After differential shopping for a while I have chosen the Wavetrac; despite the lack of information online about them compared to the quaife, and numerous clutch types. After visiting and talking with the guys at Z1 Motorsports yesterday I made my decision and brought a Wavetrac home with me. I would be installing it today but I need some parts from the Nissan dealership to do the install (bearings, seals and the like).


I am starting with an open differential so I will need to either modify my long axle stub shaft, or purchase two short stub shafts for stock vlsd. Luckily working in a machine job shop, I will be able to turn my existing shafts down on a lathe. I found this drawing online a long time ago and cant find it now, so my cell phone picture will have to do for now. I can scan it at work tomorrow for anybody interested.


The quality seems to really be here on this one, excellent machine work, putting a pair of calipers on it will tell the test tomorrow. I was initially alarmed because it looked like there was one of the ARP bolts missing that holds the case together. After a little research online I found that this is a locating pin for the two halves of the case.


I will be documenting my install, first impressions and impressions after daily driving, mountain, autox and track driving. I intend to be installed within the next two days.

Finally I have included this picture of a potato, enjoy.

 

Having used the WaveTrac in SCCA and NASA racing, I hope you've planned for additional cooling. Adding a pump and cooler is required for W2W racing, and I wouldn't want to count on long-term reliability without them either.

Also, use the recommended Motul lubricant as well! The potato won't need it, however...

 

Nice, I am also preparing a install on a Quaife unit. Are you planning on using the stock gears?

 

The Quaife doesn't require a pump and cooler long term?

 

Going to be running a cooling setup before the car hits the track. My understanding is that the v2s handle heat soak much better than the v1s. Do you know what version you ran? Wavetrac improved their design about two to three years ago.

 

Ok I pulled out my axle shafts and they look like they are already short... Can anybody offer up some insight before I put these on my lathe?

 

Why would you need to cut them if they're already the short ones?

 

I won't turn them if their the right shafts, I was wondering if anybody could confirm or deny that these are indeed the "short" shafts.

If I turn 1.700" off then I will be left with less than .250" of spline.

 

I could be wrong, so you may want to check one of the online Nissan parts sites, but I think the diff either has one long and one short, or two short. I don't think any of them have two long shafts.

 

I will let everyone know by lunch tomorrow if machine work is required or not. I left the Wavetrac at home today because I thought I would be turning down long shafts. More to come.

 

Cool thread, in for pics and results as well!

 

Ok maybe I missed it but is it a 1.5 or 2 way diff?

 

Neither, it's torque-sensing, similar to a Quaife or Torsen, But, unlike those others, if one wheel is off the ground, the Wavetrac will provide torque to the other wheel.

 

I started with a V1 in 2012 and returned it to WaveTrac for an upgrade to a V2. Even with the V2, I'd run a pump and cooler to prevent overheating.

 

BAM! Bearings pressed on, case shimmed and backlash set (.005). The difference between the open and vlsd is the open has TWO short shafts so no machining is required contrary to what Wavetrac says.

 

That's how it was with my Quaife install. Glad you got it done. I didn't realize you had an open diff. like mine (didn't pay enough attention), but the instructions you posted say "Viscous". Quaife sells two separate diffs, one for the open and one for the VLSD. Does Wavtrac just have the one part number?

 

I believe there is only one wavetrac for the 350z, the only thing I have left is the rings that hold the axles in place, apparently they are a different size from the vlsd to the open in our cars.

 

Update: I found out I was doing this wrong. The ring that holds the axle in place is the SAME size for the open and vlsd. When I talked with Wavetrac about the issue yesterday they told me the axle ring was a different size, but I dont think I was clear on my issue. When I took the shafts out of the diff the rings stayed in the diff so I tried putting a ring in the dew diff and pishing the axle on. The ring starts on the axle and gets pushed onto the shaft.

My axle understanding, a vlsd will come with one short and one long shaft. An open diff will come with two short shafts BUT the open diff short shafts are slightly longer than the short vlsd shaft. I faced .400" off each shaft and put a .125" 45° chamfer on the axles to fit the Wavetrac. To my understanding I am the first to do this, but if I did not the ends of the axle would bottom out against the gears/ bias plates in the diff. In an open diff they cannot bottom out against anything, I don't know of the vlsd. I have a vlsd in my z right now that I will disect after I swap housings.

 

I think you've just described why Quaife has two different part numbers for their diffs. You should let Wavetrac know what you did, so they can at least clarify their intsall instructions.

 

Update, I parked outside my dads house so we could ride together to a Xmas party and came home to this. I don't know when I will put the diff in. ****.