NZeder

This is one of the reasons I have been playing with the pathfinder axles see http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=132252&highlight=cv+shaft+length&page=4 and http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=143201 As these combo of parts makes an axle that will bolt up to the S15 diff output plug-ins.

There a many Lotus 7 Replica manufactures around maybe they might have a solution that could work in kit set form. I see an number of them are now doing inboard front setups (might be a problem on the zed as the engine will be in the way) but these inboard setup do have advantages. The above is from one of the local NZ Lotus 7 Replica builders on their front suspension setup. Would be a lot of work but doable I guess.

Lots of MX5 around (miata) and they have a front mounted rack too. Track increases issues might be a problem for some countries if the car is going to be road legal. Stock 260z front track 1359mm (I chose 260z as both you and I have 260z ) Mx5 front track 1410 for the NA and NB with the NC at 1405mm. I can't find a pic of the MX5 front suspension setup on it own....

will a M12 inner thread work? see this honda unit if so 159mm long with M14x1.5 ie same as the S30 or S130 tie rod (s130 units are 10mm longer so you could get away with the 140mm unit stated above you will be after the S130 aka 280zx Series I non powered rack outer tie rod - same design as the S30 just 10mm longer)

Ok I found this also - Ok if the S80 rack ends the 141mm long try these units for 150mm ie same spec (well 1mm shorter) than the 280zx rack end and are for a Volvo XC90 or the S60 units which are 157mm long....options options....assuming you have room for the M16....

So that is a goal get the same time or better on the NZ tracks - then if you go to Oz you will be in for a real sweet time

Alot of the questions you have asked are already covered on this site - please try the search feature but to quickly answer a few of your questions Yes - but the later centres have holes for the M12 crown wheel but the 280zx will be M10 which means you need to make some spacers to take the hole down from the M12 to M10. No the VLSD needs the extra long input shaft to engage the VLSD centre - if you use the stock shafts you still have an open diff These are the quick answers - search and you will find more about what you are looking for.

Excellent work. I like the original type styling not to keen on the white faces or the blue lighting some do, just a personal thing (the purist in me I guess I like the classic looking black face white font and green lighting)

Bummer alright - that might explain why I could not for the life of me find the part number on a EMPI catalogue. I did however find the spline counts for the 4x4 and 300xzt - 27. The tripod is also 27 spline just on a smaller diameter. The issue is looking on CV suppliers sites/catalogue to find out what size the 27 splines are on - this is almost impossible. But I can confirm the following axles have 27 spline at one end at least (no idea on the diameter or length of the axles and what is used at the other end - this is how I found the 4x4 axle I took a punt and purchased some second unit so I strip and find out what was at the other end etc) Nissan 4x4 Pathfinder and D21/WD21 (2 types of axles ones with 5x1 others with tripod) Nissan Altima 93-up Nissan Maxima 89-95 DOHC Nissan Cefiro 3.0L 96-99 Nissan Maxima All (85-88) Nissan Stanza Wagon (86) Look at the CV part pic etc looks like the Maxima DOHC has 27 splines on both end of the axles but no idea on the shaft length but we know the 4x4 shaft is approx the correct length. The best solution for a tripod at one end and a 5x1 star at the other is to do the following Purchase some D21/WD21/Pathfinder 4 cylinder axles with the tripod at one end already EMPI part number = 80-4703 Remove the wheel end CV and purchase some EMPI replacement CV for the 5x1 of the 6 cylinder from the D21/WD21/Pathfinder partnumber = 87-9096 (NI243) this will make a 5x1 and 3x2 axle much like the one I put together but I used the 300zxt 4x1 not the 5x1. All this info about CV spline count etc was from the EMPI catalogues and time in the evening looking over them

So you are looking for a tri pod - tri pod is that correct? As stated I found the pathfinder with the tri pod at one end and the wheel CV at the other have different size spline at each end with the tri-pod smaller both have the same spline count (can't recall the number). The axles with the 5 star have the same spline and size at both ends so it is possible to put 2 x 5 star or 2 x 300zxt 4 bolt cv on either end. So if we can find a larger tri pod ie shares the same spline/size as the 300zxt or 5 star/wheel cv end then you can have tri pod to tri pod or for hughdogz a solution for him without having to get either other pathfinder axles or re-spline the ones he has.

