Differential Advice, Please

[robox]

I went out in the 240 for the first time, really, since installing the 5 speed and fixing the speedometer and tachometer. It was very informative. The car definitely felt anemic until about 2750 rpm or so. And in 5th gear, I couldn't really even get it up to that range, unless I was going somewhat downhill.

I promptly went on eBay and bought the Maxima differential (R180 with 3.70 gears). The price was more within my range than most of these other options.

My question, for anyone who might have the answer or some input, is what sort of challenges am I looking at as far as getting the half-shafts to work?

Here is a picture of the Maxima diff I just bought:

As you can see the U-joints are quite different from what the Z has. I just haven't worked on enough cars yet to know if this is going to be a lot of work. But it's gotta be doable.

For what it's worth, I do have a set of half-shafts sitting around from a 260Z parts car I got recently.

Edited January 8, 2014 by robox

[Zed Head]

Those are CV joint half-shafts and they're most likely too long to use, in addition to needing an adapter. The parts from the R180 in your car now might swap over, I believe. No idea on the details.

[madkaw]

Why would you buy it before you worked out the details. Well I guess its a lesson we have all learned messing with cars.

Try starting with this link an read -it's all there.

Differential / CV / LSD / HP / Torque / R160 / R180 / R200 / R230 / Diff Mount - Drivetrain - HybridZ

[robox]

Cuz I'm impulsive of course!

And because I trust that I CAN work out the details!

Anyhow, I did a bunch of reading of other older threads and learned that it's no big deal. Just gotta open the two diffs and swap a few parts, specifically the "threaded buttons" which permit the use of the OEM 240 halfshafts. No idea what those buttons are at this time, but I am sure I will know soon....

Looks like a good link... I will read it.

Thanks!

[robox]

Yes.. that is a super-informative link. Thanks Madkaw.

Looks like a fun operation.

As I am also a machinist, I'm going to at least investigate the options of doing a little machine work to see if I can leave intact the R180 3.36 that is currently in my car, thereby leaving it in a sell-able state. I will know more when I get the parts in hand. We will see.

Cheers,

Christian

[tlorber]

I just used the half shafts from the 3.36 and put them onto the 3.70-No issues in may case. While researching, I did see that some required removing a "button gear" inside the diff. If this is the case, I believe it was a circlip that you have to release from inside the housing, and then slide the shaft out. It was a couple years back, but it should be doable given the parts that you have.

If yours does not look like those above, I will look for the link that I had read in the past.

Let me know.

[robox]

Well I received the Maxima differential. It's a good thing I popped off the rear cover to inspect the ring and pinion before I did anything else to it, because the ratio WAS NOT as advertised. It's a 3.54 (39:11). Now I have to send this heavy thing back on my own dime (I'm going to petition eBay to pay return shipping, we'll see how that goes).

So I am back to square one. I've been thinking about the Subaru STI diff swap that Zedyone is doing....

I just posted in his thread this same thought.... why bother spending $500 for the Wolf Creek output flanges when it seems the output flanges from the outgoing R180 could just be used? Or a yoke with a splined shaft...? Are the spline counts different?

Edited January 13, 2014 by robox

[jmortensen]

Yes, the STi spline counts are different.

[robox]

Yes, the STi spline counts are different.

Yes... as I mentioned in Zedyone's thread, I eventually figured it out. I re-read his whole thread last night trying to wrap my head around the issue, and the spline count difference is not mentioned in that thread (unless I missed it). I guess its one of those bits of info that everyone around here knows so well that it's just not talked about. I eventually figured it out by reading the thread over on hybridz where the Wolf Creek flanges were developed.

Thanks!

[tlorber]

That is a bummer about the shipping. The seller should be paying for it if the part was not as advertised. The 3.54 is what an automatic 240Z has.

[Zed Head]

The lighter 240Z might be fine with a 3.54. My heavy 280Z wasn't that bad with a 3.54 and a 1980 5 speed, the 3.9 was just better. Weight matters.

[robox]

The seller is being very cool, and is covering the return shipping.

As I do my real work today, my head is submerged in trying to figure out how to make a Subaru 3.9 R180 LSD work for cheaper....