Thats a insult To everybody who has gone to the trouble of fitting a set of leader gears, These are made for a reason, to support big hp cars under prolonged racing conditions Iv'e said many times the leader gears i fitted many years ago is still the best mod i have done to my car Many many track days and countless full noise launches at the drags give me peace of mind being one area of the car that i don't have to worry about Ask Oni how well they are made after completely destoying a diff at the drags the only parts left without a mark on them was the leader crown wheel and pinion. Money well spent in my opinion Specialty Z are still taking orders for these. https://specialtyz.com/shop/300zx/leader-gears-4-10-ratio-z32.html
I think so too, it comes down to what you want to do with your car. Anti has continually been on my back about 'getting a tune' and my choice of a leader gears / NA rear end. For my aspirations (current'y 1/8mile drags, motorkhanas and racing on small country go kart tracks etc), my ability to accellerate is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than top end speed. Even so, power for me is not an issue, with traction being a bigger concern. If I want higher gearing for other events / long trips interstate, I'll chuck a R230 back in, whereas with a NA subframe, this is not possible without complete subframe removal. As for fuel usage, realistically, the difference in RPM at top gear cruising a highway at 100km/h is all of 4-500 RPM more with leader gears as opposed to the R230. As for 1/4mile drags, my TT was maxing out 3rd by the time it reached the trap, I don't consider it a 'wank' upgrade. JDM stickers and silly stretch tyres are more of a wank than setting up a car for a class of motorsport in which you compete. For the record, I'll be doing a 1/8 mile drag this weekend at Gunnedah NSW, with my R230. I'll get a few times under my belt, and see how that compares early next year with the times with the leader gears. The proof will be in the pudding so to speak, but for the events I'll be undertaking, I see this as a benefit rather than a hindrance.
Fitment of the lighter NA rear end also disturbs the weight distribution. Making the car even lighter over the rear.
Any idea how much weight is lost with the NA rear? My guess would be the weight of the HICAS rack... maybe differences in the casting of the TT diff is heavier?
Great to know. Diff is one of the few things I haven't touch'd in my zed, so I know who's brain I'll be picking at the christmas do =) Speaking to other zed owners, seems their car is quite responsive at the rear, where as I find mine loose and wild at times, and I'm not running anything heavy power wise. In the wet, there are times when I've taken an average corner at lower speeds and light on the noise pedal and the rear steps out, for what I can't honestly figure out why. I will go back and re-do same corner to try and get same or similar result (when I'm ready for it this time) and it does not behave the same. Some corners in the dry she will be loose at 90km and tight as a drum when pushed to power. Basically I would love to know how you can tell if your diff is not functioning like it's suppose to, and hopefully without having to pull it apart to start with.