tr7triumph.com

Was looking at Rimmer website and see they have a 3.45 gear set listed at 142.00 US and a Quaife at 975 US. Anyone have experiance with thier gearsets? Are they NOS or reproductions.
I'm interested in geting a LS and have been contemplating the narrowed Ford route. However, if these prices are correct, I'm thinking this may be an option with less agravation. I currently have 3.45s but thought for the price, a spare set would be nice. Any opinions welcome.

BTW, I sent them an email to confirm the prices as they state they may not be accurate.

Thanks, Jim

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

Don't forget to check shipping and import costs - the Quaife is a heavy piece of steel...

Underdog-
If you go to insert a Quaife LSD you will need to go through the whole rear end. You will have the cost of rebuilding; new bearings, shims, seals, etc. and the labor which will be around $1600.00 USD including the LSD unit. This does not include shipping! You might as well get the narrowed ford. It will never break and the gears you can pick from off the shelf and you get disc brakes in the rear! There is another less expensive option and that is a Phantom Grip has an insert for a LSD at http://www.phantomgrip.com/ You will need to do some machinging to the crown wheel but for the $400+/- for the insert it may be the way to go.

Michael
1980 TR8 FHC/Works Rally Project

If it is broken then fix it....if it is not then make it faster!"

The basic unit parts for the Phantom Grip

The upgaded spring set

The unit installed in the differntial unit

I stand corrected that the crown wheel does not need to be machined but as you can see above the actual gear housing may need some material removed. I think you might want to inquire with Phantom Grip about shipping the diffential unit to them and have them install it?

Michael
1980 TR8 FHC/Works Rally Project

If it is broken then fix it....if it is not then make it faster!"

I asked about the Phantom Grip on the Friends of Triumph list which has mostly Triumph racers on it.

Here are a couple of the replies.

From everything I've heard they don't do much. looking at the bits I'm not surprised. A salisbury type LSD uses a stack of clutch plates to do the job and they overheat easily. this system seems to use the sides of the spider gears as one clutch surface. There's no real explanation of how it works, just marketing drivel like "hand-selected materials". I spent a lot of time in advertising, I speak BS. That's absolutely BS.


It's a faction of the cost of a real LSD. I expect it works about a fraction as well.

and

Paul,
If you are considering buying into that technology, don't waste your money.
Any grip you get from it is certainly "Phantom".

What it amounts to is a bunch of metal parts that are installed into the
differential and exert pressure on the planetary gears that keep the thing
from favoring one side over the other. It is all based on friction and
after installing one in a Spitfire differential, I can truthfully say that I
could not tell any difference in that and an open diff.

and

Some people say they are better than nothing; some don't. Wear out rapidly,
not suitable for the street, etc.

and

Start with a bucket of dough. What you really want is the salisbury
clutch type diff, currently manufactured by
Tran-x. http://www.tran-x.com/DiffsHTML/TR6.html These are not
cheap. Another alternative is the Quaiffe limited slip, but that is
a torque sensing gear drive design that requires both rear wheels on
the ground to work
right. http://www.upgrademotoring.com/performa ... fe_app.htm
Lift the inside wheel and it's not much better than an open
diff. Another less expensive option is a welded diff - you can start
with that and move up to the Tran-x.


Paul

TR8-
Thanks for the information on Phantom Grip. I don't know of anyone who has used one of their set ups. I was looking at it and could not figure out how exactly it worked. I may just use a Ford or a Dana 44 rear axle since that is the same as a Salisbury 4HA.

Michael
1980 TR8 FHC/Works Rally Project

If it is broken then fix it....if it is not then make it faster!"

Thanks for the info. Labor wouldn't be a consideration as I have friend who has all the dial indicators ect. and has set up many a rear gear.

I have heard about the loss of traction with wheel lift from another friend with a TR4. I mentioned it in another post.

I agree that the Ford or other American rear axle would be the ultimate set up. I have studied into it quite a bit and was looking to do it locally. A local shop specializes in narrowing the hsgs very reasonable and I know where to source the axles. But there's the work of fabing all the brkts, figureing out the parking brake ect. Plus, the donor rear ends I have come up with so far are of unknown orgin and also probably need rebuilt. I actually snaged one out of a Turbo Bird for 75 bucks but it is pretty much shot. Clutch pack & spiders worn badly and the R&P have a little rust. Came to the conclusion that it would be better to find a lower mile, later unit and pay more. Unfortunately the ones I've found fitting that desription are wrong ratio or missing the brakes. Guess there just isn't an inexpensive way out. So what else is new?[;)]

Edit: Just got the quote from Rimmer for Quaife and the CW Pinion
1328 USD including estimated shipping. Guess I'll keep up the search. The Disc brakes would be a nice touch altough not necessary IMO.
72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

Hi Jim
Quaife LSD via Rimmers are more exspensive than most other places (that makes a change, NOT ) Quaife supply direct, not cheap but cheaper!! Even with the 20% discount we can get at the moment with Rimmers still exspensive [:(]

http://www.quaife.co.uk/Triumph-TR8-ATB-differential

I think if was your side of the 'muddy ditch' i would be tempted by narrowed US axle, The Wedge Shop guys do a Ford version i believe. lots of ratios and bullet proof!
Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!
Read My Blog http://www.waringstowntr7s.co.uk/blogs/ ... hp/John215

I have Rimmers 3.45 CW&P in my TR7V8. Don't know if it's repro or NOS, but it was good quality and is quiet in operation. Mind you, it was purchased about 8 years ago so who knows what they are using now.

Craig
TR7V8

Thanks John. That is quite a bit cheaper. Not sure of the exact exchange rate these days.
I just talked to the fella where I get my used parts for the bussiness today. I think you call them "breakers"? Anyway, he said they got several Mustangs in since I was last there. Suppose I'll have a looksee once the weather gets above freezing.
I know Woody does them ready to go. That would be the smart thing to do, I know. But, being the hard head I am and having done this sort of thing on Camaros in the past, I just figured I could do it myself.

BTW, Do you know what LSD Chunk/Phil runs in his car?

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.

Quaife. Running 3.45:1 gears brought from Rimmers a while ago.
They are recon and were silly money at £350 even with discount.
Same price as the 3.08 gears.
The latest 3.45 gears are the SD1 India Stock, so would be OEM.
And now they have shitloads, they are about £110.
And cost even less when they have a parts sale.
Bummer, as they say.
Cheers.

1979 TR7V8 FHC 3.9 Litre.
280bhp and 13.31 secs standing quarter.
20 years of tinkering and tuning......So far!

im not even going to comment that "phantomgrip"


it will be cheaper to install the rear axle from some other car.
quaife has the same price for almost all of the torsen differentials that is 500 pounds, its a new part that has a lifetime warranty, and considering the amount of machining needed to produce gears and the housing 500 pounds is cheap as chips.

there are lots of cars that have rear suspension in a form of a live axle.

Thanks for all the great information. Perhaps I should explain why I'm sort of undecided. A good low mile complete rear axle around here go for at least $300. Mosser custom axles $235. Narrow the hsg $110.00 Redrill rotors $80.00 That comes to $725 not including some shipping and providing the axle has the correct ratio and doesn't need any repairs to the LS, brgs, brakes ect. Fabing the bracketry isn't tallied in either plus a driveshaft to match. I can't see being able to do it for less than $1000.00
So, that's why the Quaife option begins to look attractive. Plus it's as simple as changing the carrier. I completely agree a heavier American axle would be unbreakable but I'm not convinced that breakage is a problem with the stock rear running the engine I have. Food for thought.

72 MGB BRG
80 TR8 Persian Aqua
If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy.