CLIO 197 CUP - Project TF

Sounds good then and sounds like I can be somewhat lazy in servicing it. Will add it to the list . It’s good to hear first hand experience and servicing of them too. I know this is probably a daft question but are they really £500 better of a diff?
 
I have nothing to compare it to as I didn’t drive my car on track before the diff was installed nor have I driven with other differentials in a Clio 197/200 but I’ve driven FWD cars on track and had the god awful lack of traction coming out of corners. It’s infuriating.

I get none of that and the gripper just drags it round, it’s brilliant. You can get on the power so early it’s unreal.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: EthanMenace
Yeah Gripper for me (I actually run oil in mine though)

I do check the load on it quite often to see if it’s working/wearing looser, but it appears fine when using my normal torque wrench

What’s the technique to check? Maybe I should check mine [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
on the subject of diff's .. I've got a black line in mine, had the box rebuilt last year and done a few track days / lots of B road driving. I can highly recommend it for the price if you dont wanna fork out ££ for a gripper!


car looks good on track, I gave you a shout on insta about my driving the cup in the new year .. I'll have to take you out in it!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tarticmonkey
Sounds good then and sounds like I can be somewhat lazy in servicing it. Will add it to the list . It’s good to hear first hand experience and servicing of them too. I know this is probably a daft question but are they really £500 better of a diff?
Yeah for sure. I change the box oil usually every 6 months, but that is potentially excessive for the mileage I actually do.
I'd be more mindful of it if i was driving the car on the road, as that's where alot of the wear will happen.

It's not a daft question.... I think it is pretty hard to justify the extra 500 quid, but if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing properly.
I know when me and the boys are out on track, the guys with conventional helical LSD's really have to push hard to keep with the 2 of us with the plated Grippers. That being said, i've absolutely no regrets spending the extra coin.

But yeah, as Alistair says, the Blackline is still a great diff, and a really good price point too.



What’s the technique to check? Maybe I should check mine [emoji848]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
jack one side up, adjust the bar to like 100lb/ft and try to tighten the hub nut.
keep adjusting the torque wrench higher until the wheel turns.
 
on the subject of diff's .. I've got a black line in mine, had the box rebuilt last year and done a few track days / lots of B road driving. I can highly recommend it for the price if you dont wanna fork out ££ for a gripper!


car looks good on track, I gave you a shout on insta about my driving the cup in the new year .. I'll have to take you out in it!
Thank you, really happy with it, though I think it needs a splitter or something on the bottom as whilst I do personally prefer the look of a 197 to a 200 they do look a tad tame at times.

That sounds interesting! I didn't realise that is what you are running in your car. Nor did I twig that you're TRH Racing on Insta either! Definitely, I would love the opportunity to be taken for a spin in it. It'd be great to see how the diff and extra power effects the car.
 
Yeah for sure. I change the box oil usually every 6 months, but that is potentially excessive for the mileage I actually do.
I'd be more mindful of it if i was driving the car on the road, as that's where alot of the wear will happen.

It's not a daft question.... I think it is pretty hard to justify the extra 500 quid, but if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing properly.
I know when me and the boys are out on track, the guys with conventional helical LSD's really have to push hard to keep with the 2 of us with the plated Grippers. That being said, i've absolutely no regrets spending the extra coin.

But yeah, as Alistair says, the Blackline is still a great diff, and a really good price point too.




jack one side up, adjust the bar to like 100lb/ft and try to tighten the hub nut.
keep adjusting the torque wrench higher until the wheel turns.
Possible a bit excessive as you say, but I guess in comparison for the amount of abuse it would receive on track and the alleged milk tray nature of these cars gearboxes it might be worthwhile doing.

That is relieving response to know my tight yorkshireman traits haven't blinded me too much. It is interesting point that the guys with helical diffs are struggling to keep with the gripper diff cars. Interesting you raise the point regarding road driving doing damage, As the car is not a daily but would be driven to Germany, driven to trackdays and the occasional cars and coffee. Is this the use that you are referring to that would damage it?
 
One point I wanted to ask, is regarding oil temps. What oil temps are you folks seeing on track? I am planning to fit an oil temp gauge to the car but interested to hear peoples thoughts.

Does anyone run an oil cooler of any sort?
 
Possible a bit excessive as you say, but I guess in comparison for the amount of abuse it would receive on track and the alleged milk tray nature of these cars gearboxes it might be worthwhile doing.

