Upgrading to a limited slip differential

[RogueIV]

Can always check what part number they put in the Stinger GTS or Stinger GT Indigo since both came with LSD on their AWD versions(and drift mode). I'm fairly certain it's the same as the RWD cars though.

 

[HawaiiPD]

I just bought a new in box on crate LSD complete rear end for 3.3 TT Stingers, part # 53000 4J126 to swap out the STD one in my 2018 Stinger. $2250 to my door.
I will let this forum know how I did this.
I have the GT, the next up GT1 had the LSD, but the upgrade package costs too much and my local
dealer had only one in Red.
So I bought the Silky Silver GT 3.3 for 40K out the door. Car has 3,345 miles on it. I mostly drive my
2017 Genesis G 80 3.8L RWD. This has the same 8 speed trans as the Stinger.

 

[Savvas]

I have a 2019 AWD without the L-S-D but I have the AWD fuse out almost all the time. In Sport mode the Car spins the rear tires on launch, on wide turns with second gear when the torque kicks in the car just wants to drifts . You don’t even have to turn traction control off. So much fun!!! The long wheel base and weight distribution makes it progressive and controllable.
The L-S-D will bring this car to another level!

I am crossing my fingers someone manages to figure this L-S-D swap out. Even if I have to get an ECU tune for it..

 

[turboAWD]

I just bought a new in box on crate LSD (Limited Slip Differential) complete rear end for 3.3 TT Stingers, part # 53000 4J126 to swap out the STD one in my 2018 Stinger. $2250 to my door.
I will let this forum know how I did this.
I have the GT, the next up GT1 had the LSD (Limited Slip Differential), but the upgrade package costs too much and my local
dealer had only one in Red.
So I bought the Silky Silver GT 3.3 for 40K out the door. Car has 3,345 miles on it. I mostly drive my
2017 Genesis G 80 3.8L RWD. This has the same 8 speed trans as the Stinger.

Have you installed it yet? Definitely would be interested in doing this, if it doesn't need any ECU mods.

 

[Marc Collins]

I just bought a new in box on crate LSD (Limited Slip Differential) complete rear end for 3.3 TT Stingers, part # 53000 4J126 to swap out the STD one in my 2018 Stinger. $2250 to my door.
I will let this forum know how I did this.
I have the GT, the next up GT1 had the LSD (Limited Slip Differential), but the upgrade package costs too much and my local
dealer had only one in Red.
So I bought the Silky Silver GT 3.3 for 40K out the door. Car has 3,345 miles on it. I mostly drive my
2017 Genesis G 80 3.8L RWD. This has the same 8 speed trans as the Stinger.

Yes, please tell us how it went!

 

[turboAWD]

Last seen June 12 for HawaiiPD - not holding my breath..

 

[stevengraham]

I just bought a new in box on crate LSD (Limited Slip Differential) complete rear end for 3.3 TT Stingers, part # 53000 4J126 to swap out the STD one in my 2018 Stinger. $2250 to my door.
I will let this forum know how I did this.
I have the GT, the next up GT1 had the LSD (Limited Slip Differential), but the upgrade package costs too much and my local
dealer had only one in Red.
So I bought the Silky Silver GT 3.3 for 40K out the door. Car has 3,345 miles on it. I mostly drive my
2017 Genesis G 80 3.8L RWD. This has the same 8 speed trans as the Stinger.

Any update how this job went?

 

[RogueIV]

Any update how this job went?

Doubt he's coming back but who knows.

 

[BC00]

So anyone know if we need to make any electrical based mods putting in LSD to AWD based GT2s?

OEM LSD

Kia Stinger OEM LSD

torkmotorsports.net

 

[Thomby]

So anyone know if we need to make any electrical based mods putting in LSD to AWD based GT2s?

OEM LSD

Kia Stinger OEM LSD

torkmotorsports.net

This is a good question...I don't think the other couple guys who did their own swaps needed to make changes, and I would expect Tork to mention it. But I have felt the car pull power accelerating out of a turn (moderately, in the wet) when I would've expected the transfer case clutch pack to lock up and send power to the fronts first.

