Located in south Sydney, I know its probably a big ask but would like an R31 rear setup complete and shortened with handbrake mountings and cables sorted so I can bolt it straight in. If not can someome give my a price guide on getting it shortened, handbrake setup, brakes, etc. Thanks

Maddat... Pay the money get a diff delivered to your door ;)

I agree, all done and sorted but very expensive and still need the centre, thought I might try my luck and see if anyone on here wahts to shift one. If not then I might price it all and see if the maddat one is worth it.

buy a r31 diff complete with center $200-300
it costs $880 to get a diff cut down at kcdr drivetrains in arndell park
the mounts are done, all you need then is the handbrake sorted and the brake lines adapted, even if you cant do these yourself it wouldnt cost to much at a brake shop

If I had the spare time I'd do a heap of them. I'm slowly in the process of making up the aligning tools for rewelding them after cutting down.
Axles will always be the most expensive part even doing the rest yourself.

As a rough estimate (based on getting the work down by machinist)-

LSD Diff from wrecker ~$500
Cutting down and welding ~$300
Cut down axles ~$300
Re-assembly ~$200
So let's say roughly $1500 all up providing the diff you get is complete with park brake etc.


My personal recomendation is to get a Commodore LSD because a) they're easier to find and b) the hand brake and caliper setup is simpler (non threaded caliper setup). Then either just buy a set of R31 Skyline axles or the whole diff if cheap enough and you have the correct wheel stud pattern.

The prices are very rough and you might get some bits cheaper, others dearer. The Maddat setups are no doubt very well made and a direct bolt in but even at the price listed it still doesn't include an LSD centre so would pretty quickly hit $2000 from them. IMO you're better off buying a diff from a wrecker and get it done yourself. That way you can work out exactly how wide you want the diff, you can weld on legal 'lowering blocks' and have the satisfaction of having sort of done it yourself!

Yeah thanks Shaun and Shoota, if there is still anyone out there with a setup you want to sell, let me know. There is nothing like doing it yourself but a bit over running around and by the time its all done and modified it will probably get up there in the Maddat price range which is a completely reconditioned unit minus centre. I can fit it all myself so save money there just the cutting and welding and all that I can't do. Will have to think about all this. Thanks for the feedback.

i can supply you with a disk to disk diff but needs to be shortened

hey shoota
its about $160 a side to cut down and respline the axles, depending on how you do it, normally with the r31 diff you only have to shorten 1 axle, might not make sensetyping it but
you cut down the longer side of the housing to the length of the shorter side, you then use the shorter axle in the side you just cut down
you now cut down the housing to suit whatever length you want(i cut it down to the same width as a ute diff)
you then get the long axle cut down to suit that side
what this does is instead of the offset of the diff being on the drivers side it moves the offset the same distance as it was to the passenger side, if that makes sense

Yeah I'm aware of that method. I've heard negatives about doing it that way as the axle has been twisted it's entire life in one direction and all of a sudden it's twisted back the other way. APPARENTLY (unconfirmed!) this can lead to snappage! As a general rule most Commodores with an LSD are V8's and they've copped a fair flogging so the axles will have twisted a fair bit. A Skyline axle will be much less likely to have twists as the stock RB30 doesn't have quite the oompf of a V8!
With the method I was alluding to using the Commodore diff, you need to shorten both sides as they're longer than the Skyline so works out too long on the short side if you get me.

yeah mate all good was just letting you know to save you abit of cash if you werent aware, i know of a few diffs done the way i mentioned(all skyline though) that have been put through a hard time once in a datsun all without any dramas, but i do get what you mean and it seems quite possible with a v8 diff