Thumper Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I am looking to upgrade my axles. So far as I see it I have two options. Upgrade the u-joints on my current axles to spicers $50 x4 or upgrade my axles to turbo cv axles $60-75 total. What would be stronger? What one would last longer? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 How do you figure 65-70 to go CV's? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 CV's are stronger by a good margin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thumper Posted March 15, 2006 Author Share Posted March 15, 2006 My local junkyard will sell them to me for $75 but usually I can talk him down alittle. And I figure I shouldn't need adapters since I know a few people who have run cv's without adapters and have had no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EZ-E Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 Cv's will always be stronger then your Ujoints, if you could do it for that price I would do that immediately. Definitly the better of the two . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 As soon as I went to the 280ZXT CV axles, I never broke another halfshaft. You'll need the companion flanges that go with it, and new wheel bearing seals (72mm X 40mm X 10mm). You must have the 240Z axles (25 spline) for all of this to work. I don't know when the switch was made to the 27 spline axles, but I think it was during the 260Z production. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider you options as it will become much more expensive (Ross' axles or adapters). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73Turbo240z Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 As soon as I went to the 280ZXT CV axles' date=' I never broke another halfshaft. You'll need the companion flanges that go with it, and new wheel bearing seals (72mm X 40mm X 10mm). You must have the 240Z axles (25 spline) for all of this to work. I don't know when the switch was made to the 27 spline axles, but I think it was during the 260Z production. Otherwise, you may want to reconsider you options as it will become much more expensive (Ross' axles or adapters).[/quote'] 240z axles? which portion? cause as i've understood from what you've read, you use 280zxt CV halfshafts. but companion flanges on which end need to be ZXT and which parts need to be 240z? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzcars Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 You'll need the companion fladges from the 280zxt. These will bolt to the 25 spline 240z short stub axels that the wheels bolt on to. If by chance the stub axels got replaced by any of the previuos owners to the 27 spline stubs, you'll need adapters made bt Ross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73Turbo240z Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 i've never done the rear bearings and seals on my Z so i'm not sure what spline count i have on the outer portions, i'm running a R200 from a 77-78 280z though, so is that going to come back to bight me in the butt since i'm guessing the companion flanges that plug into the diff of a 77-78 R200 are the 27 spline... and from the photos i've seen i need the companion flanges that then flare out to a 6 bolt pattern, which the CV halfshaft bolts too, then goes across to the brake drum area, where i guess you remove the stock companion flange entirely, and instead put in the 25 count splined end of the CV halfshaft? as far as i know my 73' was all original suspension wise, so if i can upgrade to CV's as easy as this is sounding, that would be awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrel Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 If I were to do it again I would go with the modern motorsport flanges. The way it's set up now with the 280zxt/2+2 axle flanges you have to drop the inner lower control arm to change out the axle or struts. You can't compress the axles enough to clear the zxt/2+2 stub axle flange. Using modern motorsport then you can use stock seals and not have to swap the dust cover from the 240 stub axle flange to the zxt/2+2 stub axle flange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Your R200 should work fine. The main point will be your stub axles at each wheel. If they are the 240 axles (25 spline), this will all work. If they are 27 spline, the you'll need to purchase other outboard parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzcars Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I guess pictures are worth, well you know. The left side of the axle goes into the diff. The right side bolts to the outside. the companion flandge is the small part at the extreme right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73Turbo240z Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I guess pictures are worth, well you know. The left side of the axle goes into the diff. The right side bolts to the outside. the companion flandge is the small part at the extreme right. and then that CV spline adapter (the small part on extream right) should slip onto the 25 spline 240z stub axles on the drum assembly of the rear suspension, correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Correct! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Thumper - I noticed you have a 260Z - 240 style or later 280 style? That will affect your decision. I have heard that the 280ZX Turbo CV's are getting harder to find and that the 300ZX turbo halfshaft/CV upgrade may be the better move for longer term availability of parts. FWIW - I put new Spicer "Brute force" u-joints on my half-shafts and have already broken one at around 20,000 miles after installation. I'm planning on going the CV route when I get time/$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 My problem is I want to get rid of the 240 stub axles. They simply are not as strong as the 280 ones. That means Ross's companion flanges at $300 or more for his billet ones. Add to the the price of the 280 stubs (Ross's billet stubs at $700 pair) and CV shafts and you are quickly down a grand or more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 If you go the 300Zx route you can get the welded up companion flanges for around $300 and then get the 300zxt half-shafts from a salvage yard for maybe $100. New set of bearings and you're in business for about $500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimp1911 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I am in the process of gathering parts for the Z31 CV conversion/R200 swap. After doing alot of reading. I have come up with the following. Let me know If am off. I have a 72 240z. Would lile to know where to get new bearings? 3.90 R200 Open Diff from a 88 Z31 NA 280z Mustache Bar Billet Z31 CV/Companion Flange Adaptors(Modern Motorsport) 280z Stub Axles (27 Spline Count) 280z Rear Diff Mount 280z Rear Diff Mount insulator 300ZXT CV 4 bolt halfshafts 1973-1978 Rear Control arm hanger (Not sure if I need this) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fastzcars Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 To add to the coment that phantom said, I had the 280zxt cv's and decided to change them to the 300zxt because I likeed the design of the 300zxt;s 6 bearing design cv's vs the 280zxt tri-pod setup. Although I never heard of anyone grenating the 280zxt cv's. It's just my own opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueovalz Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I may be hard headed here, but I resist the notion that the 280 axles are significantly stronger than the 240 axles. The examples of failures I've seen are split between the failure being on the threaded end of the splines (which then makes no difference on which axle it is), and on on the axle flange. The shaft (and bearing) sizes are the same dimension, so basically, the spline is the only part that is larger. So...what have I missed on this discussion over the years. 15 years of hard V8 use on the 240 axles and still going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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