Quaife, What do we think?

mattbibbey

Well-Known Forum User
Hi all,

Just wanting to gauge opinion on this British manufacturer. It's a name that all petrol heads of my generation were introduced to as youngster through it being the name on certain mods that could be done to race cars in console games.

The reputation across the whole, as I hear it, is excellent.

Just wanted to know what others thought.

Cheers

Matt
 

amocrace

Well-Known Forum User
used ATB diffs in several vehicles successfully with no issues but some of their gear kits are rated as poor made out of chocolate was the term used!
 

johnymd

Club Member
I've used a quaife diff for 4 years now but couldn't comment on good or bad as I've nothing to compare it with. Plus I'm not driving at a level that would make a difference. People have told me that at the drag strip, when doing a burnout, only one wheel spins and the other is stationary(just like an open diff) which is a bit worrying. I have swapped the diff several times at Terry's so I was starting to think I'd left one off my open diff's in. I had to have a close inspection of Terry's recent diff picture to check my quaife wasn't lerking in one of his :)
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
I've used a quaife diff for 4 years now but couldn't comment on good or bad as I've nothing to compare it with. Plus I'm not driving at a level that would make a difference. People have told me that at the drag strip, when doing a burnout, only one wheel spins and the other is stationary(just like an open diff) which is a bit worrying. I have swapped the diff several times at Terry's so I was starting to think I'd left one off my open diff's in. I had to have a close inspection of Terry's recent diff picture to check my quaife wasn't lerking in one of his :)

I can't believe you don't know or am I a bit slow to catch on to your humour. :unsure:

I have a Quaife and so far I can't really tell it's there until I do a standing start. With my previous 240Z I had to be careful with the revs otherwise it just lost traction, with this one the car will take more revs, in fact if I don't give it more it bogs down. So like John I can't compare it 'like for like' but it's unobtrusive and appears not to have a 'down side' other than the cost.
 

SKiddell

Well-Known Forum User
From about 2005 to 2006 I had a very good and well set up plate R200 3.9 and soon learned that plate diffs are not without their own set of quirks and foibles

In late 2006 I contacted Quaife and they installed and setup an R200 3.9 for me and the difference was chalk and cheese

Plate diffs
Need to be setup for the application.
Require periodic replacement of the clutch plates = cost
Require more specialised fluid = cost
Can get very warm, possibly requiring specialised cooling (depending on app)
Can create significant understeer in very tight low speed situations (button roundabouts)
Can be a little digital (either on or off)
Can be a little noisy (chatter)

ATB’s (Quaife etc)
Fit and forget
No specialised fluids
No additional noise over standard diff (none that I could tell)
No tweaking or additional setups
VERY robust (see later story)
Progressive, feeding torque % depending on traction
No additional cooling required over standard diff

Downside of an ATB, if you lift one wheel (rally stages or very stiff track setups/solid axles) they can get confused and require a rapid throttle lift which can take some getting used too.

In 2006 the Zclub went to Bruntingthorpe for a day’s play on the runway doing some timed telemetry runs for JTuner (I think), on one run I accidentally shifted from 3rd to 2nd at about 105mph, tach hit well over 9K rpm………big bang from the back and I’m thinking valves pistons and Quaife.

Engine checked out probably due to the Kameari chain tensioner a well-built engine and a decent crank damper, but the back end was banging like a bangy thing on acceleration and deceleration

Looked high and low nothing obvious, so I thought it was Quaife internals, phoned Quaife, told them and they politely laughed saying something like “it very unlikely” (paraphrase)

On detailed inspection It turned out to be the solid diff mount had snapped in half

Moral is that they are bomb proof unless badly maintained, badly installed or shockingly abused, when fitted they are almost unobtrusive and don’t appear to display any unpleasant or unnerving characturistics (none that I have noticed)
 

pmac

Well-Known Forum User
They appear to do more than sell the odd ATB to someone on this forum once in a blue moon.

What we do, is deliver market leading high performance automotive transmission solutions designed for the most demanding operating environments in the world, namely circuit racing, stage rallying, drifting, drag racing and Time Attack.

With this in mind motorsport is central to Quaife’s company DNA, with an active and ongoing customer base across all levels and disciplines. The competitive nature of the sport powers the majority of the firm’s innovation and resultant new product development and production.

Increasingly this motorsport drivetrain technology is suited to the demands automotive manufacturers seeking a performance enhancement for their volume production models. Quaife’s OEM programmes included both models of the Ford Focus RS and the company’s dedicated volume production plant at Gillingham and continued investment in quality control management is testimony to the firm’s commitment to this sector.

Recently Quaife has diversified its high-technology precision engineering business, leveraging its expertise to manufacture sophisticated turnkey power transfer and electric vehicle (EV) drivetrain solutions to a diverse variety of Commercial clients to a worldwide client portfolio.

In addition, Quaife’s Applied Technologies division provides comprehensive precision mechanical engineering solutions based on world-class technologies, expertise and manufacturing techniques. Whether high volume sub-contract gear cutting for a prestigious German car manufacturer or designing a powertrain for a desalination plant in the Middle East, Quaife’s expertise is increasingly applied in some surprising places.
I know nothing about the company as a whole. I suspect that applies to most other members too.
Putting the question in the S30 drivetain section is unlikely to get the kind of response you are looking for.:confused: as evidenced by the repies so far.
 

zNathan

Well-Known Forum User
Have a 3.9 Quaife diff in our Westfield track car - seems very solid and the traction is great.

Also have a Quaife straight cut 4 speed in it too, not so solid but haven't had the car long so may be something faulty rather than a design flaw. To be more specific it starts to stick in 3rd / 4th towards the end of track days however it is an ex-Westfield championship car so may be built only for short stints.
 

MikeB

Well-Known Forum User
My main sport is speed events - sprints and public road hillclimbs.

The best LSD diff I have ever had is a modern multi-plate Gripper in a live axle '67 Alfa - superb traction and very smooth action

I have run Quaife ATBs in a 750bhp per ton single seater and my 240Z, keep the two driven wheels on the ground and the Quaife delivers, but lift a wheel and it loses drive and takes a tad to get back in drive when the the two get back on the tarmac. Never had any problems, dispute several hundred tyre warming burn-outs

Had a Quaife CR 5 speed Ford 'box in a 150 hp A Series Turner sports car with 9 inch sticky slicks, quick gear change and no issues

So in short Quaife have delivered for me
 

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
.........but lift a wheel and it loses drive and takes a tad to get back in drive when the the two get back on the tarmac..............

So as you said too Steve, that's a down-side I hadn't realised.
 

Ian

Club Member
Never driven a Quaife in a RWD but I have one in my civic and its great, lots more traction, almost no torque steer, very quiet and unobtrusive and very stong. If I put my foot down mid corner it just pulls me round whereas before if I did that it would most likely end up understeering.
 

Nexussteve

Well-Known Forum User
Hi all,

Just wanting to gauge opinion on this British manufacturer. It's a name that all petrol heads of my generation were introduced to as youngster through it being the name on certain mods that could be done to race cars in console games.

The reputation across the whole, as I hear it, is excellent.

Just wanted to know what others thought.

Cheers

Matt

You're only asking, coz they`re just up the road! ;)
 

mattbibbey

Well-Known Forum User
You're only asking, coz they`re just up the road! ;)

Points for you my friend! ;)

I was wondering what people thought as I had an interview there last week for a technical sales job, unfortunately I didn't get the job, the guy they employed has been doing the same job for another motorsport company for years. Oh well.

I think the ATB is definitely on the list of mods I "would like to do" one day.

It's certainly interesting to see how many members have them installed and have no real complaints.
 
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