R200 LSD Options

[R&D Z Factory]

Can everyone post Options for a r200, I just recently pulled it out of a doner 280z, and will be using it in the 260z here instead of the r180 i believe

Thanks :stupid:

[PrOxLaMuS©]

the LSD only came in a Z31 86-87 if I recall..

soo the diffy you pulled from the other car is not an LSD

unless your running gobs of power.. the R180 will be fine..

only advantage or disadvantage is the gearing ...

3.54 R180 from an automatic = slow acceleration, higher top speed, LONG gears

3.7 R200 - faster acceleration, higher RPM highway speeds etc

Options?

Locker or weld up the diffy

Quaife LSD insert

PowerBrute LSD insert

[jmortensen]

87-89 turbos had the LSD, not 86-87. 88 also had the VLSD SS edition, VLSD is not compatible with your halfshafts, so that makes it more expensive to install. Stay away from VLSD IMO.

Precision Gear and Reider Racing sell the "Power Brute" which is the Nissan LSD. ~$550

Quaife- ~$1500gear driven, hyper overpriced

OBX- ~$400 (this is what the Quaife should be priced at IMO)designed like the Quaife but made in China. Mixed reports from what little I've seen as to reliability. Apparently they made one for Hondas that wasn't machined right and lots of guys were bitching about it on a Honda forum I found.

Other options are 240SX R200 LSDs from Kaaz, Cusco. ~$800 (I think?) These are better than the Nissan units, at least they appear to be. More clutches in the clutch packs, and larger. Also comes in 1.5 way or 2 way, where Nissan is only 2 way. Get the one for that replaces the open diff, not the factory VLSD. VLSD in the 240SX was like the VLSD in the 88 SS, and requires a different spline count on the halfshafts.

[Carl Beck]

Can everyone post Options for a r200, I just recently pulled it out of a doner 280z, and will be using it in the 260z here instead of the r180 i believe

Thanks :stupid:

What "options" are you asking about? gear ratios? LSD's? Should we assume you in the US/Canada?... if so...

For a complete set of OEM gear ratio's see the Z Car Home Page...

<a href=http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html TARGET=NEW>http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/GearRatios.html</a>

$1500.00 might seem over-priced for the Quaife, but IMHO it's worth every penny. I've had my 4.11:1 R200 equipped with the Torsen/Gleason unit in my 72 for close to 30 years now - it's indestructible. The way it distributes torque evenly on dry surfaces, or allocates torque to the wheel with the best traction in all situations makes for smooth predictable power to the rear wheels.

I originally put it in the Z for Auto-X'ing.. but I'm far to old and slow for that today. Nonetheless, crank the steering wheel to the left lock - run the RPM up to about 3800... pop the clutch apply a little more gas - and the Z will walk around the left front tire.. without that tire moving more than a couple inches. Crank the steering wheel back to full right lock - do the same thing... and the car will return to within a couple of inches of where you originally started.

Lots of tire smoke, hard on tires!.. but it's an impressive demonstration to watch.

I believe that today the Quaife is available for either the R180 or the R200. Check to see which ring gear bolt size is required.. 10 or 12 mm...

If you want to know more about the mechanical posi units see:

<a href=http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/Torsen/Torsen.htm TARGET=NEW>http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/Torsen/Torsen.htm</a>

The Quaife and Torsen are basically the same although I am told that the original Torsen units had some advantage.

04/78 to 12/89 non-SE Turbo models got the clutch type LSD's

3.7 R200 in the A/T

3.9 R200 in the 5spd.

You'll find that 3.7's and 3.9's were also available in the 280ZX's.. if ratio is more important than finding on OEM posi.... and ratio's is usually more important IMHO.

The weak link in the R180 is the fact that they have only two spider gears.. installing a posi unit will solve that. I am told that some R180's were produced with 4 spider gears, but I've not been able to pin down exactly which cars they were in.

Pull the rear cover off the 280Z rear-end and rotate the ring gear until you see numbers stamped into it. The numbers are the number of teeth on the ring and pinion, that will give you the ratio's.

Change the OIL in that rear-end before you reinstall it. The drain plug will be a total PITA.. set the rear end up on end - apply a good penetrating oil and let it set overnight. apply more penetrating oil and fit a good six point impact socket...if you have a good impact wrench use it. If not - apply a breaker bar.. and smack it a swift blow with a good brass hammer...

If you can't budge it - remove the rear cover (your going to anyway).. and apply heat to both sides of the area around the drain and fill plugs.. heat them up and apply the socket/or wrench.. smack with the brass hammer... believe me they will come out. Apply some no seize compound before you reinstall them this time!!

That's about all the options I can think of ... now....

FWIW,

Carl B.

Carl Beck

Clearwater, FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[Carl Beck]

Oops... double post ...

[jmortensen]

When I worked at Randy's Ring and Pinion we had Dana Tru-Trac diffs. They're the largest ring and pinion reseller in the country and I think in the top 3 for LSDs and lockers. The Tru-Trac for a Chevy 8.5 runs about $350. But we didn't sell them. We sold 10x as many Eatons, which are a clutch style LSD, for ~$550. The gear driven units tend to have problems spinning the inside tire at autoxes, and they also tend to spin the inside tire on long sweepers on road courses.

But hey, they're $1000 more expensive, so they have to be better, right???