=== Quaife test === - Honda Prelude Forum

zombi · 02-13-2002, 01:13 PM

Hi everyone, new user here !

I have a 2000 5 speed Honda Prelude and I really like that car. The only mod I have is an ATB Quaife differential. Last year, when I had no mod and the ground was covered with snow, I tried to climb a road uphill and stopped in the middle of the hill, trying to climb again, but it was impossible to continue uphill.

This year, in similar snow conditions at the same place, I was able to stop and climb again with my Quaife, but it was very hard and the car had trouble at the top of the hill where there was more snow. I had Yokohama Guardex 600 ice tires for both tests. The problem is that, right after I did that second test, I also did the test with my mother's 1989 Pontiac Sunbird equipped with Nordik tires (cheap winter tires with blocky tread). The Sunbird was also successful with that test and did it more easily than the prelude equipped with the Quaife unit.

I am wondering if my Quaife works properly. I think it works because when the left wheel is on pavement while the right wheel is on the snow and I accelerate, it makes a strange sound (friction ?) and the car wants to turns right. However, the power transferred to the wheel on the pavement is only a fraction of the total power. Otherwise, in equal traction conditions on both wheels the Quaife unit makes no sound.

Do Quaife users here have any idea about what is going on ?

A few ideas that you could confirm or deny:

1 - My Quaife unit doesn't work properly
2 - Winter tires are much better than ice tires in snow conditions
3 - The weight distribution is more toward front wheels for the Sunbird
4 - When both wheel are on the same slippery surface and the car does not turn, a stock differential splits power pretty much at 50-50 between both wheels so, in these conditions, the advantage of the Quaife unit is less perceptible
5 - The sunbird is automatic with only a 96 HP engine so it produced less wheelspin than the Prelude
6 - The Quaife unit needs a break-in period to become more efficient

Thank you for helping me before we Quaife warranty ends !

ne_LUDE · 02-13-2002, 02:12 PM

Well I think reason #5 to be the most true. Example:
My 1995 accord lx handles fairly good in the snow.
My 1998 prelude handles like crap in the snow.
Both 5speeds, both around the same weight.
My friends Geo metro mobs like a snow mobile. Go figure.

I'm getting my Quaife (on the prelude) installed this week, hopefully if it snows again in Omaha I can post the differences.

TypeR202 · 02-13-2002, 02:29 PM

Your Quaife has a lifetime warranty!!!

Darth Luder · 02-13-2002, 04:15 PM

I think it is the power difference and the automatic tranny. The quaife sounds like it is working fine.

DaRawkus8 · 02-13-2002, 09:35 PM

sorry but whats a quaife ?

nighttime · 02-13-2002, 09:42 PM

Its a Limited Slip Differential. Click here for details.

PreludeNYC · 02-14-2002, 01:04 AM

I don't know about you guys but I didn't get my quaife for driving in the snow

-Jose

Darth Luder · 02-14-2002, 05:26 AM

True, I got mine for real racing, but it is supposed to provide better traction control as well...

corruptdvtec · 02-14-2002, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Darth Luder
True, I got mine for real racing, but it is supposed to provide better traction control as well...

same here....but i did notice that in the snow it did help me out somewhat...but that is not its main intent....i like it..its been nice to have for a few instances...

xtal · 02-14-2002, 10:17 AM

One test is to try a burnout with the lude. Get the wheels spinning and pull the parking brake up a bit.. if both wheels start to smoke when you tromp it, then the LSD is working. Stock will promote the famous 1 wheel burnout. This is kinda hard on the car, but.. you'll know.

RE snow driving.. I got Michelin Pilot Alpins, and my car drives better than a friends 4x4 in the snow.. just be light on the throttle and keep it in high gear.

Try this trick in the snow, btw: When you're stopped, put the car in neutral. Pull up on the parking brake and release the brake pedal. You should now be on your hill with nothing but the rear brakes holding you.. now put it in first and let the clutch up to the engagement point where you feel the car pull forward. Hold your feet like that and s-l-o-w-l-y put down the parking brake, using it to meter power. I've used this trick to inch myself a mm at a time of glare ice.

http://www.microlab.uccb.ca/~smanley/img_0456.jpg

Check out THOSE snowpiles, heh.

Steve

zombi · 02-14-2002, 10:34 AM

ne_LUDE, it will be interesting to read about your Quaife impressions in poor traction conditions. I wonder if the narrow tires of the Geo Metro could explain why it moves in the snow, or it is the weak engine ? I should have tried to start in 2nd gear with the Lude just to see the difference.

TypeR202, I didn't know the Quaife had a lifetime warranty, thanks ! I bought my Quaife from an import car tuner who ordered it from Quaife. The guy told me it was a 1 year warranty ! I have been abused !

Here are the reasons why I've got the Quaife ATB:

1 - Help with heavy snow conditions in Quebec
2 - Reduce wheel hop and wheelspin on wet or bad roads
3 - Make the Prelude JRSC ready

4 - Give a break to my clutch when I'll practice the LC launch

I knew the Quaife would not transform my car into an AWD car, but I was expecting a little more, because some people wrote "Quaife is awesome in the snow !"

DaRawkus8 · 02-14-2002, 01:17 PM

Where exactly does the Quaife get placed?

Darth Luder · 02-14-2002, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DaRawkus8
Where exactly does the Quaife get placed?

It gets placed in the transmission, where the stock differencial is....