Cusco Type-RS v Nismo Pro LSD (1.5 way)

[R3N3]

Hi all,

As the title suggests, I'm in the market for a new LSD for the R33 (non GTR). I have been relatively set on the Nismo Pro 1.5-way, but i have also been recommended to use the Cusco Type-RS diff (also 1.5-way). The feedback was that the Cusco is nice and friendly for street use, due to the more progressive engagement. However, the main benefit i see with the Nismo, is that it comes as a complete kit with bearings, seals and oils etc. is anyone able to comment on their experience with either diff? And is it also worthwhile to go an extended diff cover at the same time?

note that the car is mainly street driven, with the aspirations of some reliable track use. Power will be approx 300ish kw (now) and realistically no more than 400kw in the future.

[Murray_Calavera]

I've got experience with both diffs, I run the Nismo in my R33 which makes about 350kw, but I ran the Cusco in my swift. Very hard to make a direct comparison... different cars, FF vs FR etc etc....

What I would say is, you'll probably really like either diff. When I put the Cusco in my swift, I thought it was the best mod I had done to the car (making about 150kw at the time). When I put the Nismo in my R33, I thought it was the best mod I had done to the car lol. Both diff's have 'character' when driving around on the street, personally I like it, but if you're not a fan of the chatter it can be tuned out. 

This is a good how-to video for pulling some aggressiveness out of the diff for street use. 

 

[R3N3]

1 hour ago, Murray_Calavera said:

I've got experience with both diffs, I run the Nismo in my R33 which makes about 350kw, but I ran the Cusco in my swift. Very hard to make a direct comparison... different cars, FF vs FR etc etc....

What I would say is, you'll probably really like either diff. When I put the Cusco in my swift, I thought it was the best mod I had done to the car (making about 150kw at the time). When I put the Nismo in my R33, I thought it was the best mod I had done to the car lol. Both diff's have 'character' when driving around on the street, personally I like it, but if you're not a fan of the chatter it can be tuned out. 

This is a good how-to video for pulling some aggressiveness out of the diff for street use. 

 

Awesome, thanks for that. Yeah I actually watched that video, very informative!

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

A bit off topic, whatever you do don't choose the KAAZ pill...

I did... Lol.

It's very aggressive, I even had a diff shop make it less aggressive, I assume they either played around the plates or removed a few. Either way, it still drives very aggressively compared to my mates with Nismo diffs in their S13s, S15s.

[Butters]

I've run Nismo, kaaz and cusco in a rwd S13.  Nismo has been the best for me. 

 

If i was you though I'd consider a standard gtr diff, it's what i have gone to in all my street cars and once freshened up is by far the nicest to drive on the daily.  

[PLYNX]

Got to agree with "Butters" here.

I've run a lot of variations in different cars over the years, mini spooled, full spooled, Detroit lockers etc etc and I've had the

GTR mechanical 2 way ( or whatever its called ) in my R33 for a very long time and cant fault it.

 

[R3N3]

35 minutes ago, PLYNX said:

Got to agree with "Butters" here.

I've run a lot of variations in different cars over the years, mini spooled, full spooled, Detroit lockers etc etc and I've had the

GTR mechanical 2 way ( or whatever its called ) in my R33 for a very long time and cant fault it.

 

Thanks. So this would involve changing the axles to the 6x1 pattern to match the diff?

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Another wild idea is to fit up a manual S15 turbo or late model unicorn manual R34 GT-t helical/torsen diff.

You'll need to pick @GTSBoy's brain on this one, because if you go down the S15 route you'll need to swap over the crown & pinon to a short ratio as the S15 diff is a 3.69 making it quite tall (unless you decide to also convert to a 6 speed 350/370Z box then leave it as is). R34 GT-t route is pretty much bolt up and send it, however finding a 2001/2002 R34 GT-t rear helical diff is near impossible.

[GTSBoy]

I actually think that a 3.69 ratio in a normal 5 speed RB25 car would be good. You seldom need the shortness of 1st gear, and I often find myself wishing for a 6th taller than my 5th (any 110 km/h road would benefit).

Speedo correction with my cable drive speedo is the only thing that has held me back all these years.

There is also a helical for R200s made by MFactory available here in Oz for <$2k. Could be worth a look. I'd really like it if Wavetrac had one for normal R200s, or I could convince myself that the Quaife option is real. They're all proper money though. And I have more recently learnt that helicals are definitely subject to wear and do not last forever.

 

[Kinkstaah]

Thankyou for posting about the Mfactory option (whether it really fits is another story. It is not as simple as "R200") depending on what car/combo one has.

