Thankfully it was only a phone call. Sorry Andy!!! Correct link above

 

Phew - I thought I was really losing the plot!!!

The 'real' Birds is not quite so close as the other one but I should be in the vicinity some time next week. I'll give him a buzz on Monday and see if I can pop in!

 

Ok just managed to catch the real Kevin Bird before he went home for the weekend! He said can he have the photos first as he may be able to identify the parts from the pictures. He will give me a call if/when he wants me to take my car in. Once he has identified the parts he should be able to say whether it is something that is possible for him to make now, something that will be possible in the future, or something that is definately not possible for him to do.

Hope this is useful. Let me know if I can be of any further help.

Regards, Andy.

 

I re-sent the photos to the real Kevin Bird. He should have them now if he checks his email. He mentioned to me that they developed a new one for the smaller diff (ten bolt ring gear, like ours) and that if it will work for us he will have 50 units in about a week.

 

Hopefully I'll be going to see him in about a week then

I'll let you guys know straight away if I hear anything. Have a good weekend!

Andy.

 

This looks very promising! Here is a email I just received from Kevin Bird:

I will have to check this carefully, but if the number is A2103531501, then we could be in business.
One of the three new versions we have commissioned with Quaife, which are due into stock later this month will work with that differential.
Moreover, we have records of ratios 3.27, 3.47 and 3.07 available for that Quaife unit.......

When I've had a rest from this weeks heavy workload, I will recheck my data, and ask you to carefully confirm the number on the diff case.

If it all checks out, then I will ask Andy to bring his SRT6 down when we have the Quaife stock, and with a bit of luck, we're in business.

Regards, Kevin.

Rudy, Can you confirm the part number?

 

That's awesome news! Great work guys to all of you. Whether it ends up working or not I know we all appreciate your efforts.

Will this unit be similar to the one buggin is working on? The wavertec unit.

 

That is indeed the part number of the center carrier section I have from an NA diff. I called Woody to get the p/n off the center carrier section I sent him from my SRT6 to verify that they are the same but haven't heard back from him yet.

 

let me start by saying im not trying to knock this thread but i have a question. if it cost 650 gbp isnt that 1030$ PLUS shipping from the uk? seems it will cost much more than the wavetrac unit being built in the us. whats the advantage here?

 

The thread started as ditching our rear ends for a stronger one and stronger axles like in the CLK55/E55. Mechanically this is a bolt in swap as proven by Max in Germnay. The other advantage is that a Quaife is already available for the CLK55/E55 rear end. In researching this swap I accidently found out that a Quaife may be available for our standard rear end too. As more and more cars are putting out huge HP and torque gains this E55/CLK55 swap may become nesessary.

Other advantages? How about competition? Two suppliers can't be a bad thing and may bring down prices. WaveTrac used to be the US Quaife distributor. Quaife is the worlwide leader in the Torsen type, torque sensing differentials. Quaife has been around a long time and their units are OEM in some cars and have a huge racing history. They also have a good warrenty:

• WORLDWIDE warranty - Quaife design and develop their differentials to last throughout the vehicle’s lifetime. For example, the Quaife ATB Limited Slip Differential retains the scrolled output shaft lubrication detail of the standard differential, to prevent any shaft seizures. Quaife’s desire to providing bullet-proof differentials to the market is 100% backed by a lifetime warranty that is worldwide.

 

[quote=LantanaTX]The thread started as ditching our rear ends for a stronger one and stronger axles like in the CLK55/E55. Mechanically this is a bolt in swap as proven by Max in Germnay. The other advantage is that a Quaife is already available for the CLK55/E55 rear end. In researching this swap I accidently found out that a Quaife may be available for our standard rear end too. As more and more cars are putting out huge HP and torque gains this E55/CLK55 swap may become nesessary.

Other advantages? How about competition? Two suppliers can't be a bad thing and may bring down prices. WaveTrac used to be the US Quaife distributor. Quaife is the worlwide leader in the Torsen type, torque sensing differentials. Quaife has been around a long time and their units are OEM in some cars and have a huge racing history. They also have a good warrenty:




i understand the competition although both units run right at 1000$ in the us. i havent been able to find anything on any of the mb sites about the conversion to e55 rear end. from what i can find it appears the e55 rear is much larger and wont fit unless some major modding is done. i had that thought from the beginningbut noone seemed to be able to do it cost effectivly.
it is a great warrenty and again im not knocking you for trying something different but realize the warrenty is only as good as the shop doing the work. i cant really find any negative failures with either the quaiffe or the wavetrac. both units seem bulletproof it seems more happens with the install and correct spacing. again the shop would have to stand up for their work.
i guess im concerned that this may pull folks away from the wavetrac and kill the build then find out the quaiffe wont work either and leave us with nothing. im up for whatever gets me back on the track!

 

The CLK55, and earlier non supercharged E55 bolt right in and maybe the C32 as well. Each of these use the same Quaife unit. The E55 Kompressor uses a larger rear end and uses the larger 12 bolt ring gear. This is the one I would like to use if it can be bolted up.

I sure don't want to mess up the Wavtrac deal. I just came accros this by accident. By the way the The C43 guys don't know this yet but they use the same diff as us and and have been crying for a posi.

 

This happened to a slightly tuned 2004 XF N/A MT a few days ago.
Maybe it was a fault in the material.
So maybe it's useful to have stronger drive shafts.

 

the stock axles are hollow?!? wtf... thats a joke

 

that failure is a clean break, and a fatigue failure. Solid shafts have a tiny advantage in strength, check out drive shafts, the solid weight disadvantage is the reason propeller shafts are hollow.

That shaft had some flexing going on to break it so smooth and clean, like a piece of paper folded again and again on a crease. Interesting. Woody

 

Reminder to self: Send stock axles to DSS for solid replacements

 

Is there any reason why you couldn't just bolt in a Ford 9 inch or something? Why does it have to be a Mercedes rear end?

 

you probably could... it would just take a custom driveshaft, axles, and rear mount.. I'm hoping you're not talking about a live/solid axle...

the only IRS is the cobra 8.8 (the one worth a damn) I happen to have an svt aluminum pumpkin here

maybe if i get bored one day...

 

I was wondering if it was some computer thing or something with the traction control. My nephew has a Mustang with a GM transmission and some kind of other rear end, so, I know you can do pretty much anything it would seem - if you want to spend the money.

 

I believe that you do have to have wheel speed sensors and the sensor for picking up the ring gear in the diff... and the rear diff has to match what the TCU(?) is looking for within a tolerance....... so there are some restrictions if your using factory electronics....