VLSD 5-speed swap info
 

When installing the AE lsd in a 4th gen maxima, the only thing that you have to get is the driver side axle if I'm not wrong. But will you also have to replace the hubs on the car too. I really would like to find out if anyone could help me out. For now i have both stock axles from a non lsd trans and am waiting on the new set of axles. So if anyone has any feed back on what needs to be done let know, thank you.

Both axles need to be from the AE. I found that out the hard way. We need to dispell that myth. The splined part on the stock passenger axle is simply too long.

Why is this in the boosted thread?

I'm moving this to all-motor.

Sorry, i didnt know where else to put it, since i figured some of you boosted guys have done this and since i am boosted. thanx

Also will i have to change out the hubs too?

No, hubs will be fine.

Thanx for the info guys, now the question is where can i get axles for this trans, can I uses the ones out of the I30t lsd trans or do they have to be specifiaclly for the 2001 AE lsd one. If anyone has any information this i would really appreciate it, thank you.

That bit I can't help you on. Call and compare the PN's for the 00 5Spd axle vs. the AE axle. You can find axle cheap on car-part.com. I got both mine with the AE tranny for $1100 shipped.

i got remanufactured AE axles from O'Reilly's. you can also try calling autozone and those other places, they may have remanufactured axles.

nowhere has theses things not even car-part, but thank god for Raxles, they have a pair for me that they will be making.

I didn't have to use an LSD passenger side axle... most everyone else who's done the swap (except broaner apparently, and another guy I remember) are using stock open diff axles on the passenger side.

Which splines are you talking about being too long broaner, the ones that go in the trans or the ones that go in the hub? What specifically was the problem you encountered?

To answer your other question, I've used both I30t LSD axles and AE LSD axles in my car, they both work.

how did u find out??

thats odd, I would imagine the spline on the axles going into the lsd would be different between AE and non-AE

The splines are only different on the driver's side, that's why you only need a driver's side axle...

thanx for the info neal, im gonna call up autozone tomm and see if thye can those in stock for me quicker, i also found a whole bunch on car-part, so really hope those I30 ones work.

Welcome :banned:

Sounds like the myth has been dispelled.

ok, thanks neal. I will give it a try on my AE since I need to change the pass. side axle

:sprint:

If I remember correctly I30ds proved that the part #'s for the I30t Vlsd 5speed and the AE 5speed are the same. I don't see why the I30t axle will not work. I can confirm though when I had my Vlsd tranny install only the drivers side axle was needed.

OK that is it ... I am throwing in the noob towel. "Myth has been dispelled." ... does this mean both need to be LSD/AE or not? The second post says, "Stock passenger is too long" and then everyone else says it is OK.
*Throws in second noob towel* ... what is AE?

EDIT: someone posted right before me ... I am convinced only driver axle needs to be changed. Thanks.

I'm going to sticky this for future reference.

I didn't have problems because I bought the matching axles that came out of the same car as the tranny. But Altimat did a VLSD swap on his daughters car when the stock 5Spd went. First he drove to Madison from Milwaukee to buy my driver's side. Then he had to come back because his stock pass unit wouldn't fit. He brought his stocker to compare. The distance from the end of the splines on the diff side to the little collar/sealing thing was nearly a 1/2" longer. I was shocked as well. He bought that one from me and it worked great.

I think it could just very well be that his passenger side axle may have been defective to begin with.
I went from 5speed open tranny to 5speed VLSD and all i need was transmission and drivers side axle. I bought the I30t and removed the transmission and axles. When i compared the passenger side axle from the 1996 I30t with VLSD to my 1999 Open diff maxima. They were exactly the same.

Those collars are not put on with a very tight fit. It could have easily moved. The important dimensions are the overall length of the axle and the diameter and length of the splined portion of the shaft.

I swear I posted already. Anyway, no, the stocker was too long. So I guess the actual distance was too long because when the axle was in all the way the carrier bearing wouldn't line up with the block. He said he thought it was hitting on something in the tranny, meaning the splines were too long, because the collar wasn't up against the diff seal yet.

I'll send a PM to him and try to get him in this thread even though he doesn't check up on here much.

