To weld or not to weld

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
09/14/2016 at 16:23 • Filed to: None

My differential that is. Want to do a bit of drifting in the e36, unfortunately LSDs are expensive and the open diff is garbage. I know ill need to weld it to have a chance of holding a drift (I’ll also need some more talent) but kinda dont want to ruin the streetability of the car.

Edit: also the excess tyre wear isnt a huge issue, I dont put masses of miles on it and currently have 3 sets of rear tyres...

DISCUSSION (35)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:28

Just get a Ford 8.8 LSD IRS setup as in a Lincoln Mark or a Thunderbird. It’s almost the same form factor, has very similar attachment points, same coil locations...

Kinja'd!!!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/14/2016 at 16:29

That subframe is probably larger than my entire e36 haha.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:30

How expensive would be too expensive?

The E36 M3s had LSDs. Perhaps look for a used one and swap it?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/14/2016 at 16:30

E36 m3 stuff doesnt fit, the compact has different rear suspension.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/14/2016 at 16:32

Also an m3 diff is like Ł400. The car was only Ł280.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:34

Ahhh gotchya.

Nonster > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:35

find a spare open diff if you can and go for it. Weld that sucker up. That way if you find you hate it, just swap back to the open diff.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:35

Well, not quite, but the track width *is* 14cm wider. :P

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:37

*Sees picture*

That’s not how any of this works.....

What are your main short term plans for the compact? Because I’m not sure if it will like cornering a lot if you weld the diff.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/14/2016 at 16:37

Yeah the car is pretty much worthless, the wheels are probably worth what the rest of it is. The body is beyond reasonable repair to bring back to a nice stock driver without big work. Dont want to put money in it, just want to enjoy it for a while and keep the Twingo clean as a good DD.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Nonster
09/14/2016 at 16:38

This was a thought I had too, I may do just that. I cant imagine open diffs for a base spec 316 are expensive...

LongbowMkII > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/14/2016 at 16:38

Nothing a set of.... 14cm to inches.....

Big fender flares can't fix

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
09/14/2016 at 16:39

Itll look like a dually haha.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BvdV - The Dutch Engineer
09/14/2016 at 16:41

Haha that picture has been around on the internet for many years. I like to hope someone believed that was how to weld a diff and attempted it.

Plans are just to enjoy driving it. Hopefully some track days and some drifting and the odd B road thrash. Getting a spare open diff to swap in seems a good option right now.

BvdV - The Dutch Engineer > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:44

You never know with al these internet geniuses.

Getting a second diff might be a good compromise, a bit like a very slow manual locking diff, haha.

BLCKSTRM > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:47

Doesn’t the compact have an E30 rear end? There has got to be an E30 LSD for a reasonable price somewhere. I got a new diff for my E36 M3 for $350 US.

If you’re buying a new one either way, I can’t believe an E30 LSD would be too much more expensive than an open diff.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 16:50

Then I’d say go for it. Just turn it into a drift beater and don’t care. haha

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > BLCKSTRM
09/14/2016 at 16:57

Its similar to an e30 but im not sure any parts are interchangable.

Even Ł200 is more than I want to spend though. The car is near worthless and I dont want to spend on it really.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow
09/14/2016 at 16:58

I may do haha.

crowmolly > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 17:00

kinda dont want to ruin the streetability of the car.

Then this mod may not be for you.

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 17:10

There are stock LSD’s available for an e36, either in the form of a e30 diff or a diff from a 325i, I’m not totally clear on what fits a e36/5. If you pull it from a junkyard car it should be super cheap.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > crowmolly
09/14/2016 at 17:15

Well the thing is I hear different things about it. Some say its fine and some say the car is undrivable on the road.

crowmolly > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 17:16

Yeah, that’s been the same discussion among muscle car people regarding spools for years.

You can do it, but there will be big compromises. Will burn up tires, put stress on bearings, be sketchy in the rain, etc. But you will have power to both wheels without a doubt.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
09/14/2016 at 17:37

Ill have to look closer into it and find out what does fit.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > crowmolly
09/14/2016 at 17:49

Yeah there are some drawbacks. I think getting another stock diff on the cheap so I have one to swap in for when I’m not channelling my inner driftbro os the best option.

crowmolly > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 17:52

That’s a great idea!

e36Jeff now drives a ZHP > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 18:00

I’m not 100% but I think an LSD from a I6 e30 should fit. a I4 will not fit, I know that much, but I think the I6 e30's had the larger diff that I think you need.

shop-teacher > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 18:06

Some people are idiots. This is not a mod for the street.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > e36Jeff now drives a ZHP
09/14/2016 at 19:18

Interesting thanks, I’ll take a look and see if I can find out for sure.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 19:56

Person with an E36 Compact here: Any LSD out of a regular E36 will not fit, it would have to be out of another compact. You’re in the UK right? You should be able to find a 318ti in a yard/at the wreckers somewhere with an LSD since they were available from ‘92 to ‘95 when the LSD came on them. Anything after ‘96 and later is only going to have an open diff. With the right half shafts a small case E30 or E28 diff * should * fit.

brianbrannon > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/14/2016 at 20:47

That picture is not what is meant by welded diff

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > brianbrannon
09/15/2016 at 02:28

What do you mean, those are diff parts, they are welded.... /s

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Trunk Impaired 318
09/15/2016 at 02:44

Thanks for the input. Any idea if e46 compact stuff fits? Theyre a hell of a lot easier to find at a breakers than an e36 for some reason.

Trunk Impaired 318 > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/15/2016 at 08:58

Im pretty sure it wouldnt fit, if I remember correctly the E46 compact has the same chassis and everything as the regular E46, just with a different body. Also, I dont know about Europe but in the US getting an LSD in an E46 was impossible if it wasnt an M3.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Trunk Impaired 318
09/15/2016 at 13:11

Ah so the e46 is a different animal completely. If I find a cheap e46 318ti in good nick I’ll probably get it