Who's Running A Kaaz?

[Birds]

Just out of interest, did you get it from a distributor in Australia?

Yeah there's a guy on eBay selling them.

Ah. My bad.

Birds when i log in that's the price that comes up. Maybe i've selected a cheapo shipping option or something

Weird!

[R31Nismoid]

Don't you have to be a trade member to get stuff off them Ash?

I'm sure Birds would have indirect access like i do

Shipping for a diff, via air, will be around $80-$100 from Japan IIRC.

[Birds]

Nah I don't man, never used Link...in fact that's the first I've heard of them. We don't use Motul products at work and have rarely need Nismo stuff...don't really do aftermarket differentials besides the Ford 9 inchers.

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

motul comp 75w140 is what I use... diff (nismo) loves it!

[Birds]

Clunking on corners has reduced a bit in frequency...can get away without it on more low speed turns. Hard to tell whether it's just the diff wearing in or the friction modifier I put in...probably both.

Will definitely try the Motul oil on the next change. Apparently changes have to be done every 3000km on these...yikes!

[ssxRicho]

Ran my second hand kaaz with 75w140 motul, smashed and clucked around like nothing else. Get it oil really really hot and it will stop clunking and just drag.

And yes it locked up hard.

[Birds]

That's interesting...cause mine is now pretty silent when cold (oil is thicker), yet quite noisy when hot after a while of driving (but no thrashing it around a racetrack). I'm still running the LS90, however, given this development I suspect switching to an 85w140 would produce good (read: quiet) results for me. Will make the switch soon and report back. I loooooove the sound it makes when the tyres drag while turning and there is no banging from the clutch plates involved.

The feeling so far is that these truly are a track car diff. Do not put one in your daily driver if you suffer from Skyline noise paranoia - this thing will have you seeing a psychiatrist in a matter of days

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

you should have heard the weldy in my stripped out ksev....

[Birds]

Hahaha the stuff dreams / snapped axles are made of.

[Reggi34dr]

I got my 1.5way Kaaz 2nd hand from a SAu member last year and while it ran quiet in his 34 GT-t coupe after a textbook install & run-in procedure, once in my 34 sedan it clunks, shakes and sways the rear end of my car quite violently at times.

The workshop that installed it for me used LS90 which i left in there for approx. 500Km's before changing it out for Kaaz oil. For something that clunked as much as this diff did there was no metal fillings to be seen. The Kaaz oil has been in for about 9-10 months now (approx. over 4000Kms) and I'm considering changing it out for a thicker nulon or motul diff oil, something the previous owner recommended to soften the clunking.

It's been a strange but awesome addition to my car though as it provides great drive when powers applied at the right time locking the diff with no clunking. The strange part? it doesn't matter what temp the whole combo is at, cold, warm, hot - sometimes it's pleasantly smooth and quiet and other times it feels like it's going to shake the rear cradle out of my car.

So thats my history with the above diff centre. Should I change out the Kaaz oil for whats been mentioned or leave it in there?

Reggie.

[Kinks]

I'm talking Pro TT in a 1.5 configuration (2 way I've found to be cheaper across brands)...I did see them for $1300 on eBay at one point (talking 12-18 months ago), but by the time I got around to actually wanting one, the seller had no stock left. Now the eBay price is $1600+ last I checked. Biggest appeal for the Nismo was the half shafts that came with it...that and everyone raves about them. Had no idea about Link...however, I did buy this KAAZ about 6 months ago, only just got round to installing.

Nismo Pro TT diff is now discontinued.. I had my heart set on that one just didn't have the $$. Now I'll have to find another alternative in a streetable 1.5 way diff (good luck).

Nismo GT LSD Pro 1.5 way -> 55 degree ramp angle, will be more aggressive than the TT's 45 degree.

Nismo GT LSD Pro Carbon 2 way -> 2 way diff, not so good for the street by all accounts. Also double the price ~AU$2000 since it's just been released.

Cusco RS 1.5 way - ??? (some people seem to like em, others say they're harsh?)

[Birds]

That's exactly the same as what I've been experiencing, however, I have noticed that when it's cold it behaves a lot less clunkily...so will be trying a thicker oil and hopefully reaping the cold benefits all the time.

Change the KAAZ oil out I reckon...people have reported good things about using an XXw140. That KAAZ oil that comes with the diff is designed for running it in anyway.

