2012 E63 diff options

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jonboyE63

Active Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2019
Messages
404
Location
Sixpenny Handley, Dorset
Car
2012 E63 Wagon
Looking to get a LSD fitted to my E63 wagon - there's a couple of options i've founds so far:
Quaife LSD: £1392 + vat fitted
Wavetrac LSD: £1750 inc vat fitted
Looking on this forum the Wavetrac has more recommendations than the Quaife - can anyone offer a real time review to swing me either way..??
Thanks in advance.
 
Can't offer any opinion as my E63 needs an LSD too but haven't had it done yet.
But give Acid at MSL a call as he may be able to do you a good deal on a Quaife diff.
07765 444 447
 
I've had both, a Quaife in a Z4 Coupe and now a Wavetrac in my C63. As the price difference is negligible I'd get the Wavetrac.

They both work on the same principal but the Wavetrac has more features. Neither are Limited Slip Differentials, they are Automatic Torque Biasing Differentials.

When a wheel starts to slip it transfers more torque to the wheel with more grip. With the Quaife if one wheel has very little/no grip then there is no torque to transfer so power slips away like in an open differential.

With the Wavetrac there is a wavy metal ring in the middle. When one wheel starts spinning excessively faster than the other this locks up and still means the differential can transfer torque to the wheel with grip.

In reality they are both very similar. The Wavetrac feels a bit more aggressive in its operation at low speeds. I notice it chirp a bit in tight corners when pulling off and it is more effective in low load situations like going over the crest in the road at T-junctions. At road speeds both give a positive feeling of connection to your right foot out of corners. I don't slide my car sideways but it's more controlled. I believe the Wavetrac gives better traction off the line as I seem to get better traction than the Quaife, even with a lot more power.

In summary, I like the Quaife but I like the Wavetrac more.
 
I've not used the Wavetrac, but have had W212 E63's with the factory AMG Locking Diff (a "proper" LSD), a Quaife ATB and a standard open diff.

For absolute best traction off the line the AMG Locking Diff was the best, but in low speed turns you could feel the inside wheel "pushing", with a definite "stick/slip" effect. Near the limit (and I'm no driving god) I also found it liable to snap changes in traction that could be quite demanding.

On the road, the Quaife gave a better overall feel. Yes, it lost a minuscule fraction to the AMG Locking Diff off the line, but in all other respects was its equal, or even better with respect to low speed round town driveability, and it was much more progressive near the limit.

I understand the working principle of the Wavetrac diff and the benefit it is designed to provide. However one penalty has been described by @Steve84N, above, that sounds awfully like the low speed effects with the AMG diff. On a track, on a car with electronic driver aids switched off, I can see that it could give an advantage over the Quaife ATB when a wheel unloads. However, on the road an E63's ESP will intervene to brake a wheel that's unloaded, so I'm not convinced that the perceived deficiency of the Quaife (it cannot bias torque if the "light" side has zero torque load on it) actually matters.

All these diff's are a massive improvement over the standard open diff, so to an extent which is best depends upon niceties of driving feel, and the depth of your wallet. I'd love to drive the same E63 back-to-back with the Quaife and Wavetrac diff's to see if the latter has any real world benefit, but I'm suspicious that in practice on a road-going E63 the Wavetrac won't demonstrate worthwhile superiority.
 
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I have a Quaife on my 507 Coupe and it transformed the car. A friend with a tuned E63 (north of 750bhp) liked it and had one fitted to his car and has never looked back.

Whichever options the OP decides upon it will be a good one :thumb:
 
@st13phil I probably over played the effects at low speed. It's occasional and very slight, nothing like as much as a true LSD. Most of the time at low speed manoeuvres it behaves like an open differential. Only when accelerating more sharply do I notice it.

You definitely wouldn't be unhappy with a Quaife but the Wavetrac is only £80 more and it's everything the Quaife is plus an extra bit.
 
wow...information overload - you guys are on your game..!!
I'm not a track driving skidding hero just want a tad more control when fast B road driving and whilst driving multiple switchbacks on mountain run trips.
The car is actually pretty good in standard form but bogging down with traction control on & tyre smoke when the traction is off is something i'm sure can be brought under control.
Will do some research & try to find a test car I can try.
Thanks.
 
I'm not a track driving skidding hero just want a tad more control when fast B road driving and whilst driving multiple switchbacks on mountain run trips.
Exactly the same as me.

To be honest what it comes down to for you is which one is easier to get installed by location and when they have an available slot. Don't worry about trying to find examples to drive, they're both good and both similar in operation. Fundamentally they are the same but the Wavetrac has a bit better traction in low grip situations.
 
Exactly the same as me.

To be honest what it comes down to for you is which one is easier to get installed by location and when they have an available slot. Don't worry about trying to find examples to drive, they're both good and both similar in operation. Fundamentally they are the same but the Wavetrac has a bit better traction in low grip situations.

Thanks Steve - I think that's what I wanted to read....no nonsense just go & fit it.......
Will let you know what I go for....
 
Thanks Steve - I think that's what I wanted to read....no nonsense just go & fit it.......
Will let you know what I go for....
A slight thread reserection here yet what did you go for and what's your feedback?
 
I had a quafe fitted to my w204 best money I ever spent (MSL)
Need to sort the tyres out as the P Zero's even with 5mm slip with the touch of the pedal yet after that it's diff time.

Would appreciate some feedback from those who have one fitted
 
I had a Wavetrac fitted to my C63 Wagon last year by MSL, it's really made the car more useable and predictable. I have no experience with other LSDs however. If you're looking at getting one, check with Elaine Middleton at MSL to see if there are any group buys you can get involved with, it's how I bought mine and it saved me some money.
 
I had a Wavetrac fitted to my C63 Wagon last year by MSL, it's really made the car more useable and predictable. I have no experience with other LSDs however. If you're looking at getting one, check with Elaine Middleton at MSL to see if there are any group buys you can get involved with, it's how I bought mine and it saved me some money.
Thanks guys, Elaine does have another group buy coming up first week of OCT … if anyone is interested you can contact her directly on 0749 49 49 188 or contact MSL🤓
 
Thanks guys, Elaine does have another group buy coming up first week of OCT … if anyone is interested you can contact her directly on 0749 49 49 188 or contact MSL🤓
Will you guys be posting the deal on the forum? & any LSD + stage 1 deals going to be on offer
 
Will you guys be posting the deal on the forum? & any LSD + stage 1 deals going to be on offer
Absolutely, We’ll have a few different package options available including a mix of LSD’s, IPE Headers, Miltek Secondary Decat, and Zac Intake Kits as well as Map & Dyno of course 🤓
 
Do the LSD you install on C63 fit w212 E63 6.2 too?
 
Absolutely, We’ll have a few different package options available including a mix of LSD’s, IPE Headers, Miltek Secondary Decat, and Zac Intake Kits as well as Map & Dyno of course 🤓
Looks like I may hang onto it a little longer then lol
 

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