Kaiser Diff

Got one arriving tomorrow for the front of my Jimmy, anyone got one or had any experience of them?

Only got 12 hours experience with one in the rear.

I was about to update my other post when I saw this pop up.

Right, install was simple, maybe 3-4 hours all up

First test drive after resetting everything back to factory torque figures, it was an absolute female dog, big bangs on change in direction, constant tick tick tick from the rollers, could feel the car shake when it let go.

Digging a bit into the forums, the Landy boys seem to have similar issues especially in Manual 90's.
It seems (and this is forum opinions, not neccessarily pro's) that the Kaiser diffs tend to be a lot happier in a long wheelbase and backed by an Auto trans

If you're running one in the front, your on road manners shouldn't be compromised, as long as you have manual hubs, how the front will perform off road, I can't help you with

Without saying I told you so, that sounds much like a lockrite!

I'm big enough to stick my hand up when I've messed up. Waiting on a response back from Jimnybits in case there's some glaringly obvious reason why. if not, it goes back as it doesn't do what it says on the tin, and i substitute locked diffs for more power

it was actually worse than a lockrite, hence the contact back with Jimnybits to see if I missed something

Essentially it should be the same as the Quaife ATB in my track car which operates without any issues, even under race conditions. It's almost the same money as the Quaife to be honest

Wokka wrote: Only got 12 hours experience with one in the rear.

I was about to update my other post when I saw this pop up.

Right, install was simple, maybe 3-4 hours all up

First test drive after resetting everything back to factory torque figures, it was an absolute female dog, big bangs on change in direction, constant tick tick tick from the rollers, could feel the car shake when it let go.

Digging a bit into the forums, the Landy boys seem to have similar issues especially in Manual 90's.
It seems (and this is forum opinions, not neccessarily pro's) that the Kaiser diffs tend to be a lot happier in a long wheelbase and backed by an Auto trans

If you're running one in the front, your on road manners shouldn't be compromised, as long as you have manual hubs, how the front will perform off road, I can't help you with

Just out of interest, who set the diff up to the pinion gear? And what method did they use.

Completely different to a Quaife ATB unfortunately. If Quaife made a diff for the Jimny all our prayers would be answered!

Wokka wrote: I'm big enough to stick my hand up when I've messed up. Waiting on a response back from Jimnybits in case there's some glaringly obvious reason why. if not, it goes back as it doesn't do what it says on the tin, and i substitute locked diffs for more power

Just reading the Jimnybits site, their description is fairly wide of the mark in terms of how the 'diff' works and the benefits it offers.

"unlike a lockright diff locker, this Kaiser locker will operate as a normal open diff during normal driving" It does not, at any time, operate like a normal open diff. The key feature of an open diff is it splits torque equally between both wheels. In normal driving, this diff sends all the torque to the slowest wheel just like a lockright.

"The Kaiser lockers works by not allowing any one wheel to spin faster than the differential ring gear, so if one wheel looses traction, this wheel will never go faster than the ring gear, hence the power will be transferred to the other wheel. " No it doesn't. It does the opposite- drives the slowest moving wheel at the speed of the ring gear, the other wheel being allowed to 'freewheel' faster than the ring gear. If the driven wheel looses traction, its speed will match the other wheel and both will be driven at the same speed i.e. the diff will lock.

- 100% traction in both wheels Only if they are travelling the same speed or one is spinning. Otherwise it is 100% torque ("traction") to just 1 wheel.
- Exclusive compensation system on curves Um, not really. It just drives the inside wheel because it's the slowest.
- Fully automatic - no surprises
- Safer for driver – no need to switch on / off Debateable. An open diff is safe as it is very predictable. A diff that puts more stress on one wheel, then locks could never be as predictable, therefore is not really as safe.
- Reduce vehicle wear Compared to an open diff, it doubles the maximum amount of torque that can be transmitted through either half shaft, so there is definitely going to be some increased wear. It is also pushing the car from one side of the axle or the other, not both sides equally like an open diff so that's going to put more stress on the trailing arm bushes
- Does not change vehicle´s originality Yes it does?

So I think you have some grounds for saying it's not as described....

A mate of mine has one in the rear of his jimny and he loves it. I think a lot depends how its set up. He had a local specialist install his for him and had no problems so far.

1066Boy wrote: A mate of mine has one in the rear of his jimny and he loves it. I think a lot depends how its set up. He had a local specialist install his for him and had no problems so far.

Had really hoped that a locker for that kind of money would be better than experienced. It should be, an ARB airlocker is the same money, or even a bit cheaper in continental Europe.

Well, hope it all gets sorted somehow, or you get your money back.

I have a Kaiser in the Rear Diff in my Jimny, after about 10yrs of Detroit Lockers chewing up Rear Half Shafts every 6months.

I took my donor diff and Kaiser to a reputable garage to fit, he said it was relatively easy (hardest part getting the lower bearings out). With the Detroit Locker I always felt as if there was a "drag" and of course that was joined with the constant LOUD BANGS and Ticks when on tarmac ... since having the Kaiser, the rear end feels lighter and I can cruise of motorways at an easy 70mph. My Kaiser has NONE of the bad symptoms of a Detroit Locker (bangs, clangs, pulling left and right).

The Kaiser is essentially a poor man’s ARB.....

OK, they are not cheap, but easy to fit, no need for air, no need for extra electrics for Air pump ... and to be honest I don't know it’s there, but I DO KNOW it works, as off-road is just like a Detroit Locker.

I was thinking of getting one for the front, but so far, I haven’t since the need.

Hope that Helps?

Brett