Another thing that will soften up the clunking is an LSD friction modifier...however...the more you put in, the less effective your LSD becomes at locking up. You could make it completely silent if you wanted to replicate a single spinner lol.

[Birds]

Nismo Pro TT diff is now discontinued.. I had my heart set on that one just didn't have the $$. Now I'll have to find another alternative in a streetable 1.5 way diff (good luck).

Nismo GT LSD Pro 1.5 way -> 55 degree ramp angle, will be more aggressive than the TT's 45 degree.

Nismo GT LSD Pro Carbon 2 way -> 2 way diff, not so good for the street by all accounts. Also double the price ~AU$2000 since it's just been released.

Cusco RS 1.5 way - ??? (some people seem to like em, others say they're harsh?)

Sucks hey. When the KAAZ is doing it's thing, it's a fantastic diff. I'd still recommend it on price and performance alone. Just a lot of wincing on the daily drive.

[Kinks]

i've had a car with a minispool but it suited the character of the car ("i'm loud and i go sideways and i scare old ladies and parking valets with my clunking"). R33 is a refined but sporty daily so I don't want it to feel like the arse end is falling out when i go around a corner.

besides, KAAZ only make a 2 way diff. a diff that locks under braking = understeer. i'm set on a 1.5 way so the kaaz not for me, even though it is cheap!

I guess it's a GT LSD Pro, and suck it up about the ramp angle (more ramp means more skids!)

[Birds]

Huh? My KAAZ is a 1.5 way...you can get 2 way or 1.5 way. Mine doesn't lock under braking, not much anyway.

Just an update:

Dropped the oil and went to put in 85w140...but I only had 700ml of it left at work!!! Cracked the shits and syringed that in, followed by 50ml of anti chatter additive, then topped her up with LS90. The diffs take about 1.6 litres, so it was pretty much a 50:50 mix of oil viscosity.

Driving significantly better now...clunking is a lot quieter and less frequent. The tolerance for it to start clunking mid turn is greater (needs more throttle and a tighter, lower speed turn). It also takes a good 10 minutes of driving before it'll even start doing the clunking. I think my crown and pinion aren't meshing correctly though...have a noise at about 70-80km/h which is pissing me off. Will probably install the centre in another housing / crown and pinion soon.

Seeing my oil supplier don't make LS85w140 anymore, I'm going to order some of the Motul stuff so that I can have 100% 85w140 next oil change. This will hopefully eliminate nearly all of the clunking. If it doesn't I'll just use 75ml of anti chatter and then I suspect she'll be very daily friendly, yet lock up when I want it to...nearly a 1 way

Hopefully this doesn't impact the life of the diff too much. I've heard that if the clutch packs slip too much, it can destroy them over time. Fortunately rebuild kits are only about $350 for the KAAZ and I work for a place that does diffs

[turboedsloth]

Where abouts can you get the rebuild kits from Birds? I'm in the process of about to rebuild mine after 7years of use

[Birds]

7 years nice, if I can get that out of the car I'll be happy, although I don't think I'll own the car for that long.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Kaaz-LSD-Overhaul-Rebuild-Plate-Set-Nissan-Toyota-Honda-/140399868641?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20b07bfae1

[turboedsloth]

Awesome thanks for that, was just checking ebay as you said before you purchased it off there. Noticed cjmotor deal with them. 7 years it was originally in my s13 then i chucked it in the 32, has been an awesome diff. I have just picked up a nismo mechanical so i can have 2 different ratios for the track. Am keen to see how they back up against each other

[Checkbuzz]

I've got a Kaaz 1.5 way and it is just fantastic on the track - improved my lap times by nearly 2 sec over the old "single-legging" viscous LSD

On the road it is a loud and clunky mofo! It sounds like the ar$e is about to drop to of the car, it chirps the tyres and used to actually pull and twist the rear sub frame...

I have the alloy rear sub frame bushes now which helps hold it all together solidly but sends even more noise into the cabin!

There is a reason why these diff's aren't original equipment in road cars they are for track cars only

Any friction modifiers will be decreasing the performance and life of the diff... harden up and deal with it I say

[Birds]

I'd harden up if this was my track car, but it's a daily, and people look at you strange when your rear end is banging like that! I don't mind if it decreases performance of the diff a bit. It still locks damn hard in a straight line, and that's what I bought it for, 1 way action, so I'm happy. If I was drifting the thing I wouldn't have put any friction modifier in it.