is a reason why most of us here bought a Mazda5 instead of a Rondo or some other bland transportation device. Most of us still enjoy driving. Isn't that why you got an MP3 instead of a Corolla?

You didn't NEED the improved handling. You COULD just take the turn slower. After all, it is just another compact sedan.


TO the OP... Depends on it you are driving a manual or auto. If in an auto I'd say you are out of luck. If you have a manual then you have a few options.

1) Buy a Quaife unit. For the cost of that you might have less headaches buying a used Miata instead.

2) Potentially an LSD for a Mazdaspeed Protege. The G15MR, G25MR and G35MR are very similar. Not sure if anyone has tried one yet but it might be a direct swap in.

3) Phantom Grip - Not the best option but cheap. $359. If you are even half decent with a set of wrenches you could probably install it on a Saturday afternoon.

[ucMP3]

LOL, now your just tryin to pick a fight. Bro, if you want to drop $1k on an lsd for your 5, by all means do it, its your whip. Do what makes you happy. Shit strap a disco potato on there and wind up the boost. Doesn't make a diff to me. But in the end it's still a minivan designed to transport kiddies around.

And plz don't EVER compare the MP3 to a corolla... Because there isn't a corolla that even begins to compare with an MP3 from the factory... It's actually one of the top rated handling compact sedans to ever come off any production line.

LOL, this is getting funny. Not sure if this guy is being serious right now and believes the shit comin out his mouth or not... Makes my work day go by faster with all this comedy tho :D

[GoFast]

easy everyone...lol

Just as some perspective from/for both side. If you want to put in LSD go for it. It really won't hurt anything except for the pocket books. WIll there be any benefit? Maybe, but not as much as one would hope. Tires are definitely the first thing I would change and concurrently to that, driving habits. No matter what anyone says, 2 tires spinning will provide more traction than 1.(when accelerating) Just like AWD will provde more than 2wd. With that said though, LSD or AWD won't do much if you are trying to drag race on ice with slicks. So work on the other things first before the LSD, if that all still doesnt make you happy, then go for the LSD.

[rodslinger]

....if this guy is being serious right now...

Exactly because this statement just oozed with seriousness..... "For the cost of that you might have less headaches buying a used Miata instead"

Not trying to pick a fight and nowhere near as defensive about it. Just answering the OP's question and providing the other view.



So work on the other things first before the LSD, if that all still doesnt make you happy, then go for the LSD

Thanks for the sensible feedback. Have actually already done that. The step not discussed was the rear sway bar. That helped more than the tires did. Certainly cheaper too. It has helped keep the inside tire loaded better during a turn. When I'm hustling to pick my kid up from baseball practice it keeps the power down much better.

[ucMP3]

You edited that into your post after I posted. LOL Obviously wasn't talking about that statement.

l8
*Unsubscribed*

[Lee MD]

TO the OP... Depends on it you are driving a manual or auto. If in an auto I'd say you are out of luck. If you have a manual then you have a few options.


Yup, I'm SOL since I have a slushbox.

[mrbwa1]

Interesting concept being out out here about the LSD. I'll try to only put forth my insights, as I don't see much value in arguing about driving styles and so forth.

I can see the ida odf an LSD helping, as the tip in on my 5 at least is pretty abrupt. Granted, it is the wife's car so I don't drive it much making the problem more common for more. I ca, however see that you might mash the throttle to try and get out into traffic. I have done this before and have spun the inside tire, requiring throttle modulation (darn wet pavement from the car wash!).

Now, my problem with an LSD on a Mazda5 is that it would help most in this type of situation: inside tire wheelspin, but this is a situation that can be "fixed" cheaper through ESP electronics. I imagine a big motivator to not offer this option is that ESP solve it for everyday driving and is part of the Mazda3 platform that the 5 is derived from. Yes, ESP isn't on the 5, but from a manufacturing standpoint, introducing another part (LSD) into an an assembly process that is basically the exact same as the 3 adds costs too great for Mazda.

The reason Mazda can make nice cars cheap comes from all that parts sharing. The entire lineup is similar enough that I can drive basically any Mazda without thinking twice about controls!

Also, (and this is more of a personal opinion), LSD units have never seems to catch in in cars. I'm really not sure if they just don't provide enough of a benefit, or what the deal is. It seems that the consensus is that and LSD acting on the turning wheels can result in unpredictable behavior for drivers not accustomed to it's operation and associated vehicle reaction.

I also have to admit that my experience with LSDs is primarily in RWD cars, mostly for going in a straight line for 1/4 mile. My dad's old '88 RX7 had one as well and I never saw much benefit from it in the few time I dove that car in lower traction situations as well. In the 5, I have usually been able to counteract wheelspin with either the 2nd gear start or a quick shift to 2nd gear, something the average driver will never use.