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Replacing base non LSD with a LSD pumpkin

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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 11:32 AM
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Default Replacing base non LSD with a LSD pumpkin

anyone ever done it? i am looking forawrd to replacing my crap nonLSD out of my base Z with a LSD model...
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:05 PM
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I honestly would not even bother. You might as well go straight to a proper aftermarket LSD. Search around these forums and you will see that is what most people do.
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:08 PM
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I did it in my driveway, this past March. Took two or maybe three hours, not hurrying. Simple hand tools, a pair of jackstands, a floor jack, and a friend to help with the lifting/positioning of the pumpkin. I was lucky to find a nearly new VLSD for $400 locally.
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:10 PM
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ya i got a 06 base. i did alot of reserch and its going cost you just as much as getting a aftermarket LSD. you need to change the drive shaft wich is super pricy unless you get a used one.

i just installed a ATS 2way LSD and its awesome other then the stupid noise. i heard that cusco makes a pretty good one.

make sure you get lots of practice driving a LSD diff with out traction contol and slow down in the rain!!!
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:19 PM
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If you get the whole VLSD pumpkin, it's going to be a lot cheaper than aftermarket, and a much simpler task, too, as the pumpkin doesn't have to be opened. It's a simple bolt-in, and you don't need to change the driveshaft or any other parts.

Granted, the VLSD is not the best available, but it's a huge improvement over the open diff for normal street driving. I've got Quaife differentials in two of my other cars, and eventually I'll drop one into the Z, but I couldn't pass up the deal I found on the VLSD, and now I've got the base open diff available to upgrade at my leisure.

Some LSD assmblies will require some additional parts, such as the halfshaft flanges, bearings, etc, while others don't. It depends on the diff and what you've already got in the car. The Quaife, for example, drops into the OEM open diff pumpkin with no additional parts required. A Quaife, with no labor, is likely to run ~$1200, but others can be had for more or less.
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted by ~slick~
ya i got a 06 base. i did alot of reserch and its going cost you just as much as getting a aftermarket LSD. you need to change the drive shaft wich is super pricy unless you get a used one.

i just installed a ATS 2way LSD and its awesome other then the stupid noise. i heard that cusco makes a pretty good one.

make sure you get lots of practice driving a LSD diff with out traction contol and slow down in the rain!!!
Change the driveshaft to what? There is no difference in driveshafts between non-VLSD equipped Zs and VLSD equipped Zs.
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 12:28 PM
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I looked into this and landed on a Quaife. I love it and recommend it to anyone. Do it right once and be done with it.
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 08:06 PM
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well i was thinking about gettin a local VLSD for possibly around $200 because the installation kit for nonLSD is $438 so i figure ill save a little bit of money. So youre saying the Quaife is a complete drop in to a nonLSD pumpkin? no need for an installation kit to transform nonLSD to LSD diffs?
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Old Oct 10, 2010 | 09:22 PM
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Originally Posted by RobV_350Z
well i was thinking about gettin a local VLSD for possibly around $200 because the installation kit for nonLSD is $438 so i figure ill save a little bit of money. So youre saying the Quaife is a complete drop in to a nonLSD pumpkin? no need for an installation kit to transform nonLSD to LSD diffs?
Just to make sure we're using the same terms - the pumpkin is the entire differential assembly (input shaft, stub axles, ring and pinion gears, the differential, bearings, seals, etc.). The differential, is just that piece, as shown below (this is the Quaife, for example):



So, if you can get a local VLSD pumpkin locally for $200, and maybe pay another $200-300 to get the pumpkins swapped, that's a pretty good improvement for the cost. Not the best, but a big improvement over the base open differential.

But, if you want to swap just the differential, into your base pumpkin, much more work and $ are involved. To install the differential, you need to fully disassemble the pumpkin and swap the new differential onto the ring gear. After that's done, during re-assembly, the "lash" of the ring and pinion gears needs to be set, to make sure they're meshing with each other optimally. Extra tools (dial indicator, big torque wrench, etc.) and experience are required. Let's say you get a great price of ~$1200 for the Quaife, you may have another $500 or so to spend in labor to swap the differentials and uninstall/reinstall the pumkin in your car. Well worth the money, but at least 3X the price of a good used VLSD pumpkin swap.

As already mentioned, some differentials need extra parts, some don't, so you've got to check with the vendor. Quaife makes a few different 350Z differentials, but the one for 6MT cars is a direct drop-in if your car has the stock base open differential. No extra parts required. If your car already has the stock VLSD, you need to also have a set of stub axles from a base car to install the Quaife.

Last edited by dcains; Oct 10, 2010 at 09:26 PM.
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Old Oct 11, 2010 | 03:06 AM
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Quaife has been making direct drop-in differentials for VLSD, automatic and manual models for some time now.
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Old Oct 12, 2010 | 12:27 PM
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OP check this out..You'll find what you need on page 10 since you have a Z. http://g35driver.com/forums/drivetra...l-swap-10.html
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Old Oct 12, 2010 | 12:33 PM
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Originally Posted by ~slick~
you need to change the drive shaft




Originally Posted by e30cabrio
I looked into this and landed on a Quaife. I love it and recommend it to anyone. Do it right once and be done with it.
Hell yes! love mine...PURRFECT...I do still lust for 2way action since I drift...but this ones lifetime...and awesome for AUTO-X...I get best of both worlds (auto-x and drift)

Last edited by AcidJake75; Oct 12, 2010 at 12:35 PM.
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Old Oct 12, 2010 | 12:37 PM
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dude hands down installing an aftermarket LSD is the way to go..........

sure it cost more, but its what the dammn Z should have came with from the get go! the VLSD is crap, swapping to a VLSD is just money wasted until you realize that you want an aftermarket down the road and you will understand you wasted 200 bucks for nothing....

save up....go aftermarket lsd ...
-J
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Old Oct 12, 2010 | 01:50 PM
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yea but like i said, to buy a used VLSD is $200 but to convert my non VLSD to accept an aftermarket LSD is $438 fot the kit...right?
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Old Oct 12, 2010 | 02:15 PM
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ATS also has an LSD for 350z base model. No extra parts are required.
http://www.southerncarparts.com/350z...al-p-3216.html
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Old Dec 19, 2010 | 10:21 PM
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Any updates?

Im looking into getting this upgrade, however Im really tight in money right now, I ran into a OEM Used LSD from a 08 350z for $220...

I really hate stalling on my driveway when I drive in slowly,my driveway has an upward angle..and I hate this! One tire spinning in the air, and moving backwards back to the street!
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Old Dec 21, 2010 | 07:22 AM
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^ a factory vlsd will still have that problem as the fluid will shear and you will be open again.........what your describing is a lot of weight in the rear slowly crawling up a driveway at the right angle.......the vlsd wont hold strong enough to do that..

-J
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Old Dec 21, 2010 | 10:13 AM
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i got a 06 base and just ordered quaife diff with the 4.08 gears. like e30cabrio says do it once and do it right
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Old Dec 21, 2010 | 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by JasonZ-YA
^ a factory vlsd will still have that problem as the fluid will shear and you will be open again.........what your describing is a lot of weight in the rear slowly crawling up a driveway at the right angle.......the vlsd wont hold strong enough to do that..

-J
no s hit? ...ugh

thanks for the reply.
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Old Dec 21, 2010 | 11:28 AM
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Originally Posted by TheBlue350z
i got a 06 base and just ordered quaife diff with the 4.08 gears. like e30cabrio says do it once and do it right
Yup .
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