Intrac LSD vs normal rear diff

While cleaning out my garage I thought it would be a good idea to get some pictures to compare the Intrac rear diff and the normal diff. Everything is different from the transmission back. The prop shaft diff and rear cv axles are all specific to the intrac diff. The prop shaft is shorter on the Intrac and seems to have a smaller universal at the end. The inner CVs are different for each diff.
Enough words on with the pics!

The shafts with the yellow bands are the normal diff
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Comparing CVs The drier/rustier looking one is normal
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The diffs them selves Intrac on the right normal on the left
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Flipped, intrac on the left
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Looking into the diffs
Intrac LSD
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Normal open diff
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Prop shafts the top/shorter one is for the Intrac diff
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The label specifying the diff oil requred for the normal diff. INtrac diff had no sticker
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Comments

  • These pics are usefull!! So the VC is in the rear diff housing? What's the wiring coming out of the diff housing for??
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    So what exactly is " Intrac?" The diff looks similar to a cr-v one, I think.
    Is it (RWD) engaged electrically instead of with the viscous coupler?
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    From what I have seen / found on here there is no viscious coupler at all. The snout on the intrac diff houses the clutch assembily. So normal operation the vehicle is full time A/4wd UNTILL the ALB brakes are activeted when the wheels lock up, when they lock up the alb computer will send power to the clutch solenoid on the diff (the wires coming out of it) and disengage the clutch so no drive will be allowed to the rear wheels. I had my intrac rwd for a while as the front CV shaft was a bit dead, driving it is like having a slipping clutch when you try take off fast/heavy loads
  • rti intrac wrote:
    From what I have seen / found on here there is no viscious coupler at all. The snout on the intrac diff houses the clutch assembily. So normal operation the vehicle is full time A/4wd UNTILL the ALB brakes are activeted when the wheels lock up, when they lock up the alb computer will send power to the clutch solenoid on the diff (the wires coming out of it) and disengage the clutch so no drive will be allowed to the rear wheels. I had my intrac rwd for a while as the front CV shaft was a bit dead, driving it is like having a slipping clutch when you try take off fast/heavy loads



    sounds like I need to get my hands on one of these's rear diff setups!! I would use a speed based output with the ECM to un-lock the rear diff at higher speeds, or possibly a load output would work better, eather way less drive train loss that would= better fuel ecomeny/higher trap speeds. now here's the billilon$$$ ??? will these discs hold the power like a viscious coupler? or will they simply slip?
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    They just slip when you put more load on them, one day i'll pull it apart and see how it works on the inside
  • bam-bambam-bam Council Member
    viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8


    funny, I Googled "honda intrac" and found this.
  • shenrieshenrie Council Member
    That rear diff looks (and sounds) similar to the crv one I installed on my wagon. Other than the lsd part of it of course.

    51.jpg
    479.jpg
  • Very interesting stuff here! The LSD is pretty awesome! Overall it sounds like the 1st incarnation of what is now the CRV dual pump system. The CRV system takes care of the ABS braking hydraulically rather than electronically. The CRV TCD unit takes bleeds off pressure once front/back wheel speed is matched (breaks applied) This Intrac setup sounds like it only has a single pump driven by the prop shaft. moving to a dual pump setup would make the car more stable upon braking situations as bleeding off pressure would be a lot less violent than doing it via electronic means. (solenoid valve probably)

    Super cool stuff though! I'm dying to see the inner workings of the front half lol :?
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    EF5-3201425

    That is the chassis code for my stolen RTi INTRAC ('90, manual).

    Hope that helps someone track down further information on the INTRAC system and parts for it.
  • thanks for this info. i need to book mark this
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    I will get around to stripping that Diff one day soon and will take plenty of pics
  • 1988rt1988rt Senior Wagonist
    Wow, I didn't know those existed:disturbed:, I want one lol
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    I pulled My spare intrac box out of the car today and noticed it did NOT have the 4wd selector. I thought it was interesting and thought I'd share.

    19.jpg
  • Hmm. I wonder what the decision was to not include it? Because it's an Intrac is it on the rear diff? Is it possible to electronically disengage the rear diff?
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    Good point, I didnt think of that. I know the ALB system Disengages the rear diff in anti skid situations. It just looks like a electromagnetic clutch on the diff snout. I have a spare one so must get around to pulling it apart
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Yeah you can engage/disengage the rear diff via solenoid. There is a diagram around here somewhere showing the rear diff.
  • Is the intrac system more robust? Does it have any advantages over RT4WD?
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    I guess the only difference is there is no Viscous coupler instead there is a clutch in the diff. Oh and it has a LSD. I blew a front cv in mine a few years ago and it was just using the intrac diff. It felt exactly like driving a car with a slipping clutch.
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Merged the threads so we can keep compiling info on these in one place.
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    I forgot I started the old thread... Thanks for merging
  • So I wonder how easy it is to add this to a US system? Im assuming that we would need a new ECU as well as the rear diff is controlled and not mechanical. Are there sensors that are used?

    If it's OBD0 I feel like it would be easy to trick and you could in essence "lock" the 4WD.
  • sohawksohawk Wagonist
    ^ +1. I'm most interested in how it mounts, ie can you use the RT4WD diff mounts or do you have to fab something custom
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    I believe the mounting is all the same. I got a wagon off a guy who wanted it for the lsd. He said all he swapped was driveshafts.

    It was all controlled by the alb computer which is long gone now. I've been running it for years without it and it's been fine. Probably done around 10 thousand km.

    I'll test the diff at some point and figure the wiring side out.
    What I am really curious about is does the lsd fut into the 'normal' rear housing so we can do away with the clutch.
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    ALB computer sits in the rear behind one of the cargo compartments.
  • rti intrac wrote: »
    I believe the mounting is all the same. I got a wagon off a guy who wanted it for the lsd. He said all he swapped was driveshafts.

    It was all controlled by the alb computer which is long gone now. I've been running it for years without it and it's been fine. Probably done around 10 thousand km.

    I'll test the diff at some point and figure the wiring side out.
    What I am really curious about is does the lsd fut into the 'normal' rear housing so we can do away with the clutch.

    So are you just running it as full time AWD then?
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    I believe the solenoid disables the VC, so not quite what you're thinking.
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    superhatch wrote: »
    So are you just running it as full time AWD then?

    I guess so but like haydz said the clutch only dis engages the rear.

    My understanding is the clutch acts as a "power or shock limiter" for the rear end.

    Driving behaviour wise it is extremely understeery but it could also be my driving. I have had it power sliding (
    For lack of a better term) so when I have a rear sway bar in and everything aligned properly I'll try again
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    The behaviour you are describing is consistent with my experiences - bit of understeer on the tight stuff but super stable on the long fast corners.
  • rti intracrti intrac Senior Wagonist
    Haydz wrote: »
    The behaviour you are describing is consistent with my experiences - bit of understeer on the tight stuff but super stable on the long fast corners.

    Hmm. Did you ever get a rear sway bar on your old intrac? I wonder if it's a result of the lsd in the back and the fairly even power split (before clutch overload/slip)
  • HaydzHaydz Moderator
    Nah never got to that stage.
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