Harrison diff setup

[sambo]

Merv, these are the ones I'm planning to get. Poly Subframe bushes - Nissan - set of Four Driftworks Shop

My shopping cart shows cradle bushes plus all upper/lower control arm bushes couriered from the UK for 170 GBP. That's ex VAT.

If you plan on getting or already have adjustable camber arms you only need 6 of the upper control arm bushes (not 8) as the inner ends of the adjustable arms have a pillow ball joint.

For camber arms I think these are the pick of the bunch quality wise. NEOTECH NISSAN S13 180SX SKYLINE R32 REAR CAMBER ARMS | eBay

[Merv and Sharon]

Thanks Paul. Will check them out. I have R33 rear but assume they have those too.

[byroncobra]

Merv

The Nolathane kit contains bushes for all 4 corners of the subframe

I didn't replace the rubber bushes when installing new camber arms, they looked fine.

Sambo, i'm not sure that you want this.....

Standard Nissan subframe bushes are [U]super soft and allow the subframe to move around under the car when put under load[/u]. The Driftworks poly subframe bushes literally transform the feeling of the car, without sacrificing refinement for a comfortable road car.

my investigations led me to believe that locking in the subframe is better for handling

[sambo]

Yes they do Merv and mine is R33 too except Warwick put the shocker mounts in the wrong spot and I need to run R32 camber arms, even in stock form. I reckon they'd be less prone to flex anyway.

They have a very robust looking HICAS removal kit as an alternative to the fixed bar that I am running. It removes the tie rod ends and ball joints which apparently are prone to failure on the track.



And fitted:

[Merv and Sharon]

Thanks Paul and Greg. I have the White Line adjustable camber arms and had to make a bracket to move the upper shockie mounts out a couple of centimetres to get the right clearance. That made a huge difference and now I have the rear end set up right.

I think that I will only investigate renewing the bushes for all 4 corners of the subframe. It seems that they would be a pain to do as the diff mounts would have to be loosened and the whole subframe moved forward to get the new ones in (and the old ones out)!

I do like that HICAS removal kit. Murray (Muzza) will be interested too I think.

[Merv and Sharon]

Did you do all this Paul?? Impressed if so.

Fitting the Driftworks Total HICAS Eliminator Kit - Drifting forum - Driftworks

[Merv and Sharon]

Greg - I am rapidly going off this idea. Did you do this YouTube - ‪240sx Solid Subframe Bushing Install www.240SXTECHDVDS.org‬‏

[sambo]

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

Did you do all this Paul?? Impressed if so.

Fitting the Driftworks Total HICAS Eliminator Kit - Drifting forum - Driftworks

Merv I saw that tutorial today, what a mission... 11 ton press required!

Love the "benzomatic" technique of removing those cradle bushes, why mess around?

I've fitted a simple "lock bar" which retains the tie rods and ball joints but replaces the servo actuated HICAS rack. The photo below should give you an idea.

[byroncobra]

Merv

yeah that video pretty much sums up the job.....i chuckled when you posted that you'd move the subframe forward and drop the newies in
It's definately a whole subframe out job. I powdercoated the lot after doing this
as i knew oxy was going to be involved.

I guess you've got the Hicas substitution bar that Warwick specs. Mine is solid stainless with knuckles on the ends and tangs on them where they lock onto the subframe......same as Sambos pic only a bit thinner and less ORANGE !

[Merv and Sharon]

Paul I don't have the servo-activated HICAS. I have the straight lock bar that Warwick specifies. And on the subframe bushes, while the URL I gave above suggests that you can leave the old bushes in an fit stiffening ally collars over them, I think I will be leaving those as well for a while. I am certainly not removing the subframe after just changing the diff!

I am not pleased with the lower mount arrangement for the rear shockie, however.

[sambo]

OK so Warwick did the HICAS conversion for you. And for the record my lock bar is not orange.

What are you looking to change on the lower shocker mount Merv? I'm not keen on the long bolt but it appears necessary for clearance.

[Merv and Sharon]

That lower shocker mount looks a bit weak to me. You seem to have avoided that Paul.

[muzzza]

Sambo,

Sounds like you are on the right track with that R33 rear end.
I have removed cradle bushes on my R33 set-up.
( cut out the rubber, then cut thru' steel bush casing to remove - a pig of a job, but no other way )

Even with a press it would be very difficult as there are no real flat surfaces
to press on.

Pressed in solid steel bushes ( welded in place ) and solid mounted the whole thing. Also put a cross brace between the two upper forward suspension mounts.......... as I am sure they would flex otherwise.

Possibly a design weakness from the factory .......otherwise they would not have those dead weight bolts there !

Removed rear steering arm rod ends from carrier and pressed in spherical bearings with seals - Fabricated my own lock-out bar and used the R32 adjustable arms.

Set-up is now about 100% stronger with all connections in double shear.

Have also modified lower coilover mount on carrier.
Very easy to do and probably twice as strong.
Will post some pics in the next day or so

Muzzza

[Merv and Sharon]

Sounds very good Murray. Will look forward to seeing the photos. I felt that with the solid ally bushes on the diff, that I was getting a more solid feel. However, for the street I am NOT going to take out the whole subframe and burn our those bushes! You did well on that.

However, on the lower mounting point for the rear coilover/shockie, I am keen to improve the 'factory specifications". I can see now reason why I should have the long bolt and sleep arrangement (above). It can either bolt straight on to the existing part of the hub frame, without fouling anything.

[muzzza]

Have added a few pics of my mods in my photo gallery...............mUZ

[sambo]

OK I'm calling this one the "muzza mod".

Was it hard to press the old bolt out and I assume the replacement was a custom job?

[IMG][/IMG]

[muzzza]

Dead easy..........cut off the standard threaded section ( about 30mm long )............set up the hub / carrier in the drill press and drill straight thru.

Will need to do a smaller pilot drill say about 6 mm followed by 1/2 inch drill.
Metal is pretty hard........good drills....and cutting oil !!
( I/2 inch is also the correct size for AVO spherical bearings ......not 12mm like most are using)

I turned the spacers from 30mm 4140 bar
Wide base of spacer ensures that up / down and shear forces imposed by the coil-over unit are largely converted to tension along the bolt axis.

Result is a single shear connection with a lot less offest......distributed across a wide spacer, rather than a bending action with the original set-up.

Also improves coil-over location a little. Win Win

Muz

[muzzza]

Sambo, Meant to say connection is just a 4" bolt with spacers to each side of spherical bearing. Murray

[Merv and Sharon]

Very nice work Murray! Great geometry and stability.

[Merv and Sharon]

These somewhat stiffen the rear bushes without removal: http://www.option1garage.com.au/images/solidbushes.jpg