Welded Differential
vs. LSD

Why Would Anyone Pay More for an LSD?

Because an LSD has real advantages.

An LSD may be the better option if you:

• Drive the car extensively on the street

• Want smoother low-speed turning

• Want less tire scrub during normal driving

• Want differential action when it is beneficial

• Prefer progressive lockup rather than permanent lock

• Are building a multipurpose performance car rather than a dedicated drift car

A quality LSD can provide excellent performance and much better everyday road manners than a welded differential.

We're not arguing that an LSD is a bad product. We're asking whether you actually need one for what you're building.

Why a Welded Differential Makes Sense for Drifting

If the primary objective is drifting, many of the features that make an LSD sophisticated become less important.

A drift car needs both rear wheels to behave predictably. A welded differential gives you:

1. Permanent Lock:

   There is no waiting for the differential to engage. Both rear axle outputs remain mechanically locked together.

2. Consistency:
   The differential behaves the same way every time. There are no worn clutch packs, viscous elements or changing lock characteristics to account for.

3. Simplicity:
   A welded carrier contains no additional limited-slip mechanism that needs to determine when or how aggressively to lock.

4. Cost:

   This is the big one. Instead of spending well over $1,000 on an LSD carrier alone, a welded differential can provide the locked behavior required for drifting at a substantially lower cost.

What About a Factory VLSD?

Many vehicles, including the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35, were available with factory viscous limited-slip differentials.

A healthy VLSD can provide better traction than an open differential, but viscous units rely on fluid inside a sealed coupling to create resistance between the outputs.

Their behavior is not the same as a permanently locked differential or a mechanical 2-way LSD. For a drift application where consistent lock is the priority, some drivers choose to weld the differential rather than rely on an aging factory VLSD.

The good news… If you have a worn out VLSD, we can weld it. We’ve had great success and durability welding Nissan VLSDs. Check out our Nissan 350z page for more details.

Welded Diff vs. 2-Way LSD

A 2-way clutch LSD is designed to provide locking action during both acceleration and deceleration. KAAZ specifically describes its 2-way configuration as being favored for drifting because of its lock characteristics under acceleration and deceleration.

That can provide excellent control in a drift car. But a good 2-way LSD can easily cost $1,200-$1,700 before installation.

A welded differential takes a simpler approach. There is nothing to engage. It is already locked.

For many grassroots drift cars, that is exactly what the driver wants.

Which Should You Choose?

Choose a welded differential if:

Your car is primarily built for drifting, you want permanent rear-wheel lock and keeping the build affordable matters.

Consider an LSD if:

Your car spends substantial time on the street, you use it for multiple forms of motorsports or you want better low-speed and normal-driving behavior.

Neither solution is universally better. They solve slightly different problems.

For a Dedicated Drift Car, the Math Is Pretty Simple

If your goal is predictable lock from both rear wheels, spending $1,000-$1,700 or more on an aftermarket LSD may not be necessary.

WeldedDiff.com offers professionally prepared welded differentials for supported drift platforms without requiring you to source a differential, locate a welder or have an aftermarket LSD installed and set up.