I was in Smart (probably Smart Eco) at the time, which likely allows the least slippage and most aggressive intervention, so Comfort / Smart Comfort is probably less eager and Sport definitely less eager to cut power. One would hope that the LSD would react first, then AWD (lock clutches), and only cut power as a last resort, but that may only be the case in Sport. A before/after comparison at various speeds in different drive modes would be illuminating.

I have a 2019 AWD without the L-S-D but I have the AWD fuse out almost all the time. In Sport mode the Car spins the rear tires on launch, on wide turns with second gear when the torque kicks in the car just wants to drifts . You don’t even have to turn traction control off

I remember some questions as to whether pulling the fuse would eliminate normal fluid circulation within the transfer case and cause long term issues due to heat buildup. @Savvas it's been a few years since you posted this, do you have any observations after leaving the fuse out and (it sounds like) driving fairly aggressively? Have you put the fuse back in and been able to tell whether your AWD still kicks in as expected?

 

[BC00]

This is a good question...I don't think the other couple guys who did their own swaps needed to make changes, and I would expect Tork to mention it. But I have felt the car pull power accelerating out of a turn (moderately, in the wet) when I would've expected the transfer case clutch pack to lock up and send power to the fronts first.

I was in Smart (probably Smart Eco) at the time, which likely allows the least slippage and most aggressive intervention, so Comfort / Smart Comfort is probably less eager and Sport definitely less eager to cut power. One would hope that the LSD would react first, then AWD (lock clutches), and only cut power as a last resort, but that may only be the case in Sport. A before/after comparison at various speeds in different drive modes would be illuminating.


I remember some questions as to whether pulling the fuse would eliminate normal fluid circulation within the transfer case and cause long term issues due to heat buildup. @Savvas it's been a few years since you posted this, do you have any observations after leaving the fuse out and (it sounds like) driving fairly aggressively? Have you put the fuse back in and been able to tell whether your AWD still kicks in as expected?

Sorry, did you make an LSD upgrade to your STINGER?

 

[Thomby]

Sorry, did you make an LSD upgrade to your STINGER?

I haven't, because I haven't seen info confirming that it would kick in before the car's electronics intervened. This thread has a lot of speculation on how it should work, and I expect/hope that's the case, but I've only seen a couple swaps, including ones like @HawaiiPD above who didn't stick around with results.

 

[Marc Collins]

This is a good question...I don't think the other couple guys who did their own swaps needed to make changes, and I would expect Tork to mention it. But I have felt the car pull power accelerating out of a turn (moderately, in the wet) when I would've expected the transfer case clutch pack to lock up and send power to the fronts first.

I was in Smart (probably Smart Eco) at the time, which likely allows the least slippage and most aggressive intervention, so Comfort / Smart Comfort is probably less eager and Sport definitely less eager to cut power. One would hope that the LSD would react first, then AWD (lock clutches), and only cut power as a last resort, but that may only be the case in Sport. A before/after comparison at various speeds in different drive modes would be illuminating.


I remember some questions as to whether pulling the fuse would eliminate normal fluid circulation within the transfer case and cause long term issues due to heat buildup. @Savvas it's been a few years since you posted this, do you have any observations after leaving the fuse out and (it sounds like) driving fairly aggressively? Have you put the fuse back in and been able to tell whether your AWD still kicks in as expected?

Why would Tork mention it? The LSD is there as a replacement for vehicles that already have one. It's an OEM part.

Until someone who has done it bothers to report back, we're stuck with, "One would hope that the LSD would react first, then AWD (lock clutches), and only cut power as a last resort..." That is how it should work.

 

[Thomby]

Why would Tork mention it? The LSD is there as a replacement for vehicles that already have one

Tork is an aftermarket performance shop...almost certain they're offering it as an upgrade, since they're really not in the OEM replacement part business.

