sierra diff driveshaft bearings?

[alga]

Originally Posted by twinturbo

There was a brief discussion on ATB in sierras on either the FSOC or XROC forum this week..

I think the consensus was that the Plate diff suited the sierra better. Although I can't fully recall the thread.

I've done quite a bit of reading about LSDs. The plate LSD is a fraction of a second faster on track and definitely better for drift. But the plate diff needs the plate preload constantly adjusted as the clutches wear out, whereas Quaife or Torsen are completely maintenance free and good for the whole lifetime of the car normally.

Re diff side bearings, they need a special remover. Generic bearing pullers usually have hooks on the legs that are either too wide or too short. So, in my case it was easier to get 2 new bearings rather than remove existing ones (which were like new).

Update: ATB/Torsen have a property that they become an open diff if one of the wheels is in the air or on a very slippery surface, like ice. Viscous or clutch LSD would lock up and if one wheel is on solid ground and that wheel would have traction, not so with helical gear LSDs. It's not a big deal for a summer car that will mostly have all four wheels on the asphalt but would be a letdown for winter driving.