the legal kind of lsd.

[christ0ph]

ok i know the basics of what an lsd is and what it does. what i dont get is the numbers you guys use on this site... r180, r200...

so on and so fourth? it would be much appreciated if you guys could explain this difference to me, and if i were to get a KAAZ lsd, would i need a something, anything? sorry for the ignorace guys, but have to start somewhere huh? if i get an lsd, it'd probably be a 1.5 or 2 way, if that helps.

[Gav240z]

R180 and R200 are just the Diff code. There are many variations to my knowledge on each one. The R180 was found in early 240z's and the R200 in later Z's as far as I know. I also heard the first gen Zed's early 240z's had the diff set slightly too far forward and causes unusual wear I am wondering about this as I have a 72 mdl and wanna know if this might effect me????

[Cuong Nguyen]

Hi all,

I'm using a KAAZ 1.5 way LSD centre in my R200.

Here is the link for the US site:

http://www.kaazusa.com/

kaaz_1.bmp

[John Coffey]

The R series of diffs are made by Hitachi for a number of OEMs. They range from an R100 through an R500 the last I heard. They are available from Hitachi with different pinion shaft lengths and housing designs.

What's found in Nissan products (from old 510s through the latest Infinity products) are R160s through R230s.

The 240/260/280Zs sold in the US were available with the Hitachi R180 and the R200. None came from the factory with a LSD. Hitachi offered a clutch pack LSD for the R180 and the R200 and a viscous LSD for the R230. NISMO and Nissan Competition sell the Hitachi clutch pack LSD for the R180 and the R200. Quaife sells an ATB (automatic torque biasing) differential for the R180 and the R200.

[hmsports]

I contacted them and they don't make an LSD for the R-180 -- they said they have a plan to do so... someday.

[Bleach]

The number refers to the width of the gears. R180 is a narrower gear than an R200 internally. Therefore the R200 is stronger and can take more torque. The R180 is said to be good for up to 250hp while the R200 can be used with V8 conversions and has been known to take 350lbs of torque without any problems.

The R200 differentials found in the 1975 280Z-1989 300ZX are all interchangable and use the same type of half-shafts. (except for the visious LSD used for only one year 1988? of the 300ZX turbo)

The R200 LSD was found from Nissan in the 1987-89 300ZX turbo models only and only those years. The R230 of the 2nd generation 300ZX from 90-96 is a larger body and does not bolt into an older Z.

The R200 LSD in the Z31 (1st generation 300ZX) comes in a 3.7:1 ratio. The Nissan rear gears came in these ratios.

3.36:1 / 3.54:1 / 3.7:1 / 3.9:1 / 4.11:1 / 4.375:1

The higher the number, the lower the gear is and the more torque is produced. Also, with a lower geared differential your freeway rpm will be higher, less gas milage. The lowest 4.375 was only found in the R180, not R200 and only in 1981-82 4x4 720 truck. (front axel) The R200 is common to get a 3.9 or 4.11 for performance applications. It is nessisary to use a 5-speed with 3.9 or lower gearing if you plan to drive on the highway often.:cheeky:

[Rick]

So does anyone know where i can get a good LSD for my 71 Z.

[Mike C]

The numbers 180 and 200 refer to the DIAMETER of the ring gear. 200mm for the r200mm and 180 for the r180. The 200 is significantly stronger than the 180. The 180 has bolt on bearing retainers behind the stubs while the 200 is solid cast piece.

There is a very rare 3.15 gearset out their for the r200 as well. From 75 until 81? 82? the r200 uses a 10mm ring gear bolt. Post 82 (or so, I know 85 for sure) the r200 uses 12mm ring gear bolts. To use the aftermarket LSD (except NISMO which advertises a 10mm unit) you will have to fab bolt sleeves. Also requires some knowledge in diff assembly including backlash.

Nissan put an 3.70 geared LSD r200 in the mid '87-89 300zx TURBO cars. These can be identified by the finned aluminum cover. You do NOT want the viscous diff from the all white '88 SE model. You will need to use stub axles from a 76-78 r200 equipped car. Everybody wants one of these so they are suitable rare and expensive ($500-$900 used, but occassionally can be found cheap if you slog through wrecking yards.)

To put an r200 in a 70-71 will require the mustache bar, crossmember, 72-78 driveshaft, diff and 75-78 stubs. In a 72-74 just the mustache bar, diff and stubs.

Cuong Nguyen- Did you use the diff that is speced for a 240sx? What did you use for stubs? Is it the same 29 spline as the clutch LSD, unlike the Z31 viscous diff? Is Kaaz the manufacturer or just another distributor for the Tochigi Fuji diff? Best I can tell they manfd. the Nissan diffs, the NISMO diffs, the Precision Gear Power Brute, and the CalMini Xterra front diff. The only manufacturer (other than Quaiffe with their geared biasing diff at $1100) of a limited slip for the r200. I don't count the Phantom Grip. Oh, and the down under ARB air locker that is available for the Xterra. CalMini has the diff on their site at $449, significanly better than the $860 that Kaaz has their diff and the $900 that Nismo wants for theirs.

Anybody know if the Xterra front diff is interchangeable with the 280 rear diff?

This has been an ongoing mission of mine, so quite appropriately my first post on this forum.

[Gav240z]

It's good to have you along MIke C. You seem like a well informed individual in the diff area anyway. An area where I'm still a little vague.

I understand the difference between R-180 and R-200. I also know early 240z's had the diff set forward a bit more and as a result it wore them out quicker due to vibrations.

The LSD is where I start to get lost. I don't understand how u make an open diff LSD. Could you please clarify what you change to make it LSD?

Also here in Aus we do have some of the Z31 Turbos and Z32 Turbo's but which one can we use? Is it the Z31 that had the finned cover?

We never got a 280zx turbo does this make parts harder?

You mention that Kaaz and a couple of other companies make a LSD kit for a R200 so if you have a standard R200 open diff do you not need to go get Z31 or Z32 donor parts?

Thanks for your time.

:classic:

[ClassicDat]

To make an open diff LSD is quite straight forward, but costs a little. The difference is the LSD has a clutch pack connected to the Side gears on each half shaft, or some other means of restricting variations in axle speed, eg viscous coupling. Some Subarus run the same diff as z's, particularly in competition, so LSD units are quite available, especially in Aus. that will take your crown wheel and fit in your housing. In Aus you had skylines and the like some of the Japanese ones run R180 LSD's as did some Silvias etc.

[zguitar71]

The R-180 with a 4 pinon LSD carrier (like the Power Brute from Precision Gear or the NISMO unite or the Quaife unite) cure the week nature of the R-180 open 2 pinion carrier in the stock R-180. With the LSD the R-180 can handel 300 HP. The Z's that came with a r-180 were not designed to run a R-200, the axel on the drivers side is fully compressed when it is used (r200) thus making subtly handeling problems that are made worse when a LSD is installed. Personally, I will only use R-180's and R190's in my car, unless you have a V-8 or high power turbo the R-180 is just fine, with a LSD carrier in it of course.

The Clutch style LSD baisically locks the differential until there is enough torque applied to break the two sides of the diff free from one another. In a straight line the diff acts like it is locked, around a corner the wheels will move independently like an open diff. When power is applied and a wheel breaks free the power is shifted to both wheels and if traction is still broken then both wheels will break free then you will go sideways. The clutch packs can be set for more or less torque with shims inbetween the cluth disks.

The gear LSD's are much more complicated to explain and work very differently. Search around on this site and on www.hybridz.org and you can find some info on them and linke to other sites with good info on them.