Having some time free time on my hands, I decided to install the KAAZ LSD that was occupying shelf space for ages. The LSD was bought through a special deal set up by Greg Samaroo a little while ago.

The biggest issue in the LSD installation were the two differential carrier bearings.

The differential carrier bearings in a Y80/S80 (Type R included) transmission are tapered roller bearings. Roller bearings were used probably due to the higher load capacities required for a B18C engine. This presented a problem in the transmission reassemby as the bearings have to be shimmed so that a lateral preload is applied for the roller bearings to work properly. To get the preload set up correctly, the right tools are needed, but there was an easier way to solve this problem.

The B16A and B18A/B transmissions all use regular ball bearings (80mm x 40mm x 18mm).There is no preload involved in ball bearings so installation would only require the clearances to be adjusted by shims.

I considered replacing the roller bearings with these ball bearings at the expense of reliability. It then came to my attention that the newer Integra Type R's came with a ball bearings on the differential carrier instead of the roller bearings. These ball bearings were 80mm x 40mm x 19.5mm, larger than the B16A (J1/Y1/Y21) or B18A/B differential carrier bearings.

Ball bearing on KAAZ LSD

With a little more research I found that these bearings were now being used as they were more reliable and made things easier to assemble in the factory. The part number of the bearing is:

• 91005-P80-E31 (about $25 each, you need 2)

Bearings in hand, I pressed them onto the new LSD with a hydraulic press. You could also use a bearing driver (see images on the right) and a hammer to drive the bearing onto the LSD

KAAZ LSD's have a shelf life of 5 years. Check the "use by" date at the bottom of the box.

Tapered roller bearing

Tapered roller bearing

Install the new bearing onto the LSD

Press the bearing in with a bearing press

Installation

Removing the transmission did not prove to be a problem despite the fact that I was working alone, without a lift or any special tools. With the transmission sitting on my table, I proceeded to take it apart.

The steps to disassembling the Y80/S80 transmission is covered in the Type R final drive installation article.

With the transmission disassembled, remove the stock differential and proceed to remove the ring gear off the differential. Note that the stock Honda differential has reverse rotation bolts holding the ring gear on.

Before putting the ring gear on the LSD, clean off the mating surface with brake cleaner. The ring gear has to be flipped over to fit on the LSD. Make sure the chamfered inner edge of the ring faces downwards.

The ring gear bolts supplied with the KAAZ LSD have a regular thread so make sure you do not reuse any of the stock ring gear bolts. Apply some medium strength threadlock on the supplied bolts and proceed to torque the ring gear into position.

Apply some thread lock to
the new ring gear bolts

The next stage is to remove the shims and thrust washers used for the preloading of the stock differential. Remove the transmission seals on both halves of the transmission casing and then push the shims and thrust washer out from the back

Removing the old ring gear
Note the clockwise bolts

Clean the surface off with brake cleaner

Flip the ring gear over and install it on the LSD

Torque the ring gear back into place

Next, remove the VSS assembly from the back of the transmission casing. Without using any shims, replace the differential into the transmission casing, ensuring that the differential sits in fully. You do not need to replace the transmission shafts while checking for the clearances, so proceed to bolt on the top half of the transmission case.

Measure the clearance with a feeler gauge. Stack the gauges if they are too thin, and add the individual thickness all up. The thickness of the shim you need is the same.

Checking the clearance of the bearing

Open the transmission casing again and order the right shim. With a c-clip tool install the shim in the right place (bottom half). Replace the top half of the transmission casing and check the clearance again. The desired clearance should be:

• 0.0~0.1mm

Replace the LSD assembly, followed by the gear shafts. Make sure that the ring gear does not contact the first gear on the main shaft.

Proceed to reassemble the transmission and reinstall the transmission into the car. Remember to refill the transmission with GL5 rated Hypoid gear oil.

KAAZ LSD Oil (GL5 80W-90)

Place the LSD into the transmission casing
 

Close up the transmission case without the drive shafts

Differential bearing shims

Installing the shim

Break In

The final stage of the installation is the break-in process. To break in the LSD plates, find an empty parking lot and proceed to do figure 8's. You should not go beyond 20km/h (1st gear, about 15mph) on straights, and do not depress the clutch fully (i.e. slip the clutch sliughtly) when you make the turns. The break in process has to be done continuously for 30 minutes to ensure that all the plates break in properly.

Driving Impressions

After the KAAZ LSD was installed and broken in, I took the car for a test spin. The overall handling of the car is definitely improved. Steering response is almost instantaneous. On the track, wheelspin has been significantly reduced and the car seems to go wherever you point it, allowing for higher exit speeds in turns. I am very impressed at the difference it has made it makes me wonder why I did not put it in sooner.