Has anyone fitted (F&R) upgraded diffs to the S3?

[Andrew@A.L.D]

As titled

Im doing a major rebuild to my gearbox, it will have taller gearing, steel selector forks, bracing, 4th gear supports, ARP replacement diff bolts and much more.

I just want to find out weather its worth the getting uprated diffs been a 4WD car with my CRC controller.

Was told the drp box is good to have as the gears are stronger but still short and the casing will make the engine tilt forward

 

[<tuffty/>]

DRP box?

<tuffty/>

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

That's why I'm asking?

 

[<tuffty/>]

I have no idea what a DRP box is or what its from... I can only assume as you have mentioned it tilts the engine forward you are referring to a VF/R32 box? which I believe is 02M based anyway...

No idea on if they are stronger... tbh I doubt it as torque is not really any different between a 1.8t and VR engine...

As long as its the same type of 02M (later versions are a bit different) then all the internals will transfer over to a 1.8t case...

<tuffty/>

 

[snowy]

Yes it is

Most defineately

I both the front transaxle and rear axle Peloquins in my car - both torsen worm gear diffs

Blue haldex in the middle

The results are easily worth the cost - both diffs cost me $1500 5yrs ago bought direct from Peloquin

As titled

Was told the drp box is good to have as the gears are stronger but still short and the casing will make the engine tilt forward

Don't think there's anything wrong with the strength of the gears, so I'd look at selecting the ratios you want but strengthing by using the something like the SQS syncromesh gears - these are what take the punishment - rebuild the lot into your existing casing so you know it fits with fecking about

The steel selector fork or bracing [the brass fork] isn't it ?

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

It's a lot of cash. I'm not going to be doing 6k rpm larches

 

[snowy]

Power is nothing without traction though

but the quality they add to the drivetrain is beyond just double the traction, even at low speeds you can feel the extra solidity

Uprating the diffs is really worthwhile at any powerlevel - but at anything near 600hp you really would be missing a massive trick

 

[Sam_]

Had the Peloquin rear and sold it before fitting general feeling was the front made the most difference (makes sense)...

Epytec do the strengthening parts

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

I'm going to go for everything I can and get the diffs. Will be fitting ERF gears so in theory it can do 200mph.

 

[badger5]

std TT stroker we built, std suspension even... amazingly launched fine.. stunned
540bhp-410lbft

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

I have has a lot of wheel spin with mine when your on damp roads, you can feel the left front wheel spin a lot

 

[Gary_808]

Drp box has a stronger case... only seen it in 6cylinder/vr6 bell housing though. Which obviously won't fit 1.8t.

Ps was chatting do a guy from France at pod low 9 second mk2 golf, running standard open diffs front and rear no traction issues...

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

open doiffs are fine for straight lines but sling it round a corner or your left or right wheels hits a greasy patch of road then the wheels light up

Nothing wrong with trying to get more grip.

 

[Gary_808]

The evo boys are on quite a simular setup to us transmission wise, (of course the hydrualic clutch pack is in the transfer box) and I have noted that a few people seem to fit a rear diff before the front, but not entirely sure if that's for a reason or because it's easiest.
But running diffs is very popular in them circles, that's the problem not a great deal of people get really serious about these cars and corners.

 

[S3Alex]

Quaife also make a superb torque biassing front diff which is worth a look.

I use one in my car,and traction really has improved.

 

[snowy]

There's a chap on R32OC with a turbo'd R32 running Quaife front an Peloquin rear

This is the Quaife front diff

Wavetrac also

low 9 second mk2 golf, running standard open diffs front and rear no traction issues...

maybe he'd be running 8 seconds with lsd's though

 

[Gary_808]

There's a chap on R32OC with a turbo'd R32 running Quaife front an Peloquin rear

This is the Quaife front diff

Wavetrac also



maybe he'd be running 8 seconds with lsd's though

When I think about it now he may be in the the 8's.. (looking for my videos) he's on full drag slicks, he isn't having traction issues so there's no need yet...

 

[Alex C]

steel selector forks, bracing, 4th gear supports, ARP replacement diff bolts

are you grabbing this from darksidedevelopments? shame there is no 5/6 steel fork from them; that's the one that failed on me - guess its uncommon for that one to fail. Have you managed to source a 5/6 steel selector fork?

 

[<tuffty/>]

The uprated 02M forks are VAG parts don't forget... they cost about 140 quid from TPS....

There is a 5/6 selector too (from the same gearbox as the other two) but nobody I know that have done the upgrades of the other two forks have used them and its unknown if it fits or what modification is required to get it to fit...

