mcx Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 i'm looking for input from anyone who still might be using this device in a R200...i've read every old thread here and was curious if anyone has long term use with it after all these years...i picked up a 908X version for 50 0n Ebay that someone had never installed...thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Don't know anyone who uses it or still uses it. I know some people who have dicked around with them, but everyone eventually always finds another way. Some people have had a little luck with the unit following specific mods, such as chamfering the holes containing the springs and it does take quite the effort to fit (grinding gears, hammering, etc). I was curious about it, but the fact you would have to disassemble the diff, grind the gears, hammer it in made it not really worth the effort considering it would be less labor to install a real LSD or even easier to replace the diff. The way it is designed did not instill a lot of confidence either. It basically forces the side gears apart and forces the spinning wheel to transfer some power to the non spinning wheel, but it applies torsional strain to a spring which isn't the best option, and the way the blocks don't slip requires friction from the spring pushing the blocks away and jamming it against the side gear which cannot make your bearings very happy. Then again the r200 isn't by any means rare, at least not yet, so for 50$ and your labor it would give you some form of limited slip. Long answer short, I wouldn't expect to get years of usage out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhm Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 If looking for a low-budget LSD solution for the R200, the OBX is probably a much better choice. Latest reports I've seen on these units are mostly positive....better machining and quality control than the early units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Don't know anyone who uses it or still uses it. I know some people who have dicked around with them, but everyone eventually always finds another way. Some people have had a little luck with the unit following specific mods, such as chamfering the holes containing the springs and it does take quite the effort to fit (grinding gears, hammering, etc). I was curious about it, but the fact you would have to disassemble the diff, grind the gears, hammer it in made it not really worth the effort considering it would be less labor to install a real LSD or even easier to replace the diff. The way it is designed did not instill a lot of confidence either. It basically forces the side gears apart and forces the spinning wheel to transfer some power to the non spinning wheel, but it applies torsional strain to a spring which isn't the best option, and the way the blocks don't slip requires friction from the spring pushing the blocks away and jamming it against the side gear which cannot make your bearings very happy. Then again the r200 isn't by any means rare, at least not yet, so for 50$ and your labor it would give you some form of limited slip. Long answer short, I wouldn't expect to get years of usage out of it. thanks for the reply...i picked up a spare 3.54 rear from a 85 turbo Z in decent shape($80}...i have fitted the PG inside the open diff, only after grinding the large spider gears and the PG itself..i ended up using the cutting wheel on my chop saw as a grinding stone of sorts...it worked decent but took awhile to get it to clearance fit....i tried contacting the makers but their website is extinct,,,only a facebook page and the phone # is a voicemail deadend....a question for anyone who installed this device...when the PG is slipped inside the carrier unit, and the clearance between the PGand the large spider gear is set tothe recommended .005, should you be able to spin the spider gears freely before pulling the locking clip off the PG to release the spring tension of PG blocks to large spider gears?? yes, a OBX is next. thanks,mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 thanks for the reply...i picked up a spare 3.54 rear from a 85 turbo Z in decent shape($80}...i have fitted the PG inside the open diff, only after grinding the large spider gears and the PG itself..i ended up using the cutting wheel on my chop saw as a grinding stone of sorts...it worked decent but took awhile to get it to clearance fit....i tried contacting the makers but their website is extinct,,,only a facebook page and the phone # is a voicemail deadend....a question for anyone who installed this device...when the PG is slipped inside the carrier unit, and the clearance between the PGand the large spider gear is set tothe recommended .005, should you be able to spin the spider gears freely before pulling the locking clip off the PG to release the spring tension of PG blocks to large spider gears?? yes, a OBX is next!...thanks, mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-E Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 The only hearsay resembling a first hand account that I've heard was basically: it acts like a cross between a helical and a really weak clutch lsd. The engagement is just increasing the level of friction like a helical, but without being as progressive, and once you exceed it's "grip", you're just shredding metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 The PG is a piece of crap and generally just screws up the diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 ^Pretty much what I have heard. At best it eventually stops holding, at worse it disintegrates and throws pieces into the diff. Even the local parts seller who used to sell and install these seems to have stopped. I mean I would have a AAA card and be wary if you plan on running it, but to answer the question, yes the axles will spin with the clearance, they should no longer spin once you pry the retaining tabs off. If they do, then you have a problem. You should not have ground the PG unit, the side gears are larger and can take more machining then the PG unit can. Just be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 Seattlejester...thanks again for the info...AAA card is kept in the glove box...LOL, its bailed me out a few times!!...most of the grinding was on those gears because i wanted them flat, as the minimal instructions suggest....i'll post results once i put this one into the car...waiting on seals to arrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted November 28, 2014 Author Share Posted November 28, 2014 ..i clearanced the gears just a little more using my belt sander mounted flat on my vice..reassembled it and those carrier gears spin freely with the clips still inplace...removing the clips and it locked firm...just need to reinstall and see what it will or wont do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow78z Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 I used a PG unit in mine and it worked good when the car was only making 328 whp. It tracked nice and straight every time and was a cheap alternative. Now my setup is over 600whp and the PG doesn't hold for crap. The first time I put the slicks on it and made a pass it almost immediately pushed hard left. I puckered greatly on that one. I tried again just to make sure I didn't hit some liquid on the road and came up with the same results, hard left. I ended up welding the spiders to fix that problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 I used a PG unit in mine and it worked good when the car was only making 328 whp. It tracked nice and straight every time and was a cheap alternative. Now my setup is over 600whp and the PG doesn't hold for crap. The first time I put the slicks on it and made a pass it almost immediately pushed hard left. I puckered greatly on that one. I tried again just to make sure I didn't hit some liquid on the road and came up with the same results, hard left. I ended up welding the spiders to fix that problem. .thanks for sharing your actual usage of this thing..was your the upgraded version???....i'm somewhere around 275, so maybe i'll be lucky for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slow78z Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 .thanks for sharing your actual usage of this thing..was your the upgraded version???....i'm somewhere around 275, so maybe i'll be lucky for awhile. I'm not sure if mine was the upgraded version or not. I've had the unit for almost 4 years so maybe that will help. I also tried many times to call and email phantom grip and they are non existent. There is somebody reading emails though because I got put on their junk mail list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcx Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 (edited) yeah, its kind of sketchy the lack of customer service.. like their lawyer hiding? LOL! anyhow, four years use sounds good by me, i followed this install but my PG definitely looks meatier... http://z31.com/mods/drivetrain/phantomgrip/ btw , love your car! Edited December 2, 2014 by mcx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skirkland1980 Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 I was interested in this but for $50 more I'm going with the obx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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