83 280zx turbo half shaft CV's

[grannyknot]

I picked up a pair of these half shafts to go with an r200 diff with an OBX.

I have found a place that still carries the CV boots but wondering if this is a rebuild that can be done by a backyard mechanic?

How the heck do you get into the inner boot?

Thanks,

Chris

[Zed Head]

They use a hack saw in the Service Manual.

[grannyknot]

Okay, I just found the FSM, wow, a hack saw with special note not to scratch anything.

I'll do my best.

[Darrel]

hybridz has a how to in their archives with pics.

 

Although I would advise against using this particular mod. boots will fail early, won't be able to change axles out without having to pull the spindle pin, to install you have to pull the spindle pin. You can't compress them enough to install without pulling the spindle pin or lower control arm.

[Zed Head]

You bring up a good point but might be thinking of the 300ZX 4-bolt CV shafts that come with the 86-89 300ZX turbo cars.

 

grannyknot/Chris is using the 280ZX 6 bolt (3x2 pattern) CV shafts.  They came on the 280ZX turbos and 2+2's.  People use them on 240Z's if they change the companion flange at the wheel.  Apparently the 280ZX and 240Z's used the same shaft diameter and spline count at the wheel axle.  You can also use them on 280Z's if you get an adapter.

 

But the stock length seems to be okay.

[grannyknot]

A couple of posts I've read say that you can get away with using the 280ZXT companion flanges if you remove the zx dust shield and weld on the 240z dust shield, there maybe interference at full droop but not during normal driving... unless you start flying over hills. If it doesn't work then I'll get or make the shortened companion flanges but they want like $400-500 each for those things so I'll try these first.

Chris

[Zed Head]

That's what I thought you were thinking of.  I have a set of 2+2 280Zx CV's in the garage and the companion flanges, from a diff I bought as a spare.  But I have a 280Z so they're not much use to me.

 

The 300ZX Trubo shafts are longer than the 280ZX turbo shafts, I believe.  I don't think the 280ZX shafts have the length problem.  Guess you'll find out.

[Darrel]

been there done that. 2+2/turbo companion flanges, used the 240z dust shields. 

 

I went back to the stock u joint set up.

 

The thought I had was less maintenance hassle with the cv/tripod set up.

 

Let me know how it goes.

[Zed Head]

I went back to the stock u joint set up.

Why?  

Edited November 20, 2015 by Zed Head

[grannyknot]

So, I finally got the rebuild kits from Summit, only took 2 months but at least they still exist.

Did some measurements of the half shafts, 240z shock shaft and 280zxt shaft with modified companion flange,

D/S 240z shaft fully compressed, 21.5"

D/S 280zxt shaft fully compressed, 22"

P/S 240z shaft fully compressed, 22.250"

P/S 280zxt shaft fully compressed, 23"

So, 1/2" difference on D/S and 3/4" on P/S, doesn't sound too bad.

 

[Zed Head]

3 minutes ago, grannyknot said:

So, I finally got the rebuild kits from Summit, only took 2 months but at least they still exist.

Did some measurements of the half shafts, 240z shock shaft and 280zxt shaft with modified companion flange,

D/S 240z shaft fully compressed, 21.5"

D/S 280zxt shaft fully compressed, 22"

P/S 240z shaft fully compressed, 22.250"

P/S 280zxt shaft fully compressed, 23"

So, 1/2" difference on D/S and 3/4" on P/S, doesn't sound too bad.

These are fascinating numbers because they open a very old can of worms.  Several people measured a bunch of 240Z and 280Z halfshafts and decided that they were all the same length.  You're showing a difference.  Are you sure that they were fully compressed.

The reason they measured is because when you put an R200 in  to a 240Z the halfshafts often bind at full compression.  So you're showing that your CV axles are longer than your stock u-joint axles, which should make the problem worse for you.  Maybe why Darrel went back to u-joints.

You've raised many questions.  I'll see if I can find the old info about halfshafts.  Many people even modified their u-joint half-shafts by cutting the ends off of the inner shaft.

[Zed Head]

Found it.  Thanks to John Coffey for saving the old information from his Beta Motorsports web site.  Scroll waaaayy down to March 5, 2014.

https://www.facebook.com/BetaMotorsports-LLC-143989191670/

Actually, this "permalink" might work - https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10151884802416671&id=143989191670

I re-read your post and wonder where you're measuring from though.  The best measurement is from flange surface to flange surface with them squared-up to the shaft.  That gives a number to compare between shaft types.