Rear wheel drive 4th gen Maxima
03-09-2006, 09:11 AM
#1
shift_Puff
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 536
Rear wheel drive 4th gen Maxima
Ok, I was discussing in a thread of possibilities to make a maxima rear wheel drive. I think it's possible and want you peoples opinion on this. If the rear suspension is removed entirely and a differential would be in it's place, it could some how work, no?? Swap everything from a 300 zxTT, get a custom drive shaft and it should fit. Apart from ground clearence issues with the driveshaft from tranny to diffy, it should work right?? Let me know, cause maybe I'll try it out and let you guys know. Ideas are welcome
03-09-2006, 09:22 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 145
well that might be a lot of cash....but.... that sounds like it would work might be a very tight squeeze but i must say a rear wheel drive max would be awesome i say why not go for it. If it does not work jsut sell part and put stock parts back on and atleast you tried
03-09-2006, 09:37 AM
#11
shift_Puff
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 536
ok, i called and they're like, "NO, we never had that" so I guess that part number isn't correct. I think it would have to be a frankenstein design. Maybe a ruinned 300zx(accidented) and all the necessary parts are ok, maybe we can make it fit. A rear wheel drive Max would be tooo sick. You'll see me at drift mania with a huge MAXIMA.ORG decal on my rear windsheild and a big smiley face next to it. It would drive the way it's meant to feel. I love rear wheel drive cars and always wished the max was.
For differences between a front wheel and a rear wheel drive is like night and day. The car would feel more balanced. Maybe a slight loss in power due to the differential, but with 2 turbos or even just one, who the hell cares. You have a forced induction, rear wheel drive Maxima. Maybe if it works, they can make a kit for it. The 4th and 5th gen max's should be the same underneath, so it would probably work on both if it works on one. I promise if this would work out, you guys will hear about it.
For differences between a front wheel and a rear wheel drive is like night and day. The car would feel more balanced. Maybe a slight loss in power due to the differential, but with 2 turbos or even just one, who the hell cares. You have a forced induction, rear wheel drive Maxima. Maybe if it works, they can make a kit for it. The 4th and 5th gen max's should be the same underneath, so it would probably work on both if it works on one. I promise if this would work out, you guys will hear about it.
03-09-2006, 09:42 AM
#12
Ugh, I'm probably the last person someone would ask about cars and even I know this is a stupid idea. Quit wasting bandwidth on this mindless crap and buy a new car if you want RWD so badly.
03-09-2006, 09:51 AM
#13
03-09-2006, 09:51 AM
#14
Hahah, that was aweomse Jeff.
Think about it though. The Maxima is built on a FWD platform using a rear beam suspension, you'd definitely need to gut the rear suspension and put some independent stuff back there (which would be REALLY nice). If you're lucky the new suspension and the differential in the back of the car would weigh the rear tires down a bit (isn't the stock weight distrib. like 65/35?) so the car won't always be squirrelly. The 4th gen actually has a "hump" in the passeger compartment unlike quite a few FWD cars, so you might be able to relocate some stuff and run the driveshaft through there..... although the hump was there for a reason, so you probably can't. And I know this has been speculated 1500x already, but I'm just thinking out loud I guess.
Anyway, if you wanna prove everyone wrong, do it, slap two VG30DETTs together and shoehorn in a W12 quad turbo as well. That'll show 'em, you'll be a god. But you won't get much but sarcasm in here until after the fact.
Think about it though. The Maxima is built on a FWD platform using a rear beam suspension, you'd definitely need to gut the rear suspension and put some independent stuff back there (which would be REALLY nice). If you're lucky the new suspension and the differential in the back of the car would weigh the rear tires down a bit (isn't the stock weight distrib. like 65/35?) so the car won't always be squirrelly. The 4th gen actually has a "hump" in the passeger compartment unlike quite a few FWD cars, so you might be able to relocate some stuff and run the driveshaft through there..... although the hump was there for a reason, so you probably can't. And I know this has been speculated 1500x already, but I'm just thinking out loud I guess.
Anyway, if you wanna prove everyone wrong, do it, slap two VG30DETTs together and shoehorn in a W12 quad turbo as well. That'll show 'em, you'll be a god. But you won't get much but sarcasm in here until after the fact.