That is relieving response to know my tight yorkshireman traits haven't blinded me too much. It is interesting point that the guys with helical diffs are struggling to keep with the gripper diff cars. Interesting you raise the point regarding road driving doing damage, As the car is not a daily but would be driven to Germany, driven to trackdays and the occasional cars and coffee. Is this the use that you are referring to that would damage it?
Wear not damage. The diff gets a good chance to lock up properly when on track, but trundling round the local Tesco isn’t really what it’s suited for - that being said, it isn’t just gonna magically break one day.



One point I wanted to ask, is regarding oil temps. What oil temps are you folks seeing on track? I am planning to fit an oil temp gauge to the car but interested to hear peoples thoughts.

Does anyone run an oil cooler of any sort?
Don’t know cus I don’t have a temp gauge :tearsofjoy: Out of sight, out of mind and all that. From prior experience, even if I had a gauge I’d probably just ignore it anyway.

I don’t know of anyone running a cooler who isn’t boosted. Really don’t think it’s required for what we use them for.
 
Possible a bit excessive as you say, but I guess in comparison for the amount of abuse it would receive on track and the alleged milk tray nature of these cars gearboxes it might be worthwhile doing.

That is relieving response to know my tight yorkshireman traits haven't blinded me too much. It is interesting point that the guys with helical diffs are struggling to keep with the gripper diff cars. Interesting you raise the point regarding road driving doing damage, As the car is not a daily but would be driven to Germany, driven to trackdays and the occasional cars and coffee. Is this the use that you are referring to that would damage it?

I did about 4,000 miles, possibly a bit more, with my Gripper this year. The car was driven to and from track days. We went up to Croft twice and Anglesey once as part of our long distance travels this year. The car also did some commuting from time to time. The Gripper does not seem to have changed since it was first installed.
 
One point I wanted to ask, is regarding oil temps. What oil temps are you folks seeing on track? I am planning to fit an oil temp gauge to the car but interested to hear peoples thoughts.

Does anyone run an oil cooler of any sort?
@R20BTG has an oil temperature gauge.

If your car engine is not heavily modified it is unlikely you are going to see any wild changes in temperatures. I have done track days this year in the Clio where it has covered around 200 to 250 track miles in 25 degrees heat and there have been no signs of overheating or the car underperforming - although I would have had no way of knowing what the oil temperature was.
 
I have an oil temp gauge mounted in the driver side air vent and a Mocal thermostatic cooler.

9277351a002637bd4207763b99db3766.jpg


I mainly use the coloured LED programming for warm up. Blue is cold, white ideal range, red too hot.

On warm/hot days I’m getting 110c maximum after a long session.

Prob overkill, but so is everything else on it [emoji13]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Wear not damage. The diff gets a good chance to lock up properly when on track, but trundling round the local Tesco isn’t really what it’s suited for - that being said, it isn’t just gonna magically break one day.




Don’t know cus I don’t have a temp gauge :tearsofjoy: Out of sight, out of mind and all that. From prior experience, even if I had a gauge I’d probably just ignore it anyway.

I don’t know of anyone running a cooler who isn’t boosted. Really don’t think it’s required for what we use them for.
Understood, think I need to see what one is about first... plus as I mentioned previously Cage and seats are my current priority I think :smiley:.

That is funny, I kept cutting my sessions short on Saturday as the mini made me paranoid about overheating over the slightest thing. Ran an oil cooler on that in the end with "speed holes " for extra cooling in the bumper.

I did about 4,000 miles, possibly a bit more, with my Gripper this year. The car was driven to and from track days. We went up to Croft twice and Anglesey once as part of our long distance travels this year. The car also did some commuting from time to time. The Gripper does not seem to have changed since it was first installed.
That is good to know. Especially the commuting side of things too.

@RSRowe @burrellbloke How long are your typical session when on track?
 
  • Like
Reactions: RSRowe
I have an oil temp gauge mounted in the driver side air vent and a Mocal thermostatic cooler.



I mainly use the coloured LED programming for warm up. Blue is cold, white ideal range, red too hot.

On warm/hot days I’m getting 110c maximum after a long session.

Prob overkill, but so is everything else on it [emoji13]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good to know! How long is "long" session?
 
45mins to an hour is prob as long as I’d stay out for on a UK track day.

Prob 3 back to back laps of the Ring in summer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tarticmonkey
Yeah I’m terrible for staying out too long. Comes much to the amusement of friends when I do 4 laps on the bounce at the Ring.

I get carried away far too easily. Still though, I think the car will take more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tarticmonkey
My pennies worth on the diff…

Yes a gripper diff will out perform a black line on track but to the tune of about 1 second a lap clutching numbers out my asre.
What’s more important to you, the monkey saved or the second a lap? That’s how I’d base my decision.
Slippery slope modifying cars so I’ve heard