R200 front diff install -Lockable front diff

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joshy

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Gday,

Figured i should put this install on here aswell.(cut and pasted from when i put it up on the other forums hence the incorrect tense..)
Seeing as the R180 front diff is Pi$$ weak and cant take a locker, im putting the R200 front diff in it out of a V6 nav. Thanks to dave for putting in the research and Kickars2 for finding one with a 4.3 ratio. now im trying to put it in!.

The R200
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Pulled the old diff out without much hassle, Just dropped both crossmembers and it came out nicely. Once it was out and apon closer inspection of differences...
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The flanges off the diff where the CVs bolt onto have different bolt patterns(dave has told me not all of them have the different stud pattern) The other main difference is that the R200 is 20mm shorter from left to right then the R180. I tried swapping the diff axle shafts put they have a different spline count(R200 is nice and beefy) And the flanges are not swappable as they are part of the axle.
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So i figured just use V6 cvs! but...
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The V6 cv is the smaller one....so i dont know how that works, Its either out of a d21 or the V6 navs have a narrower wheel track as the overall difference when you add the cvs is pretty big!


So i tried to swap the ends of the cvs over but the driveshafts have different spline counts so that ruined that. Currently im trying to get the right setup with the cvs, hopefully using original driveshaft and different cv bolt pattern as that should make them long enough. Pick the new ones up tomorrow, and see how i go.
 
Sooo i got it in and took it for a test run last night, works a treat. now for the locker.
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Putting the R200 in was very straight forward, bolted it onto the cross members then lifted it up and with a bit of jiggling it went in with clearance everywhere its needed. The cvs i ended up using are a combo of the v6 and diesel cvs, using the v6 diff side cv joint and then the rest the diesel. Diff set me back $750 and cvs $240 each...So not cheap but way cheaper then a SAS..which would be the only other way to get a locked front diff and alot more straight forward.
 
Just an update...locker is in and working fine:wink: pick it up tomorrow.
 
Yep sure will. interesting to see how the cvs hold up.

Sooooo whos next?
 
Probably me, my tax refund is heading towards it.

Locker wont be for a while though.

R200A housing and new Pinion and Crown wheel will cost enough.

Dave.
 
yea i wouldnt have been able to do it yet if i had to change the ratio...ill keep my eyes and ears out for another. Duno wat itd cost to ship from the states with the right ratio in it already..?
 
Not sure on shipping but I am getting the center from a guy off outers who works for a Nissan dealer, he has tracked down the part number through Nissan.

Gonna get a housing out here.

Dave.
 
Sorry to hijack your thread Josh but here is some info on what your R200A is out of.

Its out of a VG30E 4x4 powered D22.

Look out VG30E powered I am coming to get parts.

D22.jpg


According this the VG30E powered D22's never got the H233B rear diff. I swear I have seen them in a VG30E powered D22's. Anyways the TD25T, TD27T, QD32 powered got the H233B rear diff. The VG33E powered D22 did aswell.

The ZD30DDT, YD25DDTI CRD powered D22 shit all over the motors above and they got the C200 rear diff. The KA24E, KA24DE versions got the C200 aswell.

I have seen WD21 Pathfinders (VG30E) with R180A front diffs, I am not sure when Nissan went to the R200A diff for the VG30E/VG33E motor's. Will keep looking into it.

Dave.
 
its all good dave, your not hijacking, thats what this thread is for. Sorry i cant help with the year model mine is out of...the place i got it off didnt know. ive never heard of the vg30 only the vg33
 
hey joshy was thinking about changing the front diff also, so i can lock it. how long did it take you to swap the them over and did you have a mate helping you. also is the R200 a lsd or just open like the R180
 
Maybe an hour -2 with a mate helping, swap itself is pretty simple. Add extra time for locker fitting but do that before you put the diff in. You dont have to take the cvs out to swap them, If you get lucky the old ones will bolt up if not youll have to pull them off and get the end cap changed to the petrol version. R200 is open.
 
i know this is rebooting an old thread but im just curious as to what you mean by recap the ends to suit a r200a diff? shouldnt the diff patterns be the same throughout if the diff centres have the same ratio? so for my model 09 d22 it has a r180 front with a 4.3** diff ratio so that means i should be looking for a r200 with same ratio out of a VG30E? and hope its a direct swap? how many kms is to many kms on a front diff before it should be rebuilt? am i better off buying it and getting it rebuilt then installed?

thanks
Rusty
 
Front diffs aren't used much so a visual inspection on a secondhand one should be sufficient enough rather than paying for a rebuild. Check for pitting on the gears, any signs of corrosion caused by water ingress and excessive backlash.
 
i know this is rebooting an old thread but im just curious as to what you mean by recap the ends to suit a r200a diff? shouldnt the diff patterns be the same throughout if the diff centres have the same ratio? so for my model 09 d22 it has a r180 front with a 4.3** diff ratio so that means i should be looking for a r200 with same ratio out of a VG30E? and hope its a direct swap? how many kms is to many kms on a front diff before it should be rebuilt? am i better off buying it and getting it rebuilt then installed?

thanks
Rusty

Yep or get a Pathfinder diff and swap a C200 centre into it with the right ratio.
 
the cvs have different bolt patterns. my standards were 6 bolts i think from memory? and the r200a was 5 bolts so the cv flange had to be changed
 
So the cv flange needs customising? Are they the same length and everything? Who would change the flange? Can you not put the shaft from the r180 box into the r200 and that way it has the same flange?
 
it might, Dave said he found one with the same cv pattern i think. Any place that does cvs should be able to do it. lengths etc are the same, its just the bolt pattern. the output shaft on the r180 is smaller then the r200 and from memory bolts up differently. there is detailed pics in my build up
 

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