Pleased my info has been of use so far - that is what this site is all about sharing info/idea's plus this is a hybrid axles so the info should be here So this brings us to the clearance issues. My question is this then. If MMS sells a kit for installing a late shortnose R230 into the rear of a z that you have to make a hybrid axles from the shaft supplied with the kit and 4 x stock axles for the 6x1 at the end then these must have clearance issues also? But as this solution work maybe there is not an issue with this setup? This needs to be confirmed as the differences between the R200 and R230 might be enough to remove the clearance issues.

This is what I was meaning (locally in the US due to marketing etc you might not have this same issue as I found here in NZ). I found there are two types of front 4x4 shafts - those for the V6 and those of the 4 cylinder powered Pathfinders and D21 (as stated this is locally here in NZ anyway). One has the 5x1 star setup at the diff end of the 4x4 (V6 models) and the other has the tripod setup (4 cylinder models) both have the same outer CV = same spline/shaft size at that end. Here are some pics for reference Now it just so happens that CV end we don't want to use on either of these shares the same spline/size as the 4 bolt 300ZX CV. So what we can do is build 2 types of hybrid shaft - depending on what you require at each end. I also found out that the 5x1 shaft actually has the same spline/size at both ends so this does open the opportunity of building an axles with 5x1 at both ends if need be. So if you require a 3x2 (6 bolt) setup at the diff end (ie S15 HLSD output flanges etc) then use the 4 cylinder axles as the donors - you can put a 300ZX 4 bolt on the other end this is what I did in the thread I linked to above. If you want a 5x1 (5 start) setup at the diff use the V6 shaft. Again put a 300zx 4 bolt on the other end and you have another hybrid axle. Now what I have not worked out is if a tripod/tripod setup can be build. But it is possible to build a tripod/5x1 setup using the 4 cylinder shaft - remove the CV that goes to the wheel end of the 4x4 and replace this will a 5x1 star end and you will get a tripod/5x1 axle. You can also build an axles with 5x1 star at both end - requires the V6 alxes with the 5x1 at one end already just remove the wheel end CV and replace with another 5x1. Those are the combo's that I have work out will work with the correct ends and shafts. I am going by memory but I think it is something like this (I can check tonight when I get home from work) V6 = 29 spline on 31mm shaft at both end 4 cylinder = 29 spline on 31mm shaft at wheel end and 29 spline on 30mm shaft at the diff end. Both shafts are the same length.

Re the incorrect spline count at the tripod end - check the size I found on my 4x4 shaft were I was playing with this setup (not in the car so not sure about the clearance issues) that the 300zx 4 bolt setup would replace the wheel end of the shaft. See here for my findings. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=132252&highlight=cv+shaft+length&page=4 post 61 has pics of the other setup not the 5 star but the same applies just the tripod is replaced with a 5 star as the 4x4 with the 5 star has the same size and spline at both ends of the shaft (well it does on the 4x4 shafts I found). If you read over the thread in the link above I start talking about this from post 20 on wards.

Excellent work. So is the Tacho and Speedo the 4" versions or the 4.5"

I have not closed the unit I took apart back up as I want to replace the cap screws that hold the housing together so I will take the drum out again and see if I can get some better pics of the clutch/friction surface on the drums for you all. Once I have this unit back together I will look at pulling the other one apart so we can see the difference between two setups.

I think that would work for the first version like those shown in the Japanese websites in bits - however how does that work on the other version ie the one I pulled apart that does not have any clutches, and no spring in the centre of the drums. It just the 2 large Belleville spings at each end? I assume as the action of the diff is caused by the ball and grooves so as jmortensen as stated the clutches might not play a part in the workings and were only there to protect the surfaces of the drums and housing. So if this is the case then the version I pulled apart that only has the belleville springs I assume these are only there to apply some preload to the drums and to protect the drums and housing much like the other version shows. So the next question is would these behave like a 2 way or a 1.5 way? And is the break away torque set by the design/angle of the grooves.

