I ordered a phantom grip lsd and phantom grip diff pin from Howellautomotive. I am considering getting both cryotreated for added strength and greater wear resistance capabilities. I have seen the pics of the poorly made newskool and the amount of wear it had in a short time. I know there are different types of aluminum and the hardness varies between them.

What do you guys think? I'm pretty sure this has not been done before.

97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!

And what would you pay for the crytreating? Just curious because by the time you are done you may be close to the cost to do Retrofit conversion.

The Phantom Grip is better than the New Skool stuff. I just worry about metal on metal contact creating metal shavings in your trans, over time.

If you are going to cry treat I would say you probably be better to treat spider gears and Phantom Grip to make both resistant to wear... again adding to the price.



http://www.exileracing.com
una salus victus
Mods List: http://highlander.dsmpower.com/sig.htm

Honestly I have to say that anything using the PG design will fail. I know that since you're putting in your TEC-3 right now you're aiming for a high output motor. A PG just won't do.

The main reason I don't like the PG style is because it is making the spider gears do something that they just weren't meant to do. The surface of the spider gears that the PG is applying pressure to wasn't made to have force exerted on it. You can look at Carlton's write up about the Retrofit on the main page somewhere.

http://www.2gnt.com/nuke/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=67

It discusses why the spider gears stock are just a bad idea for this purpose. Even with Cyro treating the PG there is still going to be some sort of wearing on either the Spider gear or the PG surface because of the design and physics behind it.

I think the only 2 options for a LSD is either the Quaife or the Retrofit. Being the current owner of both a NSR SID (in the trans) and a Quaife (sitting in the garage) and after reading about how each one works I can understand why a NSR diff fails (just not enough research and testing behind it for a good design) and why a quaife is considered the best on the market.

-"Easy Mac"
05 Mazda RX-8 (RR8 #88)
99 Eclipse RS 398whp & 372lb-ft

I hear what you are saying.

Cryotreating will cost me between $20 and Free! A good friend owns the business, but he sure didn't do the rest of my shortblock for free...LOL.

I will eventually upgrade to a true LSD, but this has to do for now. The PG should wear much sooner than the spider gears, so I thought about making the PG tougher.

I can also get another transmission really cheap and no shipping if I blow up the differential.

Thanks for the advice!

97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!

Yeah since you already have the PG and can cyro it cheap go for it. I hear you on using what you have. My NSR is still in my trans ... I'm not gonna pull my 3.94 trans to put the quaife in it. I'm trying to find a 3.55 trans which will get the quaife. If the 3.94 goes with the NSR SID then so be it.

-"Easy Mac"
05 Mazda RX-8 (RR8 #88)
99 Eclipse RS 398whp & 372lb-ft

I've read that writeup on the clutch type diff and although it might be less likely to have some sort of failure, I still disagree with the overall premise that a well designed PG will fail.

Until I see otherwise, I still think that only the second version NSR LSD's were more likely to fail. We all have opinions and that's a great thing, but I want to offer my own as a statement of confidence in the design and I'll continue to stand behind the PG design and use it.

Don't get me wrong, whenever I can afford the Quaife, I'll get it, but until then, I couldn't be happier with my PG clone.

It's performed well for me, I've since opened up the tranny after I installed it, and there wasn't a single piece of evidence that any wear had taken place on the spider gears.

_____________________________________
Jason ESi-T

04' BMW 325Ci
91' Nissan 240SX
98' Eagle Talon ESi (sold)

Do you feel that if I made the aluminum stronger that it would benefit in anyway?

If the phantom is not wearing and neither is the spider gears, then it might just be better to leave it alone.

I am not saying that cryotreating will make aluminum into steel, just that the rate of wear is greatly reduced, less prone to cracking and this also increases the life of springs(heat has less effect over time). It does not actually make them stiffer than they already are though.

I called phantom grip and left a message also. Not sure if they know the answer though.

97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!

http://home.hiwaay.net/~lbrewer/AMI/products.html

One of the best LSDs out there. I have one in my car love it

Thanks for the link.

Does anyone know about the green spring upgrade from the gold spring?

I see it on the PG website, but was not informed by the people at howell that it was available when I purchased the PG.

I remember a while back that there was a street version and a race version(springs). Since then all the PG have come with race springs I thought. Further info would be great.

After viewing the link posted of the other lsd from alabama, they use a pretty strong metal. I have decided to cryotreat the PG and the PG diff pin.

I will be putting down a fair amount of power, but think the PG should be allowed to slip a little under load. I just don't want it so tight(super mega springs) that cornering becomes an issue or simulates a welded locked diff.

97 RS(PTE SC-61, Built Long Block, Electromotive Tec 3)It's Here!