06-07 WRX rear vLSD into L Series

ratters

ratters

Forum Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2018
Messages
73
Location
Hobart, TAS
Car Year
1989
Car Model
L Series
Transmission
5MT
Gday guys,

So I'm kind of going grey here waiting for an R160 locker to materialise but I figured in the meantime a reasonable upgrade may be to get the 3.7 ratio rear end out of an 06-07 WRX and put in my '89 L wagon. I know there are other rare LSD's from the Vortex etc but you can pretty much go out and buy a vLSD from a WRX if you want one.

Anybody done this and can comment on what's required? I assume some custom drive shafts, and possibly also the tail shaft altered for either length or mounting plate? Mounting bolt locations I assume are the same?

Cheers,
ratters
 
A lot of effort I would imagine for a diff which while better than an open diff is some way from being the best solution. If you’re going to do what you are suggesting you might want a proper locker instead.
 
What's the story with the R160, is it just too small and therefore too fiddly?
 
Too small. Locker centres are bigger than normal centres and won’t fit.
 
Rally said:
If you’re going to do what you are suggesting you might want a proper locker instead.
Click to expand...

Yeah i DO want a proper locker!! But I'm sick of waiting, it's been years now with various groups trying to get this happening but I figure in the meantime I can at least put a viscous diff in the rear.
 
LSD

Get any r160 LSD either plated or viscous and swap the centre into your existing diff. People have been doing this for many years without dramas. Google is your friend.
 
I got sick of waiting for others and went ahead with an e-locker myself for the rear of my sg. Definitely works a treat
 
Even swapping diff centres you'll need to come up with a solution to the diff stub axles.

Unless the vlsd comes with the male stub axles, you'll need a custom shaft.

The r160 will bolt in no worries. If you go r180 like Rally, I believe you'll need a solution for the larger pinion shaft flange for your tail shaft to bolt to the diff.

Cheers

Bennie
 
I don’t think this will be a problem. With my wrx, when I did the conversion I just swapped over flanges. This wasn’t necessary with the Forester conversion.
 
It's a lot of trouble to go to for a viscous LSD. It's better than an open diff but not by much. Get a clutch LSD from the RS (RX?) Liberty or a JDM WRX STi, this is what I have & it's excellent. You will still need to play with the axles though
 
NachaLuva said:
It's a lot of trouble to go to for a viscous LSD. It's better than an open diff but not by much. Get a clutch LSD from the RS (RX?) Liberty or a JDM WRX STi, this is what I have & it's excellent. You will still need to play with the axles though
Click to expand...

^ what he said. Also have a clutch LSD coupled with a 20 kg sti centre diff. Goes a treat.
 
Are the RS Liberty and JDM WRX ratios still 3.7:1 or would they also require swapping the gears around? I'm happy enough playing around with it all but the information battle is the hard part, just trying to understand what's what.

Are clutch type LSD units user serviceable? I would assume any second hand unit probably wants rebuilding while you have the chance.

cheers for the info guys.
 
Been scanning around at all the Subaru diff types, anyone know if the JDM GC8 suretrac R160 LSD would also be swappable? I know torsen type diffs need both wheels on the ground so it might not suit all offroad situations but they are the superior LSD, correct?
 
If the wheel is in the air then you need a locker. I got stuck in mud with a plated diff even though both wheels were on the ground. Only spun one wheel. In other situations though it performed better than the standard diff
 
If a plated is no better with a wheel in the air, then a torsen type should be superior because in that mud you only had one wheel spinning, you would have had both with a torsen.

I remember Dedman's thread about his issues with the plated diffs.

https://offroadsubarus.com/showthread.php?t=6790
 
During the diff locker project, I was using a torsen rear diff. Before that I was running a plated rear diff. The plated diff was better off road.
 
What was the make of your torsen diff ? And what was the make and locking setup of the plated diff, just curious.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top