 

[Volfy]

So anyone know if we need to make any electrical based mods putting in LSD to AWD based GT2s?

OEM LSD

Kia Stinger OEM LSD

torkmotorsports.net

That is just the OEM LSD core that replaces the OEM open diff: 53080-4J000 - Differential Carrier 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store

You might also need the pinion/ring gear set: 53030-4J126 - Pinion Gear 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store

You can buy all that from any vendor that supplies OEM parts.

The question is... is it worth splitting your diff case, swap out the core, then reassemble? When you can get the fully assembled LSD: 53000-4J126 - Differential Assembly 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store I've seen the fully assembled LSD listed on ebay. Last I checked was around $1300. 2-3yrs ago, that was about $900, IIRC. Used ones can be had for less.

Either way, you end up with the same mechanical clutch-based LSD - no electrical connection or programming necessary.

I've done 2 LSD retrofit so far. First on my '19 2.0T base; second on my '23 GT-Line. Both RWD. In both cases, the LSDs were from G70 6MT Sport, which also came with the same LSD as the other G70/Stinger. They were low miles that looked pretty clean. The swap was rather tedious, but straight forward enough that an experienced shadetree should handle it no problem.

If you are considering an LSD swap for safety reasons, I'm not sure it is worth it, especially if yours is AWD. Realistically, that is what the electronic nannies (ABS, traction control, stability control, etc.) In the context of a car like the G70/Stinger, LSD is more for performance driving applications, where you want to put power down on static launch and accelerating out of a corner.

 

[Marc Collins]

That is just the OEM LSD core that replaces the OEM open diff: 53080-4J000 - Differential Carrier 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store

You might also need the pinion/ring gear set: 53030-4J126 - Pinion Gear 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store

You can buy all that from any vendor that supplies OEM parts.

The question is... is it worth splitting your diff case, swap out the core, then reassemble? When you can get the fully assembled LSD: 53000-4J126 - Differential Assembly 2018-2023 Kia Stinger | Kia.Parts Store I've seen the fully assembled LSD listed on ebay. Last I checked was around $1300. 2-3yrs ago, that was about $900, IIRC. Used ones can be had for less.

Either way, you end up with the same mechanical clutch-based LSD - no electrical connection or programming necessary.

I've done 2 LSD retrofit so far. First on my '19 2.0T base; second on my '23 GT-Line. Both RWD. In both cases, the LSDs were from G70 6MT Sport, which also came with the same LSD as the other G70/Stinger. They were low miles that looked pretty clean. The swap was rather tedious, but straight forward enough that an experienced shadetree should handle it no problem.

If you are considering an LSD swap for safety reasons, I'm not sure it is worth it, especially if yours is AWD. Realistically, that is what the electronic nannies (ABS, traction control, stability control, etc.) In the context of a car like the G70/Stinger, LSD is more for performance driving applications, where you want to put power down on static launch and accelerating out of a corner.

The only reason to do it is for performance reasons. With so much low-end torque, the rear-biased V6 TT AWD Stinger easily spins up one rear wheel on corner exit on anything but dry pavement just to then have it jerked to a stop by the nannies. Would be preferable to have a smooth and proper acceleration out of corners. The only issue is whether the AWD electronics are affected (they shouldn't be, but most if us would like to know they are not before investing).

Did the RWD Stingers not all have LSDs in the first place? Maybe it was only the V6's that did...?

 

[Thomby]

I've done 2 LSD retrofit so far.

I know that your cars being RWD may impact how the car reacts to slippage vs. the AWD ones, but I'm curious if you can feel the handoff between the mechanical LSD and the electronic nannies. for example when accelerating out of a turn.

I'm assuming since the more aggressive drive modes allow more slippage in general (and the LSD does its thing regardless), that you would notice the LSD's benefits more in Sport than Eco, but is this apparent in your driving experience?

 

[Volfy]

Did the RWD Stingers not all have LSDs in the first place? Maybe it was only the V6's that did...?

