200sx lsd conversion??
Moderators: notoptoy, S Allen, Solex68
200sx lsd conversion??
Hello all,
I am a new member here but have been following the site for quite a while. I was on Gordon Glasgow's "Garage" site and noticed an article about rebuilding a LSD from an early (solid rear axle) 200sx but could not find anything about the compatability or actually installing this in a roadster. Is it possible? What about swapping the whole axle assembly? Can anybody out there please fill me in or point me in the right direction? Thanks for all your help.
Chris M
66' 1600
I am a new member here but have been following the site for quite a while. I was on Gordon Glasgow's "Garage" site and noticed an article about rebuilding a LSD from an early (solid rear axle) 200sx but could not find anything about the compatability or actually installing this in a roadster. Is it possible? What about swapping the whole axle assembly? Can anybody out there please fill me in or point me in the right direction? Thanks for all your help.
Chris M
66' 1600
- spl310
- Roadster Guru
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From what I know, the 200SX rear axle is too wide. Now, if you can find a 200SX disc brake rear with a limited slip, you may have something cool. Get it narrowed (any street rod shop can handle that) and you can have a neat setup. Does anyone have any knowledge what year may have a LSD in it?
Other than dropping the chunk, what is the best way to determine if a LSD is residing in a diff?
Other than dropping the chunk, what is the best way to determine if a LSD is residing in a diff?
"Wow, a Roadster!" Stuart Little
1967.5 2000
1967.5 2000
1964 1500
1964 1500
1967.5 1600
1968 chassis
2006 Acura MDX
2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon
1995 F350 Powerstroke!
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1967.5 2000
1967.5 2000
1964 1500
1964 1500
1967.5 1600
1968 chassis
2006 Acura MDX
2013 Volkswagen Jetta TDI wagon
1995 F350 Powerstroke!
More...
- Minh
- Roadsteraholic
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 5:48 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA (near Sacramento)
I've only seen the 240sx IRS 4.06:1 LSD transplant. Carl Jaeger has the info and parts I think...
http://community.webshots.com/album/26085125FmITCxrddM
http://www.geocities.com/jtjaeger/
http://community.webshots.com/album/26085125FmITCxrddM
http://www.geocities.com/jtjaeger/
'69 1982cc SU
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
- SLOroadster
- Roadsteraholic
- Posts: 5360
- Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2002 2:53 am
- Location: Napa Ca
LSDs
Leaving a pair of black strips is cool
. I didn't need those tires anyway... Now if only I could get 2nd gear to not grind as I shifted while leaving the pair of black stripes.
Will

Will
Sorry, I find modern engine swaps revolting. Keep your G, R, or U series in your Roadster!
- Minh
- Roadsteraholic
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- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 5:48 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA (near Sacramento)
No Problem... Just make sure you make the list of things to do. Fred will teach everything. Get a coupel Roadster manuals and read up a little. I jsut remeber something. Another reason not to run the car becuase water might be dripping into cylinder too becuase of the bad head gasket. Not a good thing to do. Tow it.best wrote:thanks for stopping by today Minh.
Next time PM the thanks. It is off topic on this post.
'69 1982cc SU
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
-
- Roadster Nut
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- Joined: Thu Aug 07, 2003 2:27 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA.
There has been a lot of talk over the years about what rearend can be swapped into the Roadster that you can get cheap. The 200sx was talked about, do to the factory 4.11 gear and the factory disk brakes. The other rearend talked about was the Mazda first gen. RX7 GS-LSE, do to the same as the 200sx it has factory disc brakes, Datsun bolt pattern, and it comes with a 4.11 LSD. I even have seen photo's of a 8.8 Ford Mustang 4 lug rearend in a Roadster. But the problem I have heard with all of these is they are all to wide. Any good rearend shop can shorten the housing, and axle's. But this makes the whole cheap install cost prohibative.
I hope this helps,
I hope this helps,
The 200SX Limited Slip you're talking about is an H-190 and will fit in a roadster axle. It has larger side gears though and that becomes the problem. I have one that has had roadster LSD side gears installed and the diff itself will work fine. I don't know but I'm pretty sure the third member is steel not aluminum on the 200sx's. Not a big deal and the diff can be put in the aluminum housing of the roadster. The smaller roadster side gears are not available new and are very scarce used. you could convert to the larger pickup axles but that would involve shortening the axles themselves. that still may be cheaper than finding a good Roadster LSD.
- Minh
- Roadsteraholic
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- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 5:48 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA (near Sacramento)
Just how long should the Roasdter should be? I'm looking at about 42 inches. Does someone have a better measurement?
'69 1982cc SU
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
LSD rear ends
I will doing some mearsuring here soon to see if it would be feasable to put a 510 independant rear suspension under the roadster. Rear track width is listed at 50.4 inches, versus the 47.24 roadster. Why do this? Subaru 3.70 LSD are still available for around $200 and are virtually indistrucable. I'm putting one in my 510 soon. Just thinking outside the box, uno.
scott
scott
- Minh
- Roadsteraholic
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- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 5:48 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA (near Sacramento)
What is the width of the Subaru LSD? From which Subaru?
'69 1982cc SU
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
- SLOroadster
- Roadsteraholic
- Posts: 5360
- Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2002 2:53 am
- Location: Napa Ca
Subi rear end
I beleve a subi rear end is a H180, and won't work in a roadster. They will work in a 510, but not a roadster.
Will
Will
Sorry, I find modern engine swaps revolting. Keep your G, R, or U series in your Roadster!
Subaru diffs
Will, you are partially correct. The Subaru LSD diffs are called R160, just like the "open", or non-LSD R-160 diffs for the 510. What I am thinking is that the whole independant rear suspension from the 510 could be adapted to the Roadster. The difference in rear track width is 50.4 for the 510 versus 47.25 for the Roadster. BUT..........like Karl Jaeger did with the 240SX independant rear swap, it might be possible/feasible to do the same with the 510 unit, that is, narrow the crossmember and half shafts so that you end up with a 47.25 rear track width, OR, just go with the 50.4 width and use wheels with the correct offset and/or roll the rear fenders. The whole point of this brainstorming is to come up with a LSD that is at least "available". Kind of a long way to go around the block, but might be kindof neat to have an independant rear AND a LSD for less than $1000 plus, the cost of a Roadster LSD...... Again, just thinking outside the box.
scott
scott
- Minh
- Roadsteraholic
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 5:48 am
- Location: Elk Grove, CA (near Sacramento)
To add on to that thought...
Hey, with a shorter axel... You can have wider tires!
That's almost a whole 1 1/2 inches per rim. That would mean an 8 1/2 inch rim max with 5 1/2 inch backspacing without flaring the fenders. Your actually tubbing the Roadster a little.
Hey, with a shorter axel... You can have wider tires!

'69 1982cc SU
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!
'74 1600cc VW Bug
http://www.311s.org/registry/1969/srl311-07837.html
When life hands you lemons, ask for TEQUILA AND SALT!