Quaiffe issue?

[Pat]

Last year, the first time I took my Shadow (t-III/568 with a Quaiffe) out to the track, it was all over the place. Darting left and right pretty hard through 1st and 2nd gear. It had never done that before. I immediately thought it was a suspension, steering or alignment issue. As time went on, I went through the suspension, steering, ball joints, bushings, re-centered the engine, etc...no change. By the end of the season, the car had a comletely rebuilt front end, fresh alignment, etc. and it still had pulling/darting issues under power.

Towards the end of the year, it go to the point where if I accelerated, even lightly, it would pull to the right. Take my off the gas and let the car deaccelerate against the motor, it would pull left. Like clockwork, I could make the car go one way or the other just by giving it some gas or letting off.

As a last ditch effort, I did a trans swap thinking there may be something wrong with the quaiffe in the 568 I've been running. Threw a used stock 568 in there and all issues disappeared. Car went back to going straight as an arrow, no pulling, darting..nothing. No other changes were made at all.

Has anyone had any issues like this before? Does it sound like an issue with the diff? I want to sort it out and get the quaiffe back in the car, but I want to make sure I fix it first. I'm going to start looking at the trans this weekend. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Pat

[CSXT802]

My 555/520 with OBX seems to do the same thing. It's as if you can feel the power being moved from left to right by the diff. It makes you feel very uncomfortable in the drivers seat.

[John B]

Uh oh. I just ordered a Peloquin.

[Pat]

I've run this quaiffe for about 4 years and never had an issue before. Something definitely changed. Plus, right before I tore it apart, it would pull one way even accelerating lightly and pull the other way if I took my foot off the gas. Cruising at a steady speed it would go straight as an arrow.

[Frank]

Did you properly align the engine? Did you cut your one axle down to size?

[Pat]

Did you properly align the engine? Did you cut your one axle down to size?

Yes and yes. Axles were the same axles that have been in the car, checked engine center more than once.

[tryingbe]

Contact Quaiffe and see if they have experience this issue before?

I thought they have life time warranty?

[Speedeuphoria]

take apart the diff and post pics, I'm sure you will prob see something while its apart.

Oh what kind of fluid have you been using? Just incase its a wear issue

[MiniMopar]

Your problem sounds like uneven caster. My Daytona (Quaife) does a similar thing...pulls right on accel and left on decel. I know my caster is off due to issues with the frame on this car. There are ways to compensate for it if you find an alignment shop that really knows their stuff. I have an OBX in the CSX and it does not exhibit this behavior at all.

Caster is not adjustable on these cars without doing some grinding on things like the strut mount holes, so most alignment places ignore the caster indication.

[Pat]

Your problem sounds like uneven caster. My Daytona (Quaife) does a similar thing...pulls right on accel and left on decel. I know my caster is off due to issues with the frame on this car. There are ways to compensate for it if you find an alignment shop that really knows their stuff. I have an OBX in the CSX and it does not exhibit this behavior at all.

Caster is not adjustable on these cars without doing some grinding on things like the strut mount holes, so most alignment places ignore the caster indication.

Good suggstion...I'll look into it, but I'd think that if it were a caster issue, I'd have the same issues even with the open diff trans.

[Speedeuphoria]

yeah you would think so

I think loose or worn bushings could cause that as well, but like you said the new trans has no apparent issue so??

[Pat]

yeah you would think so

I think loose ow worn bushings could cause that as well, but like you said the new trans has no apparent issue so??

Nope, drives like a new car now. When it first started, I replaced all the front end bushings, ball joints, checked tie rod ends, alignment, tires/wheels, strut mounts, struts, etc.

The trans is already on the bench, so I'll pull the diff out, check the bearings/races for wear or any play. I pull the alignment sheet and look at what the caster measurement was on it. I bought it through Cindy, so I'll give her a call to see what she says also.

Thanks everyone.

[MiniMopar]

Good suggstion...I'll look into it, but I'd think that if it were a caster issue, I'd have the same issues even with the open diff trans.

I drove the car for about a year with the stock A413 with an open diff. There was a slight amount of pull sometimes, but not an on-off (or rather left-right) switch like it is with the A568+Quaife. The Daytona has a tweaked frame so I spent a lot of time getting the K-frame square to the car. When I did the caster became uneven, which means the strut mount is also not quite in the right place anymore. Using the printout from the alignment shop, I slotted the driver's side strut holes slightly and shifted the strut back as far as I could. It helped a bit. I need to take it back again and have the rest of the alignment rechecked.

So first make sure the K frame is square to the car and also check the rear axle.

[mock_glh]

This may sound like a dumb question but are your tires both the same size? I once bought some new tires for my Omni and as I got on the freeway to come home I jumped on it and the car instantly changed lanes. When I pulled over to inspect it I found a 205 on one side and a 195 on the other side. Once that was corrected it was fine. The side to side balance will also have the same effect when one tire has more traction than the other. There's nothing wrong with that Quaife.

[Ondonti]

I was having this problem at the track last friday with my OBX but the clutch was slipping so I am guessing the OBX was deciding to send power to the left axel (well whatever power it got). Car went right towards the wall on each pass.

[turbovanman²]

I think you'll find your Quaife has an internal problem unless your tires are pooched or the wrong size.

I know when I use snow tires on my van, it wants to dance on acceleration on a wet road, with my regular tires on, its straight as an arrow. I am chalking it up to the sidewall flex and the OBX trying to compensate somehow?

[John B]

ICar went right towards the wall on each pass.

Not good! I came close to losing it with torque steer the other day. That was why I ordered the Peloquin.

[mock_glh]

Contact Quaiffe and see if they have experience this issue before?

I thought they have life time warranty?

take apart the diff and post pics, I'm sure you will prob see something while its apart.

The Quaife warranty states that it is void if you take it apart or modify it. Keep that in mind.

[Pat]

The Quaife warranty states that it is void if you take it apart or modify it. Keep that in mind.

I'm not taking the unit apart, just taking the unit out of the trans to get a look at the diff bearings. I paid way too much for that thing to start monkeying with it!

[looneytuner]

Here is the url to contact Quaiffe about the problem. I would like to know what they say.