CA/SR Conversions into AEs and KEs

[matt99]

Nope, same as S14 (one tooth longer than S13) or possibly even one tooth on top of that again.

[matt99]

Well I have a little bit of time before I hit the sack so I may as well give a quick run down of the relevant details for this thread for my current SR20 sprinter and maybe run through the one im building at the moment, the one im helping build and one I have help build in the past (KE).

Motor: S13 SR20DET redtop.
Enginecross member: S13.
Steering rack: S12 Gazelle.
LCA's: S12 Gazelle.
F Swaybar: -
Hub and knuckle assembly: Unmodifyed S13 SR20DET.
F suspension: S13 JIC base height adjustable coilovers with S13 cambertops.
Bellhousing used: S13 SR20.
Gearbox used: S13.
Gearbox crossmember: Straight peice of 50x25mm box section steel.

Engine crossemember bolts in by filing out the two rear holes in the crossmember to line up with factory AE86 crossmember holes in chassis rail. S12 rack bolts to the S13 crossmember as long as you use the S12 rubbers and clamps. All the LCA, brake and steering componentry bolts on just the same as a S13 would. The rack on the otherhand needs something to couple it to the 86 steering column, as previously outlines, a coupling can be made up which is your best option, however I have seen "cutting and shutting" of steering columns done and also clamp stretching (my current car).

The firewall only needs minor moving as long as your not stressed about a tight sqeeze back there. My current car was crudely smashed with a sledge hammer to fit this in. The start of the trans tunnel needs to be mover\d out (wider) slightly more to accomdate for the wider bellhousing on Nissan box's.

I use a S13 box with puts the shifter position about 100mm further back than where the standard 86 shifter hole is. By using a RB20/30 gearbox (bolts directly to a SR bellhousing) you eliminate this problem somewhat and it only ends up 5mm back further than usual. Also bluebird and other nissan boxes can be used, unsure of positioning with bluebird/pintara/navara gearboxes. My gearbox crossmember is plain and simple, staright steel with some holes. If your using the same gearbox/bellhousing combination as me, this will be self explainatory once your under the car.

Diff, im using a shortened R31 skyline (28spline borg warner) diff with 3.89 (auto) ratio gears and a $100 ebay minispool. Corolla mounts have been added on and the drivers side has been shortend and used two passenger side axles. R31s came factory with one axle around 30mm longer then the other. Another desireable diff option is G and F series. VS commodoore brakes bolt directly onto R31 brake mounts and if you weld two mounts together you get a good working hydro set up VERY easily.

Im also using a S13 radiator, not sure how this goes with factory rad supports as mine was removed (car was previosly a write off), but im lead to believe they still fit.

In my new car im pretty much doing the same thing as my current one, so ill dot point the changes im making from my current set up.

Modifyed steering knuckles, maily for less turns lock-to-lock.
Moving the trans tunnel back 100mm, for room to get to gearbox bolts and also have the shifter hole looking nice and clean.
Completely seam welded (irrelevant really).
Thats about all really, I think my current set up work and will work fine. The only things I would change are the few things I have listed above.

Im currently watching/helping a mate do the same conversion. He will beusing a RB box and retaining the 86 rack, but on the S13 crossmember. Should be interesting to see how it handles compared to my ones.

In the past I watch and when bothered lent a hand in Leigh Pidwells old SR KE70. Slightly different story here.
KE trans tunnels are wider than an 86, and his still needed some serious "massaging" to fit his RB25 (R33 skyline box in). S13 gearboxes are'nt the strongest so a 25 box wis the answer for 280rwkw. This requires a cut and shut bellhousing. Also, Leigh used shortened S13 LCA's, although I think they ended up being the same length as R31 ones (which would be ideal for this conversion by the way). Other than that, the basic's were all the same. However please BRACE YOUR UPPER TRAILING ARM MOUNTS ON THE CAR BODY FLOOR if your pushing big power, they have a tendancy to pull off.

Random hints:
Use an RB30 speedo drive in your gearbox and your standard speedo should still work, could be out by a little bit but its better than nothing at all. S13/14, RB20 boxes all have electronic speedo drives where as RB30 is cable.
One of the black wire is your tacho sended and it NEVER seems to work with standard tacho's, but will work with an aftermarket one.
ROUMERED if using I think a R31 diff and a RB20/30 box a 1982ish bluebird tailshaft will fit.
AE86 cambertop will work with 99% of S13 coilovers, saves you drilling a hole to fit your S13 camber tops in (no biggie anyway).

I know this is all pretty vauge, but at least it opens it all up for more questions.

[worked]

r31 LCAs fit mint and only require a hole to be drilled to fit your castor rods
i had to wind more thread on my stock castor rods and the s13 x member seemed to sit the LCAs firther forward
stock swaybar will mount up to LCAs but sits the link at a dodgy angle, still connected and still worked tho

[70rolla]

i just brought a na sr20 vct motor and 5 speed s14 gearbox which was origionelly out of a turbo silvia
the box has os giken gear set a 3000 pound pressure plate and a jim berry racing clutch single plate to hold 500 hp gear box has done 90kms work also has custom short shifter

this is all going into a ke so does that mean i have to buy ae71 x member and gear box cross member or could 86 x member work better

also will i have to massage the fire wall a bit ? i know i have to cut the tunnel but how much ?

and what speedo cable etc will i need to use ?

[Sam-Q]

70rolla: read two posts above

Matt I remember asking but I don't see my post, using the S13 crossmember and coilovers doesnt that give you a huge track? also you should tell your friend to stop what he is doing with the 86 rack into the s13 crossmember, it's just wrong.

[matt99]

You can either use E7/86 crossmembers with on of the conversion kits, or you can use a S13 front crossmember and a simple home made gearbox crossmember. Details of making both work are all listed above in some of the previous posts. Firewall will need some bumping around the trans tunnel entrance mainly, an inch should be fine.

As for speedo cable, TRY a R31 skyline gearbox speedo drive.

[matt99]

S13 x-member and S13 LCA's do drastically increase the track, still useable but undesireable. Thats why im using S12 LCA's on the S13 x-member as there are around 8mm shorter each side from memory. R31 LCA's would be better again at around another 6mm or so shorter than S12.

S13, S12 and R31 LCA's are all compatible with the S13 crossmember and also S13 hubs.

Why not do the 86 rack on the S13 crossmember? Is it due to the position it will end up in? As we are going to change all of that to reduce bump steer and binding moreso than the modifyed knuckles already will.

[70rolla]

ok cheers and what is the best and cheapest computer to run

[matt99]

Standard SR20.

If you do mod's, put a Nistune chip in it.

If you must go aftermarket, I would go Power FC.

[70rolla]

it doesnt coem with a computer