Nissan used differentials based around a 200mm ring gear in many of their vehicles. In this case, Sanford swapped a Z33 R200 differential with a Tomei Technical Trax 1.5way limited slip into the back of the car perched underneath an S14 rear subframe. Another benefit of this setup is that the 3.692:1 rear ratio is matched to the CD009 transmission that came out of the same chassis – a Z33. The differential swap comes courtesy of parts from GKTECH, including solid differential bushings. A Nismo finned differential cover helps keep the diff fluid at a reasonable temperature.
ISR Performance S14 rear suspension arms are used to replace the upper and traction and toe parts of the factory multi-link setup, and a GKTECH 15mm extended rear lower arm finishes out the package. Everything is using spherical bearings as opposed to bushings. There’s no sway bar at all back here.
Interestingly, Erin is using a Z32 knuckle/upright in the rear. It is made from lighter aluminum and also uses a fork-style shock mount. That shock mount uses a QA1 spherical bearing insert replacement designed by Defsport. All of the sphericals and this fork-style mount help to ensure that the damper is doing all the work it’s supposed to, and that bushing bind and other undesirable effects are not.
Ichiba 5-lug hubs are bolted to the Z32 knuckle/upright which holds a Z32 brake rotor and brake caliper. Behind the hub, the factory Z32 drum-based emergency brake has been deleted. Porterfield R4 brake pads are found inside the brake caliper. ARP extended wheel studs are used here and up front as well.
First, keeping both sides of the car tied together is a Sikky adjustable 32mm tubular front swaybar. That bar is attached to custom adjustable front lower arms, which themselves are controlled by some unknown aftermarket tension rods. QA1 bearings are used up front.
Defsport hardware allows Wilwood FSL4 calipers to be mounted on the GKTECH “grip” version drop knuckles. While drifters want extreme increases in steering angle, track racers are more concerned with things like bump steer and roll center correction, which the GKTECH knuckles provide. The Wilwood calipers clamp down on AP Racing J-hook rotors using Performance Friction PF01 pads.
You may have noticed the coilover in the previous picture. The setup is using ancient single-adjustable TEIN HE units, but the springs have been swapped out for 550lb front and 450lb rear QA1 springs. The rear includes a tender spring as well. Considering how well Erin has managed to get the car around the track, those old TEINs seem to be doing pretty well.
When it comes to meaty goodness, the S13 starts with Enkei RPF1 wheels at all four corners. Sanford is a regional Yokohama account manager, so Advan A052s get the nod. The front kit matches 18×9.5 +15 wheels with 265/35R18 tires, and the rear puts 18×10.5 +15 wheels with 295/35R18 tires.
6 comments
Nice to see some DefSport parts being used in anger. Cool build.
BTW – did you ever get the Astra power steering pump to quiet down? Based on my recent MR2 experience, I think maybe using Redline D4 ATF in it could have been the cause for the loud pump. It seems they like this special thicker hydraulic fluid blend (Pentosin makes one).
I found that mounting the pump a little higher in the car helps believe it or not.
It’s not all that loud, I couldn’t hear it over all of the other noise the car makes. I just sounds like a small turbine engine on startup then turns into an electric forklift noise after it settles in.
I never found it to be all that loud, especially compared to all the other noise the car makes. It sort of resembles a jet turbine starting up 😂
Mike – it’s mounted up about as high as it can be in the trunk of an S13. The SW20 MR2 installation has it down in the frunk just above the steering rack – but it has a big rubber condom over it to help muffle noise.
I probably wouldn’t have minded it on the track, but for a sometimes street driven car it seemed annoying to me. Then again, I had a hatch S13 so maybe it was a bit more open.
Any chance of seeing how the wastegate flow was prioritized? This is the 2nd recent MotoIQ car-ticle with a similar size turbo and gate. I feel I am running a near identical setup to this particular car though and similarly put extra effort into making wastegate flow entry a relatively shallow angle from my exhaust flow path. Truck manifolds, v banded, near equal length 2.25 inch up pipes, merge into 3″ before tapering down to undivided T4 flange. I have a precision gen 2 7675 CEA .96 a/r with full 3.5″ turbo back exhaust. This is on a 5.3 with ~10:1 compression and timing backed off for tuning, 12* base timing. I’m having trouble with boost creep with a precision turbo 46mm wastegate dumping to atmo. I have a 3psi spring in it and in full throttle 4th gear pulls from 40-100ish it can hold boost steady at 3.5 psi up to 5500rpm, on the way past that to my ‘safe for tuning’ limiter of 6000rpm it loses control and boost spikes to ~8psi, it will likely be even worse with a proper redline. I was contemplating going to a PW66.