R180 LSD with CV axles?

[zcarnut]

Is anyone using the later (from 8/76) R180 Nissan Motorsports LSD with CV axles? I was wondering if the R180 CV axles used in some of the 280ZX’s and first generation Maxima’s would fit into this LSD side gears.

 

BTW, in the Nissan competition catalog they say: “...side gears are 26mm [with] 25 splines [and] axles are secured with a circlip”.

 

And yes, I used the Search Function but I only found info on using the R200 LSD with the R200 CV axles.

[Doug71zt]

There are a couple local guys using the R180 CV shafts (Maxima) in their Z diff. I have never seen a 180 LSD, so I can't give you a 100% yes. I would count the splines on an open R180 and see what you get.

 

Doug

[zcarnut]

Thanks for the reply, Doug.

 

I measured a R180 axle flange that uses the single bolt to secure it to the diff and it has an OD of 26mm with 25 splines. This is also the same as the flange of the R180 CV axle. So, I would assume all the R180 axle flanges have these spline parameters.

 

The issue is now the LSD circlips. Are the circlips “internal” (clips located inside the side gears of the LSD) or are they “external” (clips located in groove on the axle flange). Also, the location of the circlip groove on the axle shaft is critical, as the circlip groove on the axle flange must line up with the groove inside the LSD side gears.

 

My guess is that the LSD diff uses the early (1970-72 240Z) style R180 axle flanges which I think use an external circlip and probably have a different location of the circlip groove. However, I do not have one of these early flanges readily available so I can’t measure one. I guess I could have a groove machined in the CV axle flanges if I need to.

 

BTW, it appears that the R180 Maxima CV axles are identical to the R180 280ZX ones, (at least by my measurements).

[Savage42]

I'm currently waiting for my R180 LSD with 3.36 gears to get here and will be using CV axles. I got them out of a 200SX with an R180 LSD. There are 2 types of LSD carriers, one that uses the standard bolt (like stock Z stuff) and one that has the internal clips for the later model stuff (grooves on the axle stubs). If you look at a Nismo catalog, they show different LSD carriers for the later R180s, so that's what you'd want to run CVs. Hope that helps.

[260DET]

That would be the late R180 which has a large 'K' marked on the top of the case? Pics of the conversion would be good so we can see the type of axles/half shafts used and how they are adapted to fit to the wheel hubs. Their length is OK?

 

Once a Quaife is within reach that conversion will be my next job.

[zcarnut]

I presently have a open R180 CV (i.e., the one that accepts the CV axles) diff and the ZX/Maxima R180 CV axles. These axles do not have a “left” or “right” side so the left axle is a tight fit (too long). To help this I rebuilt my left side CV axle using the center shaft from an non turbo Z31 CV axle (one from the left side). This shaft is about 1/4" shorter.

 

I do not know if the R180 CV axles from the 200SX would be a better fit (i.e., if they are shorter than the ZX/Maxima CV axles) for this conversion. Hopefully they are.

 

To join the R180 CV axle to the wheel stub axle just requires using the ZX (or even the Maxima) CV axle companion flange (R180 or R200, they are the same). Of course, you can only use the 240Z stub axles.

 

BTW, the only difference between a R200 CV axle and a R180 CV axle is the flange piece which fits into the differential and the length of the center shaft. Wheel flange, tripod bearings and boots are all the same.