None of the 2.0T or 2.5T Stingers came with LSD, AFAIK. For 2023 MY, GT-Line had an Apex Edition that included Brembo brakes. IMO, Kia should've thrown in the LSD with that package. Most owners who wanted a more track-capable option, which is what "Apex" denotes, would've gladly paid a bit extra for it. Oh well, those of us who really wanted it just have to put together our own package.

I know that your cars being RWD may impact how the car reacts to slippage vs. the AWD ones, but I'm curious if you can feel the handoff between the mechanical LSD and the electronic nannies. for example when accelerating out of a turn.

I'm assuming since the more aggressive drive modes allow more slippage in general (and the LSD does its thing regardless), that you would notice the LSD's benefits more in Sport than Eco, but is this apparent in your driving experience?

With an LSD, you absolutely can still feel the electronic nannies kicking in. The best example I can give you is when I take a tight U-Turn from a dedicated left-turning lane of a multilane hwy (both sides). Typically, with oncoming traffic fast approaching, I have to cut pretty tight and give it some beans to get going - for safety reasons, of course. I normally modulate the throttle to execute as smooth and as fast as possible without triggering the nannies. BUT... If I purposely ham-fist it and roll the throttle ON heavy through the U-Turn, as soon as the rev climbs above 2000RPM and the turbo boost kicks in, even the 2.0T builds enough torque to break traction, especially with regular all-season tires. As soon as I feel the tail end starts to swing wide, Traction Control would kick in and cut power... party is over before it had a chance to get going. Quite often, I would feel/hear a mild clunking at the same time this happens, which I'm pretty sure is the Stability Control turning on the ABS pump to actuate braking at whichever wheel it determines necessary to correct the car's attitude. Yeah... the whole affair makes for a pretty sh!tty feeling - with the turn kinda stunted 1/2way through and the car artificially imposes the "fun limit" - no doubt meant to keep newbies from swapping ends into the weeds. Still, for everyday driving on public roads, safety is of utmost importance. As such, I'm rarely into street heroics, so I'm fine leaving the nannies ON. Best to drive like a good schoolboy and try to not perturb the TC/ESC goddesses.

So... if you leave TC and ESC on, they will most likely interfere before the LSD can do what it does best. This is why, for track/AutoX, most drivers switch OFF the electronic nannies. In a controlled environment, without all the unpredictable hazards out on the open road, it is generally considered a perfectly legit compromise.

 

[Thomby]

So... if you leave TC and ESC on, they will most likely interfere before the LSD can do what it does best

Thank you, is that true regardless of drive mode? What you describe is why I haven't taken the plunge, because I'd want the LSD to engage as needed during aggressive daily driving or in wet conditions, not just when all the electronics are disabled.

I was similarly disappointed feeling the power cut while accelerating out of a damp turn, when fronts should've had plenty traction in my AWD. But I was in Smart-Eco and haven't replicated it in Comfort or Sport to see if those would let the powertrain sort itself out before yanking the fun away.

 

[Volfy]

Thank you, is that true regardless of drive mode? What you describe is why I haven't taken the plunge, because I'd want the LSD to engage as needed during aggressive daily driving or in wet conditions, not just when all the electronics are disabled.

I was similarly disappointed feeling the power cut while accelerating out of a damp turn, when fronts should've had plenty traction in my AWD. But I was in Smart-Eco and haven't replicated it in Comfort or Sport to see if those would let the powertrain sort itself out before yanking the fun away.

I drive in Comfort mode 99% of the time on public road, but IIRC I did try the same maneuver a couple of times in Sport mode. Same general reaction. Although, I couldn't quite tell if there is a difference in the threshold before triggering the nannies or in the degree of interference in each mode. Like I said, the reaction always felt rather blunt and not at all subtle. As such, it is not an enjoyable experience, so I'm not particularly interested in doing a full methodical test. Just enough to know... yeah, not good, don't do that.