03-09-2006, 09:51 AM
#15
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Originally Posted by DJMaxGLE
Ugh, I'm probably the last person someone would ask about cars and even I know this is a stupid idea. Quit wasting bandwidth on this mindless crap and buy a new car if you want RWD so badly.
03-09-2006, 09:52 AM
#16
While you're at it, you should mount a perpendicular drive train from the bottom of the car to the top and turn it into one of those cool R/C cars that flips and stuff. Of course that would make it really heavy but with a turbo for every wheel it should work. Better yet, cut holes in the floor for Flintstones mode. FTW!
03-09-2006, 10:23 AM
#18
Possible? Of course. Intelligent? No.
1. No good engine and transmission will fit longitudinally without total destruction of the firewall
2. There is no room to run both a driveshaft AND exhaust in the central tunnel, no room to cram good mufflers into the engine bay for side exhausts, and no convenient way to route the exhausts along/around the undercarriage without destroying ground clearance.
3. There is no room to fit a good suspension setup in the rear.... Either you keep the beam and end up with a TON of unsprung weight in the rear, or you improvise the most stone-aged piece of crap the automotive world has seen in a long time, and either way the handling and dynamics will SUCK
Of course, gutting the interior and tearing up the chassis would solve everything. But then you'd have spent ungodly amounts of time and money just to end up with a 4-door, 2-seat car that is dynamically mediocre. And then you'd have to kick your own **** out of respect.
So don't do it.
BTW, will someone finally sticky this isht? Maybe put it in the FAQ or something?
1. No good engine and transmission will fit longitudinally without total destruction of the firewall
2. There is no room to run both a driveshaft AND exhaust in the central tunnel, no room to cram good mufflers into the engine bay for side exhausts, and no convenient way to route the exhausts along/around the undercarriage without destroying ground clearance.
3. There is no room to fit a good suspension setup in the rear.... Either you keep the beam and end up with a TON of unsprung weight in the rear, or you improvise the most stone-aged piece of crap the automotive world has seen in a long time, and either way the handling and dynamics will SUCK
Of course, gutting the interior and tearing up the chassis would solve everything. But then you'd have spent ungodly amounts of time and money just to end up with a 4-door, 2-seat car that is dynamically mediocre. And then you'd have to kick your own **** out of respect.
So don't do it.
BTW, will someone finally sticky this isht? Maybe put it in the FAQ or something?
03-09-2006, 10:32 AM
#21
You should call the guys over at Mosler (561) 842-2492 and they can hook you up with a dual engine setup. An additional engine in the rear driving the rear wheels would be M@dd SiCk YOO!! Then you could drift in two different directions at the same time. Oh the cookies!
03-09-2006, 10:35 AM
#22
shift_Puff
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 536
First things first, it wouldn't cost much. You get a complete parts car and used whatever is needed from it and all other brackets and mounting hardware can be made and welded together. Also i wouldn't just buy a new car if I really like the car itself, like the feel of a rear wheel drive and it's possibilities. So yeah it would be worth it. Maybe not for all of you, but i'm not alone on it that's for sure
03-09-2006, 10:36 AM
#23
Originally Posted by Jeff92se
Yup. Even better is Stillen developed a kit for this. Why? Because you aren't the 1st guy to think of this. Stillen's kit p/n is MaxR-3.0. Their number is Phone: 866-250-5542
03-09-2006, 10:43 AM
#25
Originally Posted by Jeff92se
Yup. Even better is Stillen developed a kit for this. Why? Because you aren't the 1st guy to think of this. Stillen's kit p/n is MaxR-3.0. Their number is Phone: 866-250-5542
Originally Posted by Nancy Kerrigan
WWWHHYYYYYYY?????
but Jay Leno did do the same thing to a Torino, but he DID spend a hunk of change on that swap (but still less than a Bentley, which is what he was aiming to beat)
03-09-2006, 10:48 AM
#28
Originally Posted by 95mtlMAXSE
i thought of it already d00df00d...i have a car that's worth trying it on...If it never works, f*** it. I figured the space in the rear would have been enough to make it work
03-09-2006, 11:03 AM
#33
Originally Posted by 95mtlMAXSE
yeah, i have little patience...i guess it was a pretty dumb idea, but i know it is possible if you won the lottery(to make it perfect). whatever enough of this rear wheel crap
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