SoloIIdrift

How hard would this be. Swapping the entire rear subframe I guess to make it easier from the 88 TII to a 87 N/A but using the N/A tranny and driveshft...would this be possible?

I searched but didn't find anything that fit this exactly.

SonicRaT

iTrader: (6)

You would probably be better off getting a T2 tranny as well and putting it on the NA. I think you would need to get a custom driveshaft from mazdatrix, somewhere around $250 I think.

jeff_oner

i've been thinking about something similar, but i want to use a TII transmission, but use the n/a rearend.

would i need a custom drive shaft for that?

SoloIIdrift

nah, I'm keeping the N/A tranny for now, it was just rebuilt at the cost of $1000 bucks! (by previous owner) Complete rebuild, new snycros and 3rd gear. So if I get a custom driveshaft will it work? I heard that the TII rearend accepts a bigger driveshaft and different flange...anyone?

SonicRaT

iTrader: (6)

Well, it's all about length of the driveshaft. The NA one is too long for the turbo rear end, and the T2 driveshaft's yolk is too large for the NA tranny, thus why you need the custom driveshaft.

SoloIIdrift

so basically if I cut the T2 driveshaft in 1/2 and weld the other end of the N/A driveshaft on it it'll work?

JByrd

A drive line shop would cut one or both ends off and put whatever it needed to be, for under $200.

mazdaspeed7

Dont waste your money cutting the driveshafts in half and getting them welded together. You can redrill the flange on the diff to match the n/a driveshaft. You could do it at your house in 30 min. But be very careful to have it centered, or else the driveshaft will seem off balance, and make the whole car shake.

Draw an X across the flange in between the original holes, and that should make it a piece of cake to center the driveshaft to mark the holes. Draw the X so that when the driveshaft is centered, all 4 holes on the driveshaft will be on a line you drew.

Exit13B

mazdaspeed7 is correct. The tranny type determines which driveshaft you need, not the rear end or combinations thereof. The pilot on the pinion flange will actual prevent you from getting the shaft off-center (unless you are really sloppy!)
The conversion could go either way: na tranny with TII rear, or TII tranny with NA rear -- just match the driveshaft to the tranny. You can also swap pinion flanges for the appropriate rear, and no drilling is required. No problem!
SoloIIdrift: no reason to swap subframes! That's a nasty job! Just loosen the 'cups' on each side of the subframe until the nuts are holding by 2 or three threads, and remove the lower shock bolts. Then, you can use a 12" extension to remove the bolts on the rear's front mount with ease! Just loosen the two bolts, and pop off the retaining clip.

SoloIIdrift

Cool this is what I wanted to hear, so basically just the 1/2 shafts and diff itself can be swapped?

So I really DO need to drill, or would it be easier just to have a driveshaft shop swap the pinion flanges?

Thanks for the great responses Mazdaspeed7 and Exit13b

mazdaspeed7

I was not sure if the TII and n/a pinion had the same splines.

The pinion flange comes out easily. Once you have the diff off the car, take an impact gun to the nut on the front(its pretty damn tight), make sure you keep the spacer with its original diff, not the pinion flange. Once you have the nut off, it slides right out. You might need to tap it out with a hammer if its tight. The slide it onto the other diff, and put the but back on. Viola, you now have a TII diff with n/a pinion flange.