mattd428 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 So i started building this car about 4 months ago. Got it on the street roughly a month ago. It is a 5.3 with drive by wire and a mild cam. Trans is a t56. The diff is the stock r200 with welded gears. Decided to go the track yesterday and found out why everyone says go to the z31 axles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 (edited) Well I will be the first to tell you the Z31 axles aren't a fix all. I've broken two input stubs so far, and am changing to a different setup this winter. PS Good god your pictures are huge Edited October 21, 2012 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Hey sunnyz, you capitalize God, especially on Sunday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Donovan_ Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Tooo funny. Great looking car so far, congrats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattd428 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Share Posted October 21, 2012 ya i dont know how to shrink them down. well if z31 wont hold up what do yall suggest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfritts911 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 Welcome to the club! Your still a couple behind me though, I go through halfshafts like beer. Did you even manage to make one pass? If not that is disapointing. As far as options, I think your choices are as follows: 1. Spend a bunch of money on the Nissan IRS to make it "bulletproof". If I decide to stay with the Nissan setup I will be going with Porsche 930 type CV axles, and I would imagine the billet stub axles would follow shortly after getting stronger axles. Don't know where the weak link would go to after that, maybe the inner stub axle. 2. Swap in an auto. Probably the easiest and cheapest option to make your rear end last. Plus a stalled auto will get down at the track. 3. Solid rear axle swap. 9 inch, 12 bolt, 8.8. I will be going solid 8.8 if I decide to not stay with the Nissan setup, I'm still 50/50. I think I solid axle with a torque arm setup like the 3rd and 4th gen F-body's have would fit with minimal body hacking and the setup works decently, not as adjustable(Or as good) as a 4 link setup, but would fit the chassis much, much easier. 4. Alternate IRS setup. Cobra/Explorer IRS 8.8, probably the best option as far as alternate IRS goes. The C3(I think) vette IRS is also an option, but needs shortened considerably and takes a bit more effort than just shorter axles to shorten. The cobra IRS would be work with just a custom diff mount and custom axles(This is the setup I believe Sunny is pursuing). 5. Always carry around a spare halfshaft and a 14mm wrench. Also always have another spare halfshaft(Or two) at home so if you have to use your spare you have another spare that can go in the car lol. This is my current setup, it works well to avoid being stranded or towed by V6 mustangs . I think the Duralast Gold u-joints are the strongest joint you can find, the body of the joint is really beefy so it doesnt shear down the middle like most of the joints, the ears will break off on a good 1-2 shift though lol. Pretty much all of your options require a decently deep pocket book, aside from option 5, its pretty cheap. Car looks good, only thing I will say is where is the seagull swallower(Or two). The 4.8/5.3 truck motors love the boost! -Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattd428 Posted October 21, 2012 Author Share Posted October 21, 2012 Im seriously considering doing a 9" or 8.8 with a 4 link and coil overs. I got about 6 passes out of it on street tires 245 60 14. Best was a 13.84 but i had to let off when i hit second because of wheel hop. Then I had to let out again the 1000ft mark because of wheel hop again. So if it hooked up and I could have stayed in it its probably a high 12 to low 13 car. The u joint snapped about half way through 2nd gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wfritts911 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Man you snapped it in the middle of a gear? Mine usually broke from shock other than one fluke of a failure. You should definitely be able to get 12s out of it depending on what 60ft times you are pulling. These cars are light! You do need some fatter tires(Or stickier) though. -Will Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattd428 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 From what I can tell it broke in the middle but we are talking about a second or so could be wrong. I was dumping it at 2k and was getting 2.0 60ft. I have stickys on it now but if it breaks u joints with street tires theres no way it will hold together with stickys. These tires are 275 50 15 so plenty of tread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zfan1 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) I can tell you that my 240 runs mid to high nines in the 1/4 mile and I have had one broken Z31 stub axle in 7 yrs. My set up is a 300 LSD with upgraded clutches, Modern Motorsports stub axles and Z31 CV axles. I am running an auto transmission with a 3600 9" converter. The motor is an old school AFR headed 385 sbc with a 175 shot on it, if I can'y hardly break it you will be just fine! Regards, Mike Edited October 23, 2012 by Zfan1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SUNNY Z Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 (edited) I can tell you that my 240 runs mid to high nines in the 1/4 mile and I have had one broken Z31 stub axle in 7 yrs. My set up is a 300 LSD with upgraded clutches, Modern Motorsports stub axles and Z31 CV axles. I am running an auto transmission with a 3600 9" converter. The motor is an old school AFR headed 385 sbc with a 175 shot on it, if I can'y hardly break it you will be just fine! Regards, Mike Respectfully, You're wrong. This one lasted 22 passes This one lasted 1 The manuals are hard on S H I T! Edited October 23, 2012 by SUNNY Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zfan1 Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Respectfully, You're wrong. This one lasted 22 passes This one lasted 1 The manuals are hard on S H I T! I guess you are right, they must be extremly hard on them. I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 passes on mine between street and track. I mainly run 1/8th mile and regularly see 1.4X 60 ft.'s with no breakage! Time for an auto or softer launches....LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Matt, was that an original, 40-year old u-joint? It may not have mattered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattd428 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 No I replaced all the u joints before this happened they have maybe 400 miles on them gotta love warranties. Im pretty sure Im done with the independent rear from what I can tell its just too much money to make it hold the power. A solid axle is a lot cheaper and stronger should do everything I need it to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperZ Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Im seriously considering doing a 9" or 8.8 with a 4 link and coil overs. I got about 6 passes out of it on street tires 245 60 14. Best was a 13.84 but i had to let off when i hit second because of wheel hop. Then I had to let out again the 1000ft mark because of wheel hop again. So if it hooked up and I could have stayed in it its probably a high 12 to low 13 car. The u joint snapped about half way through 2nd gear. You sound like you are hard on your driveline. I have a stock rear end, halfshafts, stubs, BW T5 manual, everything, and I ran countless 13 second passes (and some in the high 12s) with drag radials and never broke anything. Perhaps the wheel hop is what's killing yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattd428 Posted October 23, 2012 Author Share Posted October 23, 2012 You sound like you are hard on your driveline. I have a stock rear end, halfshafts, stubs, BW T5 manual, everything, and I ran countless 13 second passes (and some in the high 12s) with drag radials and never broke anything. Perhaps the wheel hop is what's killing yours. Thats a definate possibility and tips on getting rid of wheel hop? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 The problem with the 930 conversions is that they attach to the stock companion flange on the outboard end and the stock diff stub axle on the inboard flange, so you have huge CV's attached to a pretty flimsy flange. Attached pic is at the wrong angle to really see it, but the stock companion flange is about 3/16" thick at the flange and has a squared off connection to the splined part. Your CVs might hold 1000 hp, but that part won't. Sunny, if your car is bottoming like I think it is, that can sharpen the impact of driveline shock and cause more problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 JMortensen, wouldn't SUNNY's outer CV end-cap/grease cap show some damage (dents) if his axle was bottoming out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 Matt-get busy on that 9-inch conversion - make a new build thread with lots of photos and make is simple so the rest of us can copy you. In the meantime, get some slicks to stop the wheelhop. You won't hop if you hook-up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 23, 2012 Share Posted October 23, 2012 JMortensen, wouldn't SUNNY's outer CV end-cap/grease cap show some damage (dents) if his axle was bottoming out? I'm talking about the suspension bottoming. He's got it pretty low from what I understand with 250 ish lb springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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