CV shafts in the works

[Icehouse]

Well I've been dreaming of CV shafts for a few years. After talking to a few different datto dudes I have a idea or 2. I decided to go with a r180, I have heard such good things about the r160 I can't imagine the 180 with a LSD being a problem. Me and bleach discovered that the zx hub splines are the same. So in theory you all the ingredients are there. The R180 I got is out of a... yep s12 :D The s12 is a few inches wider so I'm hoping that the axles won't be to much of a problem. I took apart a few extra's I had today just for fun :D here are the pics.

 

 

The R180 with half a DL and the axles.

 

 

 

The shorter one is out of a 80 720 4x4 with the L20 ( I know I would have got the tranny but judging from the transfer case and diff it wasn't in to good of shape)

 

 

The 4x4 one is slightly shorter but the spines are bigger... I will mark it and save it for later research :D

 

 

 

I can't forget these beauties, I bought them from Byron :D If they are everything he says I'm go to be very happy!!

 

 

 

P.S. Thank you Tangent for the camera, it works great :D

[kiznook]

YAY!! camera...tangent you totally saved the day.

 

looks interesting Jeff. keep us posted.

[Icehouse]

I should have a better idea as the week progresses :D I should have the arms on the crossmember and hopefully bolt everything up to see what I need :D I think the only problem will be the axle length, I wonder if the r200 axle will work..... I think if I take it apart I can swap the shorter axle onto the r180 deal :)

[]2eDeYe]

Sweet, Icehouse can take pic's :cool:

 

Time to update all your project threads with new pictures :D

[Icehouse]

I love pics to :)

[Icehouse]

I think I have it figured :D Well thanks to Kevin who donated some cv's to the cause :D yeah!

 

Here are the pics

 

 

 

 

 

Thats Franks foot :D

[Icehouse]

Not only is it a First place winer its a great to have on the team :D

 

 

 

 

 

z31 compared to the shortest zx shaft.

 

 

Kevin texting while I'm doing all the work :D

[]2eDeYe]

Nice vice ya got there :D

 

So these are going in the 68 now?

[Icehouse]

You know it buddy :D Most of the parts you see in the picture are for "test fitting" I am suposed to be getting some arms with disk brakes and now I need one more short cv from a zx turbo or 2+2

 

 

Well...... I also need 585 for the LSD :(

[Bleach]

For reference:

Z31 long shaft

Z31 short shaft

280ZX short shaft

 

and yes, I'm texting your girlfriend right in front of you. :)

oh, notice my Pentium MP3 player, two 280zx hoods, and a Fairlady Z in the background

 

I dont' need a truck to stand on my crossmember, I just have my fat friend Icehouse stand on it while I unbolt things. Thanks for the motivation to do my 5-lug swap/big brake upgrade!

 

Ice, I also read in that Zdriver post that the Z31 CVs are five bearing instead of 3 bearing in the 280ZX... so he used them for an upgrade. I think its a bit unessisary. I'm just going to install what is easy.

[Icehouse]

If its strong enough for the 280zx turbo it should be more than enough for a dime. I would have to get the z31 axles shortened if I want to go that rout..

[]2eDeYe]

The shafts aren't splined into the bearing cross? (I made that last bit up cause I don't know what it's called :P)

[Bleach]

like most things in a 280zx turbo, they're good for around 330 foot pounds of torque. You'd be more likely to blow the R180 out before breaking a CV shaft. As long as you don't try to do a wheel stand all the time I think you'll be ok.

 

so I guess we need to hit the Tacoma yard a few times this summer. :) Maybe I'll find an R200 LSD... ya, and maybe I'll find a 1968 510 2-door in my back yard

[thisismatt]

Hey icehouse or bleach...ever finish this idea? I might pick up some CV's tomorrow. I already have zxt arms and flanges, but didn't think to grab the CV's at the time...besides that the yard I was at was a huge ripoff.

 

What's the deal with the lengths - one side has a shorter shaft I take it? The diff splined shafts are different lengths too, right? So your plan was to swap the short shaft onto the opposite side? Do you know if the z31 shafts have the same splines inside the CV joints?

 

Reman shafts are expensive for these :P

[69FJWagon]

You know it buddy :D Most of the parts you see in the picture are for "test fitting" I am suposed to be getting some arms with disk brakes and now I need one more short cv from a zx turbo or 2+2

 

 

Well...... I also need 585 for the LSD :(

 

Hey Ice nice work...as far as the LSD...Rieder racing has LSDs for the r180 they are the same company that sells the LSDs for the h190s and I dont think they are $585. what kind of LSD are you planning on using? I have the nissan comp units in my r180 3.70 and my r180 4.38 and am completly happy with them but they are pricey

 

Clayton

[thisismatt]

The r180 have the same spline count as the r200? 25 or 29?

[Icehouse]

Hey icehouse or bleach...ever finish this idea? I might pick up some CV's tomorrow. I already have zxt arms and flanges, but didn't think to grab the CV's at the time...besides that the yard I was at was a huge ripoff.

 

What's the deal with the lengths - one side has a shorter shaft I take it? The diff splined shafts are different lengths too, right? So your plan was to swap the short shaft onto the opposite side? Do you know if the z31 shafts have the same splines inside the CV joints?

