Stolen from another forum, this question invoked some pretty good responses - but noone has really agreed on the answer. Here is the original question:
Some of the following links where posted as reference for various arguments, which may be worth reading before happily posting away:
Basic definition:
http://www.rctek.com/general/differential_svm_basic_description.html
Suspected solution:
http://www.rctek.com/general/differentials_how_they_work.html
More suspected solution:
http://www.gti-vr6.net/library/transmission/Ians_diff_page/differentials.htm
More suspected solution:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/differential3.htm
And more:
http://www.imajeep.com/faq/Diffs_Types.htm
And yet more:
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~tcroy/artic...ifferential.htm
Basically the query ends up... If youre tailshaft is turning at 800rpm, and you turn a corner, we all know the inside wheel will slow down (say to 600rpm) and the outside wheel will speed up (say to 1000rpm)... This will still average out to the tailshaft speed of 800rpm (1000+600/2 = 800). Does this mean that in a burnout situation, you can have the inside wheel doing 0rpm and the outside wheel doing 1600rpm, yet the tailshaft still only doing 800rpm? Can the orbital gears act as a 2:1 gearing? And if so, will the speedo still say, say, 60kph (tailshaft speed of 800rpm), yet the wheel will be doing 120kph (1600rpm)?
Not really relevant to skylines as such, except the 31s and below I guess? Or anyone with a worn LSD But an interesting question and I'd like to see a few more thoughts on it