2G Open Center Diff for Handbrake

[Kai Hefner]

Curious how our parking brake works with our center diff. When it's pulled up, does it open the diff?
Want to find out how I could make a handbrake for when I have to make a completely legal and tight u-turn, will open the center diff to not absolutely destroy it.

 

[pauleyman]

The two are in no way connected. Why do you need this? Center diff works just fine at full steering lock. If you run a welded diff....well my guess is you don't want to make sharp turns anymore

 

[Kai Hefner]

No, the purpose is to put in a handbrake that locks up only the rear tires for drifty times. Don't want the center diff to get $%*&ed when the rear locks up.
Looking if there is any way to open the center diff.

 

[Canadian_CD9A]

There is no way to "open" the center diff unless it's broken, in which case it probably wouldn't work at all. The center differential works by speed differential - if you lock up the rear tires, the viscous coupling action heats up and the fronts will eventually lock to the speed of the rears. Not great for any sideways action, since you don't get much slip before the center differential intervenes. Also not great for the well-being of the diff.

Two ways out if you want to stay AWD - both painfully expensive.
1) Cusco Tarmac (full diff replacement), good for kicking the rear out, and would work fine with a handbrake. It's an open diff so it would definitely have RWD-type behavior. Going rate around $1500 US+, extremely rare, and they can wear out. Comes up every 2 or so years for sale.
2) Adelia Magic mechanical center coupling (viscous coupler replacement) - better than the viscous for locking characteristics, and would allow use of the handbrake without intervening. Keeps AWD characteristics otherwise. Going rate for a used one $1200+ US, extremely rare. Comes up maybe once a year for sale.

The DSM is not a good platform for this.

 

[motomattx]

Dsm's are not drift cars, either convert it to rwd or buy something else if your looking at drifting (is that even still a thing?).

 

[stillrunning]

It's basically a full time AWD system with a viscous coupling, you have not external control for how it bias's torque.

However after I welded my center diff I could easily fish tail a bit on tight u turns due to no longer have a viscous coupling to allow for some slippage & wheel speed.

 

[Kai Hefner]

Thanks for the info guys.
I figured the platform would be pretty hard for this sort of thing but worth an ask. Thanks a lot.