Limited Slip Differential

 

Limited slip differential

 

Unlike Traction Control, where it reduces power to all wheels equally, Limited Slip Differential (LSD) keeps tires from spinning by transferring a torque to the other tires that have grip. Usually during cornering, but also during acceleration. Because TC works by cutting fuel during wheel spin (that's mean reducing power output of the engine), always is recommended to use Limited Slip Differential first to try to stop wheel spin by transferring power to other wheel with good grip. If that phase is not successful and spin can't be stopped in this way, traction control taking over.

Accel (during acceleration) is straight forward. Reduces tire spin during acceleration, reducing understeer in F1 cars, or reducing oversteer in front engined cars

Decel, reduces tire spin during braking. During deceleration, Limited Slip Differential is used as part of engine braking system, or, after 2008, by it's own. After FIA introduced common ECU for 2008 championship, engine braking system was banned.

 


http://www.carbibles.com/

 

Of course, like most things on a Formula One car, this is all electronically controlled, and can be programmed into the car - in fact, until it was banned, there was a button on the steering wheel which drivers could press to manually lock or release the differential as they pleased, enabling them to get better traction out of the corners and to go closer of traction circle edges. Electro-hydraulic devices are used in F1 to constantly change the torque acting on both of the drive wheels at different stages in a corner. This torque relationship can be varied to 'steer' the car through corners, or prevent the inside rear wheel from spinning under harsh acceleration out of a bend. The FIA allows the use of these devices provided that their characteristics are fixed once the car is out on the track and settings can't be changed by driver.

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Some useful links:

- f1technical.net, , a great site with a lot of technical information’s and explanations. Site is updated daily with news from F1 word.

 - autosport.com, This site is a legend. A bible for racing lovers. News from all around the word. Unfortunately, to get access to all news, interviews and to open the site completely you should be subscribed to Autosport magazine. Anyway, great read.

 - f1network.net, Good read. Fan’s from every team can find his team forum. For me, like Ferrari fan, forum is the best Ferrari forum, very visited, with great threads.

 - Ferrarif1forum.com is another great Ferrari site for Ferrari fan’s like me. Site is relatively new, but great fun, with great discussion, news and Ferrari F1 car Development topic. Twitter and Facebook are also there.

 - f1.gpupdate.net, Site with fresh news from Formula 1

 - planetf1, another site with many different articles, news and statistics. Biased toward British teams, but anyway good read.

 - gurneyflap.com, Great history site. You can learn a lot from this site. Pictures, cars and many many more. Great.

 - fia.com, La Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, representing the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users. Head organisation and ruler in auto sport.

 - wikipedia.org, I don’t believe that I have to tell you anything about this site. It’s not about Formula 1 technology, but you can learn a lot about that too.

 - suttonimages.com. source of great images from autosport

 - carbibles.com, a great site for normal car users. Here you can find explanations of almost everything about your car and how it works. Technical reviews and explanations of some in-car gadgets.