Generally speaking its typically the firsat two forks that go as they tend to get the most abuse... not personally heard of the third fork going until yours of course...

<tuffty/>

 

[Alex C]

I should say it was the rivet that holds the fork to the shaft rather than the fork itself that failed.

why is there a question mark over whether the VAG 5/6 selector fork fits without modification?

 

[<tuffty/>]

I should say it was the rivet that holds the fork to the shaft rather than the fork itself that failed.

why is there a question mark over whether the VAG 5/6 selector fork fits without modification?

I believe the forks are actually designed for an 02Q box not 02M... I have spoken to a few of my friends in the trade that have done the conversions before as I am looking at rebuilding a gearbox myself and none have done 5/6... its not to say it won't fit but not seen it done so can't comment either way...

I did have the parts numbers somewhere but can't find them at the moment...

http://www.partsbase.org/audi/audi-...it-selector-fork-6-speed-manual-transmission/

According to the above there is a mix of 02M and 02Q part numbers in the later boxes with these all steel forks... while its plausible 5/6 will fit I personally have not seen it done yet

<tuffty/>

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

I'm just going to modify the 5/6th fork.. I've just got all the parts now for the box.. Only thing I need now is the diffs..Should be able to get them in a few weeks.

A spare gearbox and diff are been soda blasted right now..

It's a good job I'm doing all this as I found a my gearbox case has a crack in it and leaking oil on the garage floor.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Yep gearbox is dead. Looks like the new engine is doing well and it still needs mapping. The box has a crack around the end so it looks like the gears have been trying to climb. Not sure if it was done on the old engine as I've not given the new engine any hight revs.

 

[Gary_808]

They need a substantial end support running power, not like the Dire piece of crap sheet metal people are selling in the uk.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

The steel plates are ok for anything under 1000bhp I was told by bar-tech and darkside.

The really thick chunks of aluminium are for over

 

[Gary_808]

I've seen it 4 times now,
sub 700bhp vr6 mk2 golf.
Sub 700bhp 20v mk1
And 1 S3 sub 600bhp but launched hard.
and mk4 2.8 sub 600bhp.

It's whether you want to build a box that'll last for a tiny bit more work, or end up having to re do everything.

And a man of your calibre shouldn't have a problem whipping something more substantial up.


Mine will look something like this to give you an idea.

 

[snowy]

any ideas how much that would weigh ?

 

[Gary_808]

Being alloy not alot. Less than a 1kg I should think, maximum 2kg.
A small price to pay to avoid bearings and shafts visiting your out the end case.

 

[Alex C]

is this axial force because the gears are helical rather than straight cut? i'm guessing you wouldn't need this shaft end reinforcement at big power levels if the gears were straight cut?

 

[Gary_808]

Yes.

But the most of the gear kits worth buying now for big power (not sqs rubbish) are helical cut. As helical is inherently stronger than straight cut.

 

[snowy]

sqs rubbish

what wrong with their stuff ?

Not had any experience of them, but they list some nice looking kit and not found any slating via googling

 

[Gary_808]

Your not googling hard enough.
Everyone used their stuff mainly because it was all that was avaliable.
Few customer service issues.
As some one told me personally. 'They build/design boxes, but they don't use them or really test them.'
They are ok for most people,
But there's much better out there now for less.

The likes of don octane/mp make a very nice gearkit,
All the big power guys have swapped over.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Monster performance does a gear kit but still expensive.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Diffs have been ordered.

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Wouldn't mind a sqs shifter.

 

[snowy]

They seem to work well

 

[antwan64og]

That annoying high pitched whine is the straight cut gears, the misses wouldn't appreciate it on the shopping run but its win win really.

You'd just Pretend the intercom was broken and wear ear plugs so you couldnt hear the whining or the gearbox

 

[Andrew@A.L.D]

Going to modify the main shaft as well to help with 4th strength too.

 

[badger5]

Yes.

But the most of the gear kits worth buying now for big power (not sqs rubbish) are helical cut. As helical is inherently stronger than straight cut.

I've run SQS since 2007, been very reliable.
Only rebuilt this year and 3/4th were chipped, but functionally perfect

SQS have been great for me.

 

[Gary_808]

Your not exactly testing it too it's limit. (4wd launch on drag slicks with north of 800bhp+ usually over 1000bhp and with more torque from the vr style engine.)

On a previous car build I could get 2 years of track days out of a gearbox that would last 1 rwyb at santapod,
Shows the difference in stresses.