Will a G35x transfer case fit on a Frontier 4x4 box?

[Icehouse]

After driving the Pulsar for a couple months I'm in love with AWD.  You can literally punch it in the rain and it just goes.  Even with old tires and a lot of power for a light car.  So of coarse I dream of making an AWD 510.   I don't like the transverse engine so I've been dreaming of a system similar to the old skylines.  Which the easiest route would be to source a transmission from one of them.  Turns out like everything from that era prices are going crazy!   it's 1500 bucks for an AWD transmission.. Being into Nissan cars and trucks I wondered if the CD009 from a 2005+ Frontier would mate to a G35/37x AWD transfer case.  I figured an adapter plate would be required but that's actually pretty easy to 3D scan and make.  Of coarse since Facebook ruined the internet car scene, you can't find any post 2013 information at all!  I tried signing up to the G35 facebook group.... The only comment was "Buy a subaru if you want a 6 speed manual in an AWD car."  Which I would never do!!!   So this is where i'm stuck. Will the output splines from the Frontier box fit the G35 transfer case input shaft.  Nissan usually keeps things the same...  Yes... Yes... I could have some custom adapter made but I feel it would just be the weak link.  The input shaft on the two transfer cases is the same ID (I looked up the seals on rockauto) and although the two input shafts have a different lead in chamfer they do look very similar.  My next step is to go to a wrecking yard and try and fit them together.  They sell the transfer cases for 75 bucks and the 4x4 CD009 for 350.  So way cheaper and stronger then the old Skyline stuff, to be honest I'm not sure if the transfer case is stronger but my guess is it's probably the same one just adapted.  It's the same tech for sure since it can go from full lock to unlocked.  

 

 

Truck transfer case, notice the front drive shaft is on the left side

G35x transfer case front driveshaft is on the right side

Frontier box 

 

 

[INDY510]

Cool idea.  What engine?  QR25DE or a VQ?

[Icehouse]

1 hour ago, INDY510 said:

Cool idea.  What engine?  QR25DE or a VQ?

 

Although just at the fun thinking about it and doing research if I did the swap it would be SR20VET 🙂  QR is dumb and V engines are annoying to work on.  

[Lockleaf]

Why adapt to the Frontier trans?  Why not use the G35 trans?  I don't know anything about these.  Is there a length difference that makes it worth it?

[Icehouse]

11 hours ago, Lockleaf said:

Why adapt to the Frontier trans?  Why not use the G35 trans?  I don't know anything about these.  Is there a length difference that makes it worth it?

 

 

G35x the "X" means AWD only came in auto.... Yucky!!!  To make it a manual that's the idea I came up with.  Now just to see if it works.  

[Lockleaf]

Well that is just stupid.  The auto only thing i mean.  What you are attempting is pretty great.  Carry on.

 

 

[Icehouse]

13 minutes ago, Lockleaf said:

Well that is just stupid.  The auto only thing i mean.  What you are attempting is pretty great.  Carry on.

 

 

 

Yeah every car should have a manual option IMO.  Although I never buy new cars so I guess they don't care what I think.  

[Lockleaf]

I share this with you.  I've only ever owned 2 auto trans cars.  A 240sx and a subaru svx.  I converted both to manual trans.  And i don't buy new.

 

My wife drives a saab 97x and I've even done a bunch of research on converting those to manual.  That process is similar to what you are doing.  They adapt a corvette t56 to the awd transfer case.  I would probably just use a truck 5 speed cuz I'm cheap.

[Icehouse]

The splines fit!!!! Wow I was really surprised they did.  Only because I feel like someone would have posted that online somewhere.  The adapter is for sure going to be tricky but how fun would it be if it was easy.  Time to do some scanning!!  I didn't take a picture of the G35x transfer case in the 4x4 CD009 but I will soon.  It fit both RWD and 4WD trans splines.  Not full engagement in the RWD trans though.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[]2eDeYe]

I bet the g35 cd009has the same splines 😄

[]2eDeYe]

I wonder if the tailhousings swap?

[Icehouse]

On 11/27/2020 at 7:08 PM, ]2eDeYe said:

I wonder if the tailhousings swap?

 

The rebuild kit is the same for both RWD transmission so maybe.  I think you would be better off selling the RWD CD009 since they are worth crazy money.  I would hold up until I get some of it figured out ahah.  

 

 

On 11/27/2020 at 7:05 PM, ]2eDeYe said:

I bet the g35 cd009has the same splines 😄

 

I think so too! 

[]2eDeYe]

I gotta get the front suspension and engine mounted before I get to the trans position.