I thought there was no Quaife option for any RWD Skyline. If my unicorn diff ever does break/let go/wear I was under the assumption the only option is to convert to a 350Z diff and put a Quaife in that.

[GTSBoy]

42 minutes ago, Kinkstaah said:

I thought there was no Quaife option for any RWD Skyline. If my unicorn diff ever does break/let go/wear I was under the assumption the only option is to convert to a 350Z diff and put a Quaife in that.

I had a good dig around Quaife a while back. There are hints that they can do a diff for R200s, but there was some caveats around spline counts and it was absolutely unclear what style of stub shaft it would take and so on. It was enough to raise a small spectre of hopefulness without being convincing. Hence my language in my post above.

I think the MFactory thing is probably subject to the same caveats.

I'm thinking I need to buy a 350Z diff and shafts and put them in the shed for that rainy day also.

[PLYNX]

Yes it did involve the matching 6 X 1 axles and with hubs I went with the alloy ones out of a R34.

I got this all when GTR parts were "cheap" and while the whole thing was apart I also fitted up a (  I think it was ) GTR R32 finned diff cover which has a larger oil capacity. 

[R3N3]

1 hour ago, PLYNX said:

Yes it did involve the matching 6 X 1 axles and with hubs I went with the alloy ones out of a R34.

I got this all when GTR parts were "cheap" and while the whole thing was apart I also fitted up a (  I think it was ) GTR R32 finned diff cover which has a larger oil capacity. 

Yes, GTR tax is increasing exponentially at the moment… I’ll have a look and see what I can find. If I did go a GTR item I would want a full rebuild on it too..

[PLYNX]

Yah and I was a bit luck cause at the time it came out of a GTR that only had 47000km on it.

So all I did was get it checked over, changed out the oil and then went ahead with the install

[Butters]

Doing the full gtr diff/rear conversion spirals cost wise quickly, also not really needed at your power level. 

Options exist to use a gtr diff with your current axles but disclaimer i've never used these myself -http://www.leesonengineering.com.au/blog/r200-350zgtr5x1-stub-conversion/ 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Butters

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

23 minutes ago, Butters said:

Doing the full gtr diff/rear conversion spirals cost wise quickly, also not really needed at your power level. 

Then we circle back to just installing a nice Nismo GT Pro centre into the diff. Should be about under $AUD2500 drive in/out service (inclusive of diff, purchased separately).

 

[R3N3]

50 minutes ago, Dose Pipe Sutututu said:

Then we circle back to just installing a nice Nismo GT Pro centre into the diff. Should be about under $AUD2500 drive in/out service (inclusive of diff, purchased separately).

 

More like $3.5k in NZD

cheapest I can get the diff is out of otaku garage in AU for like $1800nzd shipped, plus taxes etc plus install. This is installed in the existing housing (ie not buying one for a same day swap in/out exercise)

cusco is about the same.

[Murray_Calavera]

1 minute ago, R3N3 said:

More like $3.5k in NZD

cheapest I can get the diff is out of otaku garage in AU for like $1800nzd shipped, plus taxes etc plus install. This is installed in the existing housing (ie not buying one for a same day swap in/out exercise)

cusco is about the same.

Sounds like $3.5k well spent.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

Let me help you spend money, the YEN is a bit weak at the moment so great time to buy parts directly from the land of 90s JDM shit boxes.

https://www.rhdjapan.com/nismo-gt-lsd-1-5-2-way-rs015b.html

 

 

 

[WMDC35]

On 4/6/2023 at 11:19 AM, GTSBoy said:

I actually think that a 3.69 ratio in a normal 5 speed RB25 car would be good. You seldom need the shortness of 1st gear, and I often find myself wishing for a 6th taller than my 5th (any 110 km/h road would benefit).

Speedo correction with my cable drive speedo is the only thing that has held me back all these years.

There is also a helical for R200s made by MFactory available here in Oz for <$2k. Could be worth a look. I'd really like it if Wavetrac had one for normal R200s, or I could convince myself that the Quaife option is real. They're all proper money though. And I have more recently learnt that helicals are definitely subject to wear and do not last forever.

 

You could probably use the z32 tt manual speedo drive gear to sort the speedo out?

OEM 300ZX (Z32) Twin Turbo Manual Speed Sensor Pinion Gear (TT) - Z1 Motorsports - Performance OEM and Aftermarket Engineered Parts Global Leader In 300ZX 350Z 370Z G35 G37 Q50 Q60