Nothing between the two drums on the unit I pulled apart - the other one however is setup different and has a large green (look at the pic I posted in this thread) spring - and I assume some belleville springs and clutches however I don't have a need to pull this one or a bolt long enough currently to hold the two drums together when I go to put it back together. Sorry shipping from NZ to US at any kind of speed will cost more than a diff so that is out of the question - hell are two on ebay currently for around $299 USD which is cheaper than shipping in both direction (it is approx $75 one way for the slow 6-8 weeks method)

Here is an online CR calculator http://www.discovery-carhire.com.au/widget/compcalc.php?mode=calculator&unitmode=metric 91mm to 98mm I thought this would be too much but I did a quick google (not that you can believe what is posted on the interweb) but I found this statement a few time on different forums Re the rod size question - if there is enough meat then yes on my L30 build I put RB30 bushes into the L28 rods = almost 3mm had to machined to press in the nice bush - however pin dia was still 21mm just that the RB30 bush was a good bush. I would not to that again - only a few $$ more and some H-Beams could have been purchased with good bushes from the get go.

Not sure but most are pulled out of S13 and S14 JDM Silvias there is not pasts listing on a Nissan FAST system so after market is my best guess and also given they were sold in 95+ (from designers website in the company history section) that makes them out of the S13 for a factory install. Yes 29 spline count so all good there Well given I purchased an OBX (the first one on this site to take the punt back then too - and I still don't have the car going) that was for a S13/S14 diff and it went into my long nose R200 with just some spacers made for the M10 to M12 mounting then I will say yes to that too.

Pleased the pics I posted helped you guys figure it out. I am told is it a very smooth operation - I will endeavour to get one of the Balltec's I have installed into a centre and into a running car before the 1/2 year is out.

This unit listed on ebay looks to be the same as the unit I just pulled apart tonight you can see there is nothing in the centre if you look at the pics in the auction http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Balltec-180SX-2Way-LSD-R200-S13-A31-C33-R32-Silvia-JDM_W0QQitemZ140283097870QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item140283097870&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A543|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Next and last pics of the series II version of the balltec If you look at the first post with the attachments you will see in pic #2 it is the same as the units that are shown on the sites I posted above with a large spring in the centre etc so I assume if I pull this one apart it will be the same as those units ie clutches etc. However you will see this version is different and when you see inside the drums there is no signs of anything ever begin between the two drums. 6. The larger 1/2 of the external cage - here you can see the slots for the balls to sit in (belleville springs still in the bottom). 7. The drums removed. 8. Balls and plates removed from the drums - I might add tricky to get back together this is why there is all that grease to hole every thing in place. 9. The bottom drum as it was removed. You can see that the input spline is part of the drum so no spider gears. 10. The other drum you can see that there has never been anything between the drums in this version of the LSD. So there you have it - the version 2 Balltec as I call it in bits. I will not pull the other one apart as it is the same as those stripped shown on the Japanese sites listed in the post further up in this thread. Cheers Mike

Ok I decided to pull the first Balltec that I purchased (the one with some packing material inside it) anyway here are some pics - too many for one post so I will do a few. Now as stated I have 2 versions of the Balltec LSD's so I think one is a early version and the other a later version. These were commonly installed into S13 then S14. So I think I have one of each. As stated ones take the input shafts with the c-clips retained inside the centre aka Z31 CV axles the other uses the axles that retain the c-clips ie 5 star. So I have taken pics down the input to show the differences between the two. 1. So first up is the top of the LSD that I took apart. 2. Next is looking at the down the input of the centre that retains the clip 3. Then down the input of the one that has the clips retained on the axles - this is the one I am taking apart. 4. There are 2 belleville springs between the drum and the external housing. 5. Starting to remove the drums, balls and plates. Next post for more pics

good advice - a belt is cheap even at $250 vs a damaged engine.

ok just located another R200 4.1 (open centre has been welded) it is in another part of the country so I should have it in a few weeks. I will then strip one of the Balltec down and take lots of pics - I have to finish up my brakes so I can get some bench space back to do this task.