Why is GTR AWD transmission better then other AWD trans at drag racing.
Posted by MattyPDNfingers@reddit | Autos | View on Reddit | 11 comments
Hopefully I'm asking this correctly. Why does racing AWD cars from a dig destroy AWD transmissions in cars like the Golf R or WRX but the GTR AWD transmission seems to hold up even with high power & torque? Did Nissan just build a great transmission or are other AWD transmissions just built poorly?
Plenty-Industries@reddit
People spend upwards of $20k+ to upgrade the GTR transmissions in order to survive drag racing... owners of the R35 when it launched, were breaking the transmissions days after taking delivery and were complaining Nissan charged them $16k to replace a busted trans.
Anyone who is strictly using their GTR for drag racing, is either rebuilding the transmission every few races, or just converting to RWD-only setups.
You'll never overcome physics. Things will wear and break. The most power you make, the faster it happens.
People who buy Golf R's and WRX/STI's are blowing their transmissions because they go "hey watch this" to their friends showing off an AWD launch. They can't actually afford to replace a blown engine/transmission.
At least dudes with GTRs, and race them, either know or have a shop that knows how best to maintain and mod a GTR for racing.
Even a basic Stage 1 upgrade for the GTRs trans is something like $8k.
FiddlerOnThePotato@reddit
It's frustrating to hear they were popping from launches since the launch control and g forces that would smash your eyeballs back in your head were pretty major marketing points when the car came out. Don't get me wrong, I know the forces involved and I totally get that a hard launch on an AWD car with that amount of power is gonna be brutal. But maybe if it could only do that a few times before breaking, that shouldn't be advertised as a feature. If they're gonna harp on how hard it launches, it should be able to withstand a good number of hard launches.
Plenty-Industries@reddit
The problem is owners were ignoring the actual maintenance procedure when using launch control.
After 5 or 6 launches, you MUST change the trans fluid.
The people with busted transmissions were repeatedly doing it multiple times a day without ever replacing the fluid.
As the clutch packs wore, the friction material goes through all the solenoids and causes issues.
Without replacing the fluid, this accelerated the wear and led to blown transmissions. The same reason why you should be replacing the fluid in any transmission - the harder you are on it, the more frequent you need to be maintaining it.
Nissan has since improved the transmission both on the hardware and software, but you're STILL going to need to replace the fluid after the abuse you put it through.
Since then, owners HAVE actually paid attention and far more aware of what needs to happen to keep their transmissions from blowing up.
And thats also to do with transmission upgrades. Just because you spend $40k on a Stage 4 transmission with new, stronger gear sets and upgraded solenoids and valve-body with a more aggressive friction material and cryo-treated parts - doesnt mean its going to stay bulletproof if you dont stick to the recommended maintenance.
spkos@reddit
Why do you think it’s much better than a Golf R transmission? A Golf R has run 8s in the 1/4 mile on a stock DQ250 with clutches. There aren’t many GTRs doing that with stock transmissions let me tell you.
lique_madique@reddit
They aren’t really better. Anything over 800HP/600TQ and the output shafts are toast. The attessa system can also be temperamental when it comes to excessive wheel spin or mismatched diameter wheel/tire size combos. They also have 2 drive shafts which is a pain and accounts for the weight of the GTR.
LukeSkyWRx@reddit
The Subaru 6-speed is extremely rugged, typically people start blowing axles if they like launching with sticky tires. But it has limited torque bias to the rear, which people typically like for drag.
The previous generation’s of GTRs (don’t know about current) could run at or close to 100% rear bias and add front traction from there so they are really nicely biased for launches
PurpleSausage77@reddit
Usually have to upgrade stuff in the GTR transmission, like most of them. And they are higher maintenance/higher cost but from what I’ve read pretty easy to work on.
The trans in the Audi RS/TTRS is pretty nuts also.
ridefst@reddit
There are some pretty awesome (expensive) transmission rebuilds made for that car.
Top end is nearly $40k for a transmission rated for 2,800hp
https://www.sheptrans.com/product-category/r35-gt-r/r35-gt-r-transmissions/
PrimitiveThoughts@reddit
They didn’t. It’s just a different type of transmission so it’ll handle power a little differently. When the GTR first came out, launch control would destroy the transmission.
chubbyzook@reddit
The physical size of said transmission has some to do with how much power it can withstand. The gtr transmission is huge compared to a golf r or wrx trans. There are still limits though. Most the really fast gtrs (like sub 8 second et) are running aftermarket transmissions though.
therealphee@reddit
The r35 transmission is the weak point in the car. So much so that high hp GTRs swap to rwd in order to do drag racing.