 

Reman shafts are expensive for these :P

 

 

Well I didn't review anything I wrote months ago when I was in hot pursuit of CV shafts :D I mainly stopped because I couldn't find a C clip LSD for under 1k I'm a cheap bastard :D In the photo's above I use the short shaft from ether a 280zx turbo or 2+2 ( the standard non turbo zx still has dogbones, I guess its the crossover car :D ) The short side combined with the 180 input for the diff just barrel fits. I never got a chance to test it 100% It seemed like it would work though :D I don't think an R200 would though, its much to wide. I spent a lot of hours just figuring that much out.... they sure look sexy though :D

 

 

yes the R160 and R180 have the same splines the R200 has bigger ones.

 

So basically from what I tested you will need 2 short zx shafts mixed with the inners of a 180 shaft so the splines will fit. You can also go 5 lug this way.

 

 

 

Hey Ice nice work...as far as the LSD...Rieder racing has LSDs for the r180 they are the same company that sells the LSDs for the h190s and I dont think they are $585. what kind of LSD are you planning on using? I have the nissan comp units in my r180 3.70 and my r180 4.38 and am completly happy with them but they are pricey

 

Clayton

 

 

I will look up the Rieder unless you want to post a link :D I'm cheap thats why I just dropped a subi diff in :D I want a R180 LSD bad! If you ever want to sell one..... haha :D I need one with the C clips though.... Persision gear keeps saying they will get them but never do :(

 

The r180 have the same spline count as the r200? 25 or 29?

 

 

I don't know if the R200 is 29 but its more than the R180 thats for sure, I think the R200 is a little over kill for a dime.

[thisismatt]

So I'd need to find two r180 CV shafts as well? :P Blargy.

[Pacific coast Datsun]

Watch out guys Jeff has a new camera & likes taking foot pics :D JK. For a second i thought your 620 was getting a IRS ! I love the way you guys take different Dat. parts & mix/match..im a cheapo too :cool:

[Icehouse]

So I'd need to find two r180 CV shafts as well? :P Blargy.

 

I never fully tested my theory.... As far as I can tell it will require an r180 2 r180 cv shafts and 2 r200 short shafts. I want to make it clear that I haven't fully compleated this project and don't know if it will work. The hybrid cv shafts are a tight fit. Report back with your findings.

 

How did you find this thread by the way? I see you on the realm but not over here.

[Bleach]

as for my mentioned 5-lug swap on the Z, I sold the car and bought a different Z that already had 5-lugs. :D

[thisismatt]

I never fully tested my theory.... As far as I can tell it will require an r180 2 r180 cv shafts and 2 r200 short shafts. I want to make it clear that I haven't fully compleated this project and don't know if it will work. The hybrid cv shafts are a tight fit. Report back with your findings.

 

How did you find this thread by the way? I see you on the realm but not over here.

I have a thread on the realm about this subject and duke responded that he thought you had experimented with it in a thread on this forum, so I searched and found it here. To my utter disappointment you hadn't actually finished it :fu: :D

 

Initially I started thinking about it after I saw the following site...I guess in japan/aus they have a skyline or something with short enough shafts to bolt right in with an R200:

 

http://www.rumblemotorsport.com/datsun/drvtrain.shtml

 

I found some zxt shafts from a guy for a good price (3 for the price of 2 at my local yard), so I'm going to pick them up...and start searching for an R200 LSD I guess :D Yeah yeah, I know...don't knock my dreams!

[Icehouse]

your going to need even shorter shafts for a r200 I don't think the zx ones will be short enough.

[thisismatt]

Just got back from a yard looking for R200's and z31 4-lug hubs. I noticed an 86 sentra FWD and the CV ends looked similar...I wonder if the shaft would swap. I'm not sure on the length, but the driver side is pretty short. Didn't have time to mess around with it, and I'm not sure they'd be happy with me ripping apart the CVs :D

 

There was also a nissan frontier with vq40de and manual trans...looked like it had been rolled. I asked the guy how around how much he'd want for the engine and trans...he said something like $2800...vq 510...mmmm. The truck intake is super tall, though...

[thisismatt]

So I've been fooling around more with this idea...I found these nissan shafts:

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CV-Axle-Nissan-Hardbody-Pickup-Pathfinder-Infinity-QX4_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33729QQihZ002QQitemZ120229452164QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

 

I emailed the seller and he claims the bare shaft is 13.5" long and 27 spline. I partially disassembed one of the 280zx long shafts and roughly measured about 14.5." I didn't disassemble the short shaft, but when compressing it while still assembled it only seemed about 1/4" shorter than the long shaft. They're also 27 splines, but I don't know the diameter...I assume the splines are the same size, though, so they should be the same diameter...yes? no? bueller?

 

I was wondering if your 280zx cv's had snap rings holding the tripods on or not? Mine just have 3 spots on the splines that extend out from the tripod peened down to keep the tripod in place. I can't tell from your pics if the zx ones you have are snap ring or like mine. I might do a little junk yard browsing to see if I can find a shorter bare shaft, but if not this looks like it might work. Now I just gotta find an r200 lsd ;) Anyone have one for sale? :)