LSD

[David Barclay]

How do tell if your Mx5 has a limited slip diff?

[MN]

I understand there is no way to tell from vehicle etc numbers, you have to
do a physical check - jack up the rear of the car so both rear wheels are
off the ground and spin one of the wheels by hand. If you've got an LSD the
other wheel should spin in the same direction, if it doesn't you haven't !
Fortunately my car is already so equipped.

Check out pp 102-105 in Mazda Miata Performance Handbook or pp 22-23 in
Miata Magazine vol 11 #1 for more info on the types of LSD available and
ease of installation.

Has anyone done the conversion here, can the units be purchased anywhere in
NZ ?

Mark

[zorruno]

I've been trying to source a LSD in NZ but with no success yet. There is
good VLSD information at miata.net which relates to the US models, but some
of it applys.
http://www.miata.net/garage/vlsd.html

It is also useful to note that you cannot test for a LSD by dropping the
clutch and looking for two patches of rubber the same length. The MX5 is
well balanced enough that it will usually spin both wheels equally in a
straight line. I've tried this...

H.

[Charles Lynch]

It is also useful to note that you cannot test for a LSD by dropping the
clutch and looking for two patches of rubber the same length.

However if you can manage to get one wheel in mud and one on dry ground,
then without LSD the wheel in the mud should spin and the car shouldn't
move. With LSD the other wheel should turn too and the car should move
forward. It's a pretty rough test though.

I think that 'Rotary engine specialists' in South Auckland import Mazdaspeed
parts. They should be able to get the Mazdaspeed LSD unit, but it might be
rather expensive.

PS Last thursday's trade and exchange had an MX5 LSD in it for $400.

PPS If anyone is looking for parts, I was in the wreckers
(Mazspare-Auckland) this morning and they had a red MX5 just in. It has a
full rollcage, aftermarket extractors, strut tower brace bar and a pretty
shabby looking headlight air duct. (Oh and blacked out windows). None of the
parts looked that great though.