rec.autos.simulators

  I think you are seeing the modeling of wheelspin that has reached
its peak and suddenly allows no directional control whatsoever.

 This happens in real life as well.  A case in point -------- drag
racing.

  If you watch ----- as long as there is traction -- even to a small
degree,  there is still directional control and stabilization.

  BUT --- as soon as the rear tires break traction, and spin, then
thigs get "hairy" and the directional control begins to leave  because
now there is speed with only the front of the vehicle with any
traction whatsoever and rear tires are spinning and prehaps gripping
in miniscule amounts one side or another ------- and when that happens
--------- it will spit you either left or right.

  You can try this is a rear wheel drive car on ice everything is fine
as long as the rear tires are maintaing some sore of traction --------
but floor it --------- and you are about to go on a wild ride in
whatever direction the "gods" decide to send you.

  In this respect ------ GPL is VERY, VERY realistic.  I have gone out
in the FERRARI myself in the middle of the front straight at MONZA and
done ZANARDI-type "doughnuts" and at slow speed floored it in a low
gear, and believe me ------ the reaction you see is pretty much
realistic to the real thing.

  Doug

Limited slip differentials by nature/design have a LIMITED amount of slip.
What this means in that the difference in rotational speeds of the two rear
tires as it travels around a corner are accounted for and stay very close to
the same speed regardless of traction. The adjustability within GPL is for
the amount of slip allowed (I am assuming this because I dont have GPL). The
good points of a limited slip diff is that when one wheel does lose traction
the other wheel recieves the power, but if it also is overloaded with BHP it
too will slip and you will have a very big loss of lateral traction/control
as well as forward 'bite' as BOTH tires slide.. In a non limited slip car
when the unloaded (inside) wheel loses traction, it just spins wildly while
the outer wheel just tracks along, it is not recieving power. The good part
of a non limited slip diff if that when the inside wheel does lose traction
and break away, there are no additional forces transfered to the loaded
(outer) wheel. This allows the outer wheel to maintain its lateral traction
if it is not overloaded with said forces.

For example: I live in Canada and often drive in snow. One winter I had a
5.0 Mustang (with a limited slip), when it would break loose it almost
immediately broke traction of both real wheels at the same time. This is
very hard to control and in a racing sim will lose you a lot of time as you
have to back off to regain traction before continuing (assuming you don't
spin). Another winter I had a Toyota Corrolla (older one with real wheel
drive, but no limited slip). Man, I LOVED that car in the winter! I could go
around corners at just about any slip angle I wanted as long as I didn't
overload the outer wheel too much laterally, it was a beautiful car to 'REAR
STEER'.

Hope that helps clear things up. As you can see there are many instances
when you can have to much limited slip, and a 'looser' setting would be
beneficial (especially in low traction situations).