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280z Manual R200 V8 Swap


beon

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Hi Guys

 

I am about to purchase a complete rear end setup from a 1978 280z. The owner claims the car was a manual, and I'm needing to know how to identify that the car really was a manual. I know that if the car was truly a manual, then the rear end is indeed a R200. Any tips or identifiers on the rear end or the car being a manual is much appreciated. I've listed a link where I sourced the majority of my info. 

 

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/49194-differential-cv-lsd-hp-torque-r160-r180-r200-r230-diff-mount/

 

Thanks, 

 

Ben

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It will be stronger than the R180.  Good that you got all of the parts.  Go down to March 5, 2014 on this page and you'll find one potential issue, if using the stock control arms.  Not enough room, binding half-shaft.

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/BetaMotorsports-LLC/143989191670

 

How did the Nissan engineers solve the "binding problem" on stock 280Z cars? Use 280Z control arms?

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I don't have the parts to confirm it but, assuming the wheel track widths are the same, 240Z and 280Z, the only thing left is the companion flange depth.  The 240Z companion flange must stick inward farther than the 280Z flange.

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I don't have the parts to confirm it but, assuming the wheel track widths are the same, 240Z and 280Z, the only thing left is the companion flange depth.  The 240Z companion flange must stick inward farther than the 280Z flange.

 

Here are some suspension differences between the 240Z and 280Z:

 

  • The 240Z is about 227kg. lighter than the 280Z and utilizes shorter, lighter springs.

 

  • The 240Z's front springs are 14.7 inches long for the driver's side and 15.2 inches for the passenger side.

 

  • The 240Z's rear springs are both 14.5 inches long.

 

  • The heavier 280Z's front coil springs are both 15.98 inches in length.

 

  • 280Z rear springs are 15.43 inches long.

 

  • 280Z strut insulators are longer.

 

  • The control arms are the same.

 

So did Nissan solve the half shaft binding issue with modifications to the suspension?  More droop in the control arms?

 

Do the modifications allow more travel to control arms before binding of the half shaft?

 

Are the 280Z companion flanges designed to allow more half shaft travel before bottoming out?

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Are the 280Z companion flanges designed to allow more half shaft travel before bottoming out?

That is my proposal.  Assuming that track width and wheel offset are the same, that's all that's left.  

 

Or the 280Z's bind also, but nobody has noticed it.

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That is my proposal.  Assuming that track width and wheel offset are the same, that's all that's left.  

 

Or the 280Z's bind also, but nobody has noticed it.

 

I have done  two 240Zs with R200 swaps and there have been no signs of binding or I don't notice. Might only surface in autocross etc.

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All I have are 280Z parts.  So I went to the only other source available, the FSM, and compared engineering drawings.  I don't have the software to manipulate these images the way I'd like but I think that I was able to match the bearing race sizes.  And they seem to show that the 280Z flange and axle assembly is actually slightly narrower than the 240Z.  It's not dramatic at all but might work out to a few millimeters in real size.

 

I'm not trying to make a case for anything, just trying to figure out what's different.  Feel free to take some shots.  I used a caliper to compare images on the screen and resized them until the bearing races were the same diameter.

 

1976 drawing on top, 1972 240Z bottom.  Note that you have to measure to compare flanges, the 240Z image is offset to the right.

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Edited by NewZed
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Or the 280Z's bind also, but nobody has noticed it.

 

 

I noticed it years ago and it only affects cars lowered about 2.5" or more.  And the effect is not noticeable to most folks.  I becomes an issue when auto crossing, road racing, or drag racing.  The driver's side halfshaft will bottom causing a bind.  This increases spring rate on that side of the car dramatically.  This has been discussed many times over the years here and I even did a writeup with pics and measurements. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151884802416671&id=143989191670

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I posted your Facebook work in Post #4.  It references 240 and 260, but no 280.  Hence the darkness about 280Z's.

 

It just seems odd that Nissan would add the R200 option to the S30 cars and create and leave in place a new problem.  Since they changed other stuff at the same time, it's not clear if they missed something or not.

 

Someday, I'll get a 240Z and do some measurements.  Or check for binding when i have my 280Z apart again. It's working too well to take apart right now.

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