I'd like to thank Chome for letting me know about a J30 @ LKQ with 5-bolt axles to be pulled. I was able to grab them on Friday and did the install of my 180sx dif yesterday evening. Here is what i had...



Open dif...(still cant believe that the original exhaust still hangs under my car, lol)...one of the six bolts missing from the passenger side as i had started removing it.



Here is whats going in its place...the five bolt axles and a 180sx diff. Thank goodness too because the new wheels i just got are taller than stock. And the original open dif is now quite sluggish, given the change.

I never posted a finish picture of my aluminum upright swap, but here is one:



All i can say is wow after the swap...the car feels more solid and planted under acceleration. funny the little bit of a push that you feel thru the turns. I cant wait to push it a little so i can truly appreciate what the VLSD brings to the car.

Thanks for looking.

-Royce

 

Awesome, you went and picked them up!

 

Yeah...the j30 was right in the middle of the import section like you said. Came out fairly easily...then thrashed the dif out of my car and the other one in. Never have done that type of swap before but it was straight forward enough.

It definitely makes me envy those guys that have access to a lift and transmission jack. I have jack stands and a decent floor jack but it wasn't enough to make wrestling with the dif a breeze.

Well worth the effort though!!

 

After driving around on the new diff a few days I wanted to post up about how things turned out. No odd noises, no clunks or thuds. The diff locks hard (which is a nice surprise) and smoothly (as you can expect with a VLSD).

Its funny how you can find weak links when you upgrade parts...my clutch is pissed @ me because of the new diff and its new gear ratio. It slips every now and then...annoying but not a surprise. It does have some miles on it and is due to be replaced when this engine gets its rebuild.

I did found a few websites that offered some tools to figure out the gear ratio based on speed and tire size.

Gear Ratio Speed Calculator

and from Discount Tire:

Tire Size Calculator - Discount Tire Direct


I didnt take to cover off the back of the diff...I just didnt want to kinx things, supersticious i guess . The seller said it was a 180sx and I trusted that and based on the math and findings...

I enter in info for speeds @ 2000rshared_pm and again @ 3000rshared_pm...2000rshared_pm in 4th and 5th @ 35mph and 46mph respectively and 3000rshared_pm in 4th and 5th @ 52mph and 68mph. 4.36 it is!! I'm happy and boy does the car set up nice thru turns and power out!!

-Royce

 

Looks good, just needs to drop drop it lowww. I was reading earlier on switching the ring and such from your old diff to keep the same ratio if its the same series diff. May want to look into that if it bothers your clutch.

 

need pics of the rims in the light

 

Jared - I hear you about dropping it low...especially in the front. Some skirts and a lip would help that too. I have read the same, about doing the ring gear swap. That was part of the reason I held onto my open diff, just in case. I'm just paranoid about opening up the diff and letting the JDM air out...lol. The clutch issue is not terrible, doesnt slip all the time...could need a new clutch slave, i'll check that first and bleed the system.

James (a64nova) - Seems like I'm always on the wrong side of the sun shine lately. I'll get some pix up soon. Over the weekend the color of the car accented by the rims turned a few heads. I will also try to get to QSL this week so they can be seen under the lights. I want to clean up under the hood before I go though, just incase someone asks to see what a KA looks like...lol.

 

lol i might make my way out there havent been in years

 

New pix...hope to get some better ones soon. Skyline brakes this weekend, maybe...





Think I'll be @ QSL tonight...inspite of the temps.

-Royce

 

Sigh...stalled while i wait for spacers...did pick up a Z master cylinder(thanks WhiteNgold), while i wait....pix of said MC:

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