So we know people have used the stock pass axle for the i30 VLSD but how 'bout for the AE? Has anyone else done this? I don't really care because I don't have to deal with transaxles anymore but I'm trying to help future AE'ers.

Aside from the driver's axles being different, the speedometer mount on my AE is covered. You will have to transfer the speedometer reader/sensor from the old 5 speed trans to the AE.

I guess i'll find out for the AE's when I do my clutch job

I too fit the stock open passenger axle on my conversion just fine. I also have 2 driver-side axles avail for sale.

1) used and good condition open diff ABS 5sp axle - $75

2) functional yet leaking locking diff AE ABS 5sp axle - $50 OBO. Great for a core-swap instead of paying $75+ through stores.

I think I typed this before but in all these posts it's easy to miss things. I used a stock open diff axle (actually multiple ones since I've torn the CV boots on them) on the passenger side for my 5th gen AE A33 LSD 5spd transmission swap in my 4th gen car.

There is no difference between the AE LSD and the 1997+ I30t LSD transmission according to the FSM. In 1997 Nissan changed from using a single baulk ring on the 1st gear synchro to a double baulk ring on the 1st gear synchro, this doesn't affect anything to do with this swap though so don't worry about that.

There is no difference between AE LSD and I30t LSD axles dimensionally.

Now that I work at a performance transmission shop I am going to hopefully be able to do a Rockwell hardness test on the gears of both my AE LSD transmission and whatever other maxima transmissions I can get ahold of (I currently have a blown open diff 95-96 transmission to compare to) so that I can

A couple points, to make it easy for people to see them:

- When swapping from open diff to LSD, you ONLY need to use an LSD driver's side axle. The open diff passenger side axle works in the LSD transmission.

- AE LSD or I30t LSD axles may be used interchangeably, they are the same (you still need to make sure you get an ABS ring if you have ABS on your car)

- The 3rd gear on the 5th gen (A33 trans) is dimensionally NO DIFFERENT from the 3rd gear on the 4th gen transmission. This indicates a high probability that the 5th gen gear is no stronger than the 4th gen gear, but does not prove it without a doubt without having done a Rockwell hardness test on both gears. I will be attempting to do this over the winter (see above). It is however my belief that Nissan made no changes to the 3rd gear manufacturing process, and I believe the gears to be identical between the two generations.

I too can confirm that the AE axles and A32 VLSD axles are interchangeable. Also, when I laid my 5spd vlsd passenger side axle next to my old auto open diff. passenger side axle they were exactly the same... altimat pm'd me about his problem and it did not make any sense to me.

if u look on autozones or advanced autos websites, you will find out that they list the SAME part number for passanger side axles for both the vlsd and open diff trannys.

Something's weird here...I'm in the process of installing my AE transmission; I'm stuck on the passenger axle. It doesn't seem to want to go in all the way...no matter what.

Is it possible that some cars got different passenger side axles? Maybe Nissan switched? Maybe there were different passenger axles that Nissan used, and some of us got the longer ones that won't fit a VLSD tranny?

I've got a 1998 w/open diff, just bought a 2k1 AE tranny and driver-side axle...it looks like I'm going to need to replace the passenger side as well. :confused:

sorry if this question has been ask ?? but how can i tell if it a true 2001 A.E vlsd 5 speed tranny

Big driver's side axle seal and diff with no cross shaft in it (if you look through the axle holes and can see all the way through with no metal rod visible in there) then it's a VLSD trans.

Can I put a VLSD auto trans in my auto open diff trans car, with just a straight up trans swap? I see where there seems to be a discrepancy about the passenger axle but that road can be crossed when the trans is in the car, I just want to make sure there is nothing else that I really have to worry about getting, or fabricating.


Thanks,
Eddie

No.

Same as the 5MT VLSD swap, you'd also need the driver's side axle.

Of all the mods I did to my Maxima, that was by far the most rewarding one.

http://forums.maxima.org/7606714-post1.html

I would like to add this info about 2k1 ae lsd vs i30t lsd axles

Let's quote the whole thread because Jsutter's experience is exactly the opposite of my experience. I used a 4th gen I30t axle in my AE VLSD trans without issue so I'm not sure what is going on in his situation.