Street Touring Hatchback (STH) discussion/setup

[JackRabbitSLIM]

Doesn’t the wave track negate any required action of the VAQ?

I think you're right as long as the VAQ can apply enough torque to keep everything locked together, but those articles sound like it cannot.

The thing is, if VAQ can keep everything locked together, then you wouldn't need the Wavetrac anyway...so, again, I really don't know.

 

[bfury5]

If the wave track locks the two axles, why would the VAQ do anything if both tires are spinning at the same speed?

Doesn’t the wave track negate any required action of the VAQ?

Yes and no. I did some digging and walk back my prior statement regarding the "no fully mechanical connection between the transmission diff and the passenger side axle in the VAQ" statement.

The VAQ unit has two concentric shafts inside of it. One connects normally to the differential and passes through the unit to the passenger side axle. This is the same as the non-pp car and that shaft acts like an open-diff. The second shaft connects directly to the cage inside the open diff and runs into the VAQ unit. This shaft is essentially tied directly to the drivers side axle. The clutch packs are between these two concentric shaft. Applying pressure to them would cause them to close and reduce the speed differential between those two shafts.

So while the diff in the car is still technically open, the cage unit of the differential is different than the non-pp cars because it gives a provision (spline, gear, etc) for that concentric shaft that runs into the VAQ unit. So while a wavetrac *would* negate the need, I don't know if any of the LSDs would work without fully removing the VAQ unit, since the diff would also have to interface with the VAQ shafts. Based on some images here, it looks like a haldex-style diff might work.

Jk, I just checked wavetrac and they spec the same diff for haldex and VAQ applications. So yes, it can be done.

edit: all the crossed out stuff is correct based on my research, just irrelevant because there's an easy answer from wavetrac.

 

[JackRabbitSLIM]

So far this is the best information I have found. This thing is complicated. Now it seems like a Wavetrac would actually work in parallel with the VAQ. The issue is that the VAQ is slow and can still be caught decoupling the axels but the situation is better than I thought originally. This last link says the VAQ can do 100% lock, pointing toward that gear ratio thing being nonsense.

 

[GTIfan99]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure some of the Australians have already done Wavetrac and VAQ.

 

[bfury5]

So far this is the best information I have found. This thing is complicated. Now it seems like a Wavetrac would actually work in parallel with the VAQ. The issue is that the VAQ is slow and can still be caught decoupling the axels but the situation is better than I thought originally. This last link says the VAQ can do 100% lock, pointing toward that gear ratio thing being nonsense.

Technically it would work in series, since the output of the wavetrac to both axles are the two inputs to the VAQ system. The VAQ never decouples the axles, it uses clutches to minimize the difference in torque between the two using. However, having the wavetrac would negate the need for this since the outputs of the wavetrac (driver and passenger side axles) should be nearly identical.

 

[GTIfan99]

Technically it would work in series, since the output of the wavetrac to both axles are the two inputs to the VAQ system. The VAQ never decouples the axles, it uses clutches to minimize the difference in torque between the two using. However, having the wavetrac would negate the need for this since the outputs of the wavetrac (driver and passenger side axles) should be nearly identical.

I'm thinking the VAQ would work in at times the Wavetrac can't, like a wheel in the air. It's like having the best of both worlds. A low maintenance helical LSD, with the VAQ supplementing the wavetrac, avoiding the downsides of a helical LSD.

 

[bfury5]

I'm thinking the VAQ would work in at times the Wavetrac can't, like a wheel in the air. It's like having the best of both worlds. A low maintenance helical LSD, with the VAQ supplementing the wavetrac, avoiding the downsides of a helical LSD.

Wavetrac works with a wheel in the air, check out their article here.

 

[Mini7]

After my weekend at VIR, I’m liking this topic. Wavetrac is on my Black Friday list.

I need more drive through the to horseshoe turns at VIR- T1&T12. With T12 leading onto the longest straight. The ability to remain locked with a wheel in the air is important for me as I take a lot of curb. Apparently not an issue with the Wavetrac.

Im more curious about whether to switch of XDS completely or run it on the weak setting? Considering the VAQ pre-load comes from the XDS system. I was getting a lot of intervention from the stability control system. Even with the ESC off. Guessing the system did not like the rear slip angle of the new setup at the higher speeds on track.

 

[bfury5]

After my weekend at VIR, I’m liking this topic. Wavetrac is on my Black Friday list.

Welcome to the club

 

[Gvazquez]

After my weekend at VIR, I’m liking this topic. Wavetrac is on my Black Friday list.

I need more drive through the to horseshoe turns at VIR- T1&T12. With T12 leading onto the longest straight. The ability to remain locked with a wheel in the air is important for me as I take a lot of curb. Apparently not an issue with the Wavetrac.

Im more curious about whether to switch of XDS completely or run it on the weak setting? Considering the VAQ pre-load comes from the XDS system. I was getting a lot of intervention from the stability control system. Even with the ESC off. Guessing the system did not like the rear slip angle of the new setup at the higher speeds on track.

I would never turn on xds again after it cooked my brakes in 4 sessions. I didnt notice any driving difference on track with it on or off but with it off, my stability control was intervening less and brakes lasted much longer

 

[Mini7]

Welcome to the club

Who has stock and where are the deals

 

[bfury5]

Who has stock and where are the deals

Anyone that sells them likely gets them drop-shipped from Autotech. I've been shopping around, cheapest manual wavetrac I can find is sold from ModdedEuros right now. Still holding out for a better deal. The manual wavetrac is listed as $1095. Anyone with a DSG will need a different model that runs about $200 more, the manual+VAQ model is $100 more, and the DSG+VAQ model is about $300 more.

 

[GTIfan99]

I can't figure out why my setup is still so tight, but I reduced neg camber rear, increased in front, added toe out both front and rear throughout the season, still tight.

Yesterday, on the last run, of the last event, went 34 psi grunt 45 psi rear and car was perfect. First class win of the year, 10th pax, 11th raw.

Our first event next year will be Jan or Feb, so not much time to get this sorted (Florida problems).

So I want to keep the APR front springs and try to figure out a stiffer rear spring that would be the same 1.1 inch drop, but 400lbs/in.

APR claims these are 15 to 20% stiffer than stock. That means fronts are just over 200ish lbs/in.

Could I just get a Swift spring to fit in the rear? Any guess if I'd need some kind of adapter?

 

[Mini7]

You will need a top adapter to mount the spring.

 

[GTIfan99]

You will need a top adapter to mount the spring.

Do you know of anyone that sells the adapters by themselves?

Wondering how tall of a spring I would need?