Quaife Helical Front Limited-Slip Differential — Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC / 4MATIC+

*PREORDER. Expected delivery late May*
10 of Each available in this production run.

Quaife Helical Front Limited-Slip Differential — Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC / 4MATIC+

Direct-replacement helical front LSD for Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC and 4MATIC+ models. Eliminates the factory open differential, delivering consistent, progressive torque distribution to both front wheels under power. Bolt-in design uses your existing OEM ring gear, pinion, and axle shafts.

Select your carrier type at checkout: 12-Bolt (4MATIC+) or 16-Bolt (4MATIC).

Eliminate the Weak Link in Your AWD System

Every Mercedes-Benz 4MATIC and 4MATIC+ vehicle leaves the factory with an open front differential. Under hard acceleration, cornering, or mixed-traction surfaces, an open diff sends power to the wheel with the least grip — exactly where you don’t want it. The factory relies on brake-based torque vectoring to compensate, which generates heat, increases brake wear, and can’t match the response of a true mechanical LSD.

The Quaife helical front LSD replaces the open carrier internals with a gear-type limited-slip unit that progressively and smoothly biases torque to the front wheel with more traction. No clutch packs. No preload adjustment. No maintenance. Just consistent, predictable front-end grip — whether you’re launching hard, tracking your car, or navigating a snow-packed mountain pass.

How It Works

Quaife’s ATB (Automatic Torque Biasing) design uses helical gears to sense differences in wheel speed and progressively transfer torque to the wheel with more grip. Unlike clutch-type LSDs, there are no wearing components, no periodic rebuilds, and no abrupt engagement. The bias is smooth and proportional, making the system completely transparent during normal driving while dramatically improving traction when you need it.

Installation

This is a carrier-swap installation. The OEM front differential is removed, the factory ring gear is unbolted from the stock open carrier, and transferred onto the Quaife unit. The assembly is then reinstalled with the original pinion, bearings, and axle shafts. Proper bearing preload and gear mesh pattern should be verified during installation. Professional installation recommended.

Fitment

12-Bolt Ring Gear (4MATIC+)

The 12-bolt carrier was introduced with the 4MATIC+ system in 2018. The W222 S63 AMG 4MATIC+ (2018–2020) uses the 12-bolt. The pre-facelift W222 S63 AMG 4MATIC (2014–2017) uses the 16-bolt. If your S63 has the M157 5.5L V8, you need the 16-bolt. If it has the M177 4.0L V8, you need the 12-bolt.

16-Bolt Ring Gear (4MATIC)

The W222 S63 AMG appears in both fitment tables. The pre-facelift S63 4MATIC (2014–2017, M157 5.5L V8) uses the 16-bolt carrier. The facelift S63 4MATIC+ (2018–2020, M177 4.0L V8) uses the 12-bolt carrier. Contact us with your VIN if unsure.

Not sure which carrier your vehicle uses? Contact us with your VIN and we’ll confirm.

Upgrades the following OEM part numbers:

• Front Differential Carrier Assembly (W212/W218/W222 M157 4MATIC): Often referred to using the carrier assembly part number 2213308700 or 2213309000
• Specific Front LSD Component: The 2014-2017 pre-facelift M157 4MATIC models (E63/CLS63/S63) generally use a 16-bolt ring gear carrier, while 2018+ M177 models moved to a 12-bolt system
• Alternative Part Numbers/References:
  • Front Differential Carrier (Various M157 4MATIC): 2213308700
  • Front Carrier Assembly (2018+ M177, different system): 2213333400 

What’s Included

• Quaife helical LSD carrier assembly (1)

What You Reuse From Your Vehicle

• OEM ring gear (unbolted from stock carrier and transferred)
• OEM pinion
• OEM axle shafts
• OEM differential housing

Notes

• The 12-bolt and 16-bolt carriers are not interchangeable. Select the correct option for your vehicle.
• Reuse your factory ring gear — no ratio change occurs. Your final drive ratio remains stock.
• Upgrading from 16-bolt to 12-bolt architecture? A 12-bolt ring gear is required. Contact us for details.
• Bearing and shim kits sold separately. Contact us for a complete hardware bundle.