 

...and now I may just be looking for a front diff and G35X transfer case in addition to the truck trans.  😄

[Icehouse]

1 hour ago, ]2eDeYe said:

I gotta get the front suspension and engine mounted before I get to the trans position.

 

...and now I may just be looking for a front diff and G35X transfer case in addition to the truck trans.  😄

 

Have you checked out this build?  

 

http://the510realm.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=32574

 

[]2eDeYe]

Yes on FB or Instagram, way more pics in that thread. Thanks 

 

Edit: looks like AWD will be the next build, I have everything for RWD right now. 🙂

[Icehouse]

16 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

Yes on FB or Instagram, way more pics in that thread. Thanks 

 

Edit: looks like AWD will be the next build, I have everything for RWD right now. 🙂

 

 

I hear that.  I have two turbo RWD 510's so I'm set for RWD.  Gotta go above and beyond and do AWD.  Or see if it's possible.  

[]2eDeYe]

It's possible, just more parts and more work.  

[Icehouse]

The next step is connecting the transfer case to the CD009.  I wanted to do a simple adapter but of coarse the easy way rarely works out.  So my new plan is to remake the front plate with the correct pattern to bolt it to the trans.  This is the only way to keep the proper spline engagement.  I want to be able to do clutch dumps without worry about the connection failing.  I pulled the transfer case apart to have a look see, fun to see inside it.  The front plate only has a few key features.  My goal was to scan the part and draw it this week so this weekend I could maybe attempt at machining it.  Or at least print it for a test fit.  Instead it will have to wait.  The screen on my laptop broke, it's getting repaired now but won't be back till next week.   Here are a few pics.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Lockleaf]

From other research I've done, Subaru uses the highest articulation angle type of cv joint on both sides that can be used.  If the front diff is an r160 maybe the cv axles are already like that or you might be able to build a cv axle that can operate at a higher angle successfully.  So you might not have to go to the extremes that 620 did in order to put the car together, just run the axles with some angle built in.

 

Or perhaps you can run u joint driveshafts instead?  Clunky, might vibrate some, but might do avoid tearing up the body?

 

It's a dream of mine to get a 1200 and run a rotary with a Subaru transmission and 90s sentra front suspension for an absurd attempt at pointless awd fun.

 

My dd is a 2.5L Saabaru Turbo.  I've daily driven awd for years and love it.  I don't want everything to be awd, but i really want to build some other toys.  Looking forward to progress.

[]2eDeYe]

Broken laptop screen... sounds like something I might do lol

[Icehouse]

On 12/11/2020 at 12:44 AM, Lockleaf said:

From other research I've done, Subaru uses the highest articulation angle type of cv joint on both sides that can be used.  If the front diff is an r160 maybe the cv axles are already like that or you might be able to build a cv axle that can operate at a higher angle successfully.  So you might not have to go to the extremes that 620 did in order to put the car together, just run the axles with some angle built in.

 

Or perhaps you can run u joint driveshafts instead?  Clunky, might vibrate some, but might do avoid tearing up the body?

 

It's a dream of mine to get a 1200 and run a rotary with a Subaru transmission and 90s sentra front suspension for an absurd attempt at pointless awd fun.

 

My dd is a 2.5L Saabaru Turbo.  I've daily driven awd for years and love it.  I don't want everything to be awd, but i really want to build some other toys.  Looking forward to progress.

 

I'm going to leave the rear alone and just put a diff in with the same ratio as the front.  I'm going to try and keep the front simple too. I just want to run B13/14 struts.  I have a bunch of RWD datto's with turbos I like to drive as much as I can.  So lame in the winter at 10% throttle and having the tires just melt off.  

 

Sucky thing about Subi transmission is where the front axles come out of the transmission.  The motor will need to sit in front of the front axle.  I like the idea of keeping the motor where it should be.  I mean how hard can it be building an oilpan? haha.  

[Icehouse]

On 12/11/2020 at 11:43 AM, ]2eDeYe said:

Broken laptop screen... sounds like something I might do lol

 

My boy slammed it with something on the keyboard....   It's back in full effect now.  

[]2eDeYe]

What are you scanning with? 

 

 

[Icehouse]

3 hours ago, ]2eDeYe said:

What are you scanning with? 

 

 

 

One of the Romer arms at work has a scanner behind the normal probe, then I import it to a program that helps you convert it to a Solidworks file.  It's by far not easy though.  Slow and time consuming.  

[]2eDeYe]

At least it's something. 🙂

 

Excited to see where this progresses.