just reading thread http://datsun1200.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=33909&forum=1&10 and noticed he has used a toyota ke55 diff. is this a simple upgrade? have others done it and is it worth while? cheers

I'm pretty sure an Australian ke55 (1980ish) would have had the same Borg Warner diff as most other small cars of the time (120y for example). If that is indeed the case, I imagine using a 120y diff would be easier.

yes i have heard of this conversion, from memory L18_B110 (harry) had this diff in his L-series powered coupe, i think, i could be wrong. Apparently the diff is the same and bolts straight in and is stronger although it could be as Tyrie said they could actually be the same diff.

I have a Ke55 diff sitting on the leaf springs in my 1200. It is a damn sight larger than my 1200 BW that was in there. I havent got any further with the swap but I know the flanges swap from 1200 BW to Ke55 BW (so no tailshaft mods for me once again!), and u-bolts and plates from a ute diff fit. Im not using a handbrake so no worries there, It gives me about an inch extra width either side.

The diff is physically larger than the 1200 and 120y borgwarner. It will increase the track on a 1200 as it is wider than the 1200 diff but mates up well with the stanza front end.

They are out of the KE35, 50 and 55 corolla. However these also came out with a banjo diff as well and you dont want one of these. The Borg warner came out with 3.8 , 4.1 and 4.3 ratios.

I cut the hand brake assy of my 1200 diff and welded it to the Toyota Diff. Also had to make a adaptor to lengthen the handbrake cable. I also re-welded the mounts on the Tubes to accomodate the 1200 Spring locations.

As to the strength of this diff. I dont know. I have mates with Toyotas who have snapped axles with big hp 4aGZE transplants.

Can get some pix up if you want more info.

When you say physically larger do you mean wider? It is still the same BW68 centre as a late 120Y.

if it wides track to much i not sure if it will help to much my car kinda low. some pics would be good if you got some though. cheers

Australian 120Y 4-dr Sedans from July 1976 were locally assembled and used a Borg Warner rear axle assembly. (BW model 68). All were 3.889 ratio. The BW rear ends are pretty strong - meant to be stronger than H165. The BW68 is the same width as a 1200 H145 diff, but have a different input flange, so you will also need the matching 120Y-BW tailshaft. This is the same type of differential in the early Corollas.

Pulled this out of Wiki. The Toyota Diff is 3 inches wider in total and is available in more ratios. But you could put a Toyota sourced center into a 120y borgwarner diff.

Im thinking it is larger, as the 1200 u-bolts do not slip over the housing. Only one way to find out, pull out the steel ruler over the weekend. Mine is sitting on the housing locators (bolt holding leaf pack together) , but maybe they are out by a few mm as the hole is larger in the saddle on the Ke55 housing. As for 3inches wider overall, I have the measurements at the workshop and Im sure it wasn't a huge amount.

And the wiki is only a reference created by people here, mistakes will be made.

the wiki is right. you're confusing the issue by comparing it to the much less common 1200BW diff which a totally different series, much smaller than the BW68 used in 120Y, Corrola, Corona, 200B etc. Does the tag on your 1200 BW have the series number?

I used a 120Y BW diff when building my old L18 1200 in about 1996. then swapped to a KE55 diff for the 4.3 ratio (120Y only comes in 3.89) after doing a few hillclimbs at Mt Cotton somewhere around 2000/2001.

Toyota differences (compared to 120Y BW68)
* corolla diff ratios are 3.89 (manual), 4.1 and 4.3 (autos)
* Toyota housing is around 2-3" wider drum to drum. I never actually measured them both - didn't really care.
This is good if you have the Stanza (or similar) track widening strut swap, because it evens up the track front and rear and allows you to use the same offsets front and rear. and looks alot better than having the rears sitting way inside the gaurds - there's a pic below of my old 1200 before the flares went on, with the wider Corolla BW68, Stana struts, 13*6" Globes and 205/60 Hankook race tyres. both front and rear gaurds are pumped/flared slightly for clearance.


* The Toyota BW also come with 2 different sized drum brakes. the larger of which is the one to go for.
* They have a different input flange to the 120Y also. as I was swapping from a 120Y BW diff, I just swapped the 120Y input flange on the Corolla diff. you'll also want to 120Y BW shock mount plates.
* toyota wheel studs have a different pitch, so you will need the toyota lug nuts too
* handbrake setup is different. I didn't bother about it as my car wasn't really used on the street by then.
*Corolla diff is actually slightly wider in the mounts, but the leaf springs will accomodate the difference without any problem.

All this info is in numerous threads since I joined the site in 2002 (try a search on Corolla diff):
[url]http://datsun1200.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=6196&forum=1#8257[/url]