This swap can be about a 6 on 1-10 on diffaculty. Pics will be posted Soon!
(3:90 R180)
(3:54 R200)

Parts you will need:

3:90 rear end
Half Safts from 3:90
Hub's from 3:90
Mount from 3:90


Tools You Will Need:

14MM Wrench
12MM Wrench
10MM Wrench
Socket's of Same Size as Stated Above
24MM Socket(for them hubs)(Impact)
Impact Wrench (Unless you got ALOT of *** to push a breaker bar)


First, Lift the car of course, Unbolt Driveshaft from Rear End (does Not have to be takin out of Trany) E-Brake Does NOT have to be takin off for this, Nor Exhaust system (but that might give a lil more clearence)


Unbolt the CV Axles from wheels, leave them attached to rear end. Unbolt the 4 Main Cross Member bolts on Rear end.(socket on bottom, wrench on top, the nut will just turn with bolt) It's suggested that you put a jack under the rear end Pumpkin at this time. Unbolt the Main Mount bolt


The rear end should slide out twards the back of the car with CV Axles still attached. After this is out, you will need the 24MM Impact and take it to the two Large Nuts on the wheel end of the rear end. You will see it in a Tunnle like hole. One for each Tire. There might be a more correct name for these two part's, But in this sticky, I'll call them Hubs. Bolt the new 3:90 Hubs on.


Now, Lower the gas tank. You do not have to take out. But if you have not cleaned out your tank before. Now is the perfect time. If not, Just lower it abit on the driver side. Just a few inches is fine, You can Leave Everyhting hooked up.

For where the Main Rubber Rear end mount bolts down , it looks like a single large cricket dick Bolt, This will have to be Moved. There's a plate that has two 14MM bolts holding it on, Take it off. Set it aside, you will reuse this. Now you should see that this long bolt is adjustable, There are two bolts that run on the side of the crossmember that hold this bolt, thay are aimed towards the front of the car, Unbolt these, The two botls travel together, Push back out of the crossmember, (this is why you droped the tank a few inches) This will free up a plate that you will find Inside the car. you will find it under the carpet, Between the gastank plate and seats. Pull this strait up, Turn 180 Degrees, Put back in. This moves that bolt towards the back of the car. Slide those two bolts back in, bolt back down. Bolt the plate with the two 14MM bolts back on, You will have to rotate this also. You can remount your gas tank.

Next. Slide the new 3:90 Rear end inplace. bolt in. Half Shafts can be installed. and Driveline may also be reinstalled. Make sure everything is tightly bolted down. and your done. Enjoy the new Gearing.

 

was your car originally an automatic? a 1983 2+2 NA 5-speed should already have an R200 3.9

Also, swapping in an R200 3.9 would be far less work.

 

are there any advantages in the r180? i thought that it was just lighter. But can it handle as much power as the r200?

 

No mine was a Auto. And All i had to work with was a R180 Rear end. So that's what i had to do. Much harder yes. But it's done. works fine, and now. If i can get a mod to make this a Sticky, I'll get pic's going tomarrow.

 

man, is every one here tring to get their sticky count up or what....i'm glad i have no knowledge to share lol.

 

You And Me Both I Have No Stickies And Don't Have To Knowledge Or The Time To Make One.. If I Did Though It Would Have To Be Installing A Sc If I Ever Get One.. Lol

 

yeah mine would probably be installing a vg30dett in a s130....or maybe a sandrail with just a vg30de, front engine and lsd in that beast.....i think the sandrail will be one of my next projects.

 

man... any write ups on how to throw a R200 VLSD from the Z32 N/A or just LSD R200 from the Z31 Turbo into a 240/260/280 Z coupe not the ones with the R200 already... yah know? it sounds like some wierd stuff is needed when i was on hybridZ but it was also very general just trying to cover all the rear ends there are.... go figure...
i think they are all long nose to not short nose... to closer match drivshat lengths and what not...

 

Well. Normaly i would not. But I am doing All this work to my Z, and was not able to find alot of info on it. Rear end Swap. Trany, Auto to 5 speed. and Intake clean up. So i thought i would post the infi, and a few step by step things about this stuff. Info I could not find myself.

 

i do believe their r230's or at least the one's from the j30 was?

 

R230 i thought was out of the Z32 TT not NA

EDIT: pshhh screw it... when i got the money ill just get a power brute LSD for my rear end for 400 bucks and i hear its very strong.. and then have my dads tranny guy install it for FREE!!!! and properly

 

yeah i think since i never sold that j30 rear shnit, i'm going to put it in the s130, major mods. but what ever, like either frank or someone did, with the 240sx rear shnit.....that'd be badd

 

Z32 NA is an R230, is LSD, and 4.0 gear ratio.

280Z's all had R200 3.54 in both the manual and auto. (keep it simple) for some reason they started throwing the R180 back in the mix with the 280ZX. Weird.

I did see an article online once about putting the VlSD in a Z. It talked about the half shafts you needed to buy, mods to do, it was a little bit of work and parts hunting (the guy that did it did a lot of research) but he did it and wrote an article.

And there has got to be a bunch of articles online of the R180 to R200 S30 swap... but that's not even for this section of the forum.

Not every tech article needs to be a sticky. R200 to R180 is not a common swap or really not a performance swap that I see. sorry...
now that it is up, Nismopick can link to it 5 years from now when someone asks about it.