I'm looking for anyone that might have experience shortening a S3 RX-7 axle. I need to drop about 4" from mine and am looking for the best places to cut. Any experience?

 

why don't you just order custom axles from Strange??

 

I've still got to shorten the tubes - just don't know where to do it. Cut off the flange and weld it a few inches in? Also trying to figure out what to do with brackets.

 

why shorten the tubes?? just have new axles made..

and why use an S3 rear set-up.

I am using the S2 LSD, with S2/S3 rear brakes..

 

I've had threaded studs fly out of my hubs twice now, so I'd like to use the GSL-SE hubs with their bigger discs. Will the GSL discs bolt up to the RX-2 axle?

 

yes,
that is what I did on my RX-3.. there is a company (rotary powerusa) I can get you a phone number if you like....

He makes a kit to adapt the rear-drum set-up on thr RX-2/3 to use the 81-85 GSL rotors and rear calipers.

I have the kit and it works really really well

our cars have a bit of dive under braking.. so i put Hawk HP+ pads in the rear, and retained HPS compound in the front.

now under hard braking.. eg, while AutoXing.. the rear has a quicker initial bite than the rear so really realy good brake bias... with out a controller.. (that was the next step if that theory didn't work.. no more hardcore dive..

{BTW, I can use an RX-2 front Sway bar if you have or know of a spare...}
By using this kit you can use the 81-83 LSD and any 81-85 rotors/calipers, and also retain whatever wheels you are using with the 4x110 pattern.

unless you are running 300+hp, there is no point in going to the GSL-SE Axles.

I hope this helps, please let me know if you have more q's I am sure we can work this out...

 

Well damn. I had kinda looked forward to using a beefy rear end, but it looks like this would free up more time to do other stuff. I know of two parts guys here in Atlanta that are parting RX-2s, so I'll ask. Can you get me contact info for Rotary Power USA? I tried a google search and came up dry.

 

copy/pasted from another forum:

Rotary Power - Gardena CA 310/516-9959. The kits is $120 and it includes hardware, adapter plate, e-cable and few other things.

Need: Brake rotor, caliper from any 81-85 GSL.

 

To alleviate the wheel bolts from coming out, buy some threaded wheel studs and drench the end that threads into the hub with RED Loctite. Haven't had one come out since.

 

so all you need for that conversion it the 81-85 gsl rotors and calipers. and will the 81-85 gsl lsd fit into the RX2? thanks matt22

 

no, you'll need an 81-83 LSD
the 84/85 use the larger spline..

I agree with drivefast7... i have used wheel studs for a long time.. and have never had an issue.

 

And I've loctited mine the whole time - lost a wheel and two studs at 85 mph, caught the other one when I saw something chrome bounce past me. These things suck.

 

That kit sounds nice, I was wondering if there was something out there for the rear. Is installation pretty straight forward?

I also noticed a guy with a big brake kit on the front of his RX-2 @ SS7, I was gonna call on that and see how much it would run.

Mike

 

there are some guys in australia who worked out 2nd gen hubs/brakes onto the fron of the RX-2/RX-3.. if i wasn't so tired i'd look it up and post a link... maybe tomorrow..

I have considered selling my rear disc set-up... I may be going to a 4-wheel (4 piston front/ 2 piston rear) wilwood setup.

I already have the rear bracket adaptors done.

BTW, the toughest part of buying that kit is the brake lines..
I have it worked out.. if you like i can have my local brake shop make you some adapting brake lines... or post the fittings needed, then you can just have custom lines made from where the old brake cyl mounted to the new calipers.

 

i see, how much would that adapter runs if the brake shop made them?
i mean what do you think. i wonder if you bought the braided lines from Racing Beat you could jsut buy a different fitting and be good.

 

then you would have 4 connections instead of just 2..

Like i said, i can have these made for you, or give you the sizes.. I had them made in rubber..

Who cares aboot SS??? you need a little flex in your brake system.. especially in cars as light as ours..

Mine were like $13 ea.

 

I don't want to beat a dead horse but did you just put a few drops of loctite on the threads, or drench every thread that goes into the hub like I did?

I did the few drops thing and lost a wheel. Bent drivers fender to show for it.

Another idea is once the wheel studs are in the hub, peen over the threads with a punch and hammer. Mechanically preventing them to unthread.

 

Well, I got the Left axle out and stripped what I was told was an S2 axle, and came up snake eyes. The S2 diff is the larger splines of the S3, so it won't bolt into my axle. Dammit. Is there any LSD that will bolt into an RX-2 axle, or am I back to shortening something else?

 

no the S2 splines are the same as the RX-2.

did you get your donor LSD from a 81/82, 83, or 84/85

those damned 83's can screw your day if not careful,

let me know... advice pending.

 

Yeah, I thought 81-83 were the same, I didn't know about the S2/S3 crossbreeding that the 83s were. Apparently, I have an 83 chunk. That's okay though, as a fix is in the works.

 

ok so i would also need to get a 81 or 82 gsl to get a lsd. hmmmm good to know.

 

my newly assembled RB 4.375 R&P set with LSD from an 82 for long snout RX-3 will be available soon if anyone is interested..

I just aquired a helical set-up.

And am in need of a GSL-SE R&P if anyone has one...

 

ok so what is the best setup? that doesnt require much modification.
I am more of a bolt in kinda guy. although i did change out my entire
subframe on my 2nd gen rx7, so I am up for doing what needs to be
done to the rx2 thanks matt22

 

I'm a bolt-on guy too. We unbolted my drums and pulled them aside with the hydraulics still connected. We then pulled the driver's side axle out to measure. Basically, the LSD chunk is a little wider on one side, so one axle needs to be machined back by about 1/8 inch, but I won't know which one until the weekend. With the splined end shortened just that little bit, the LSD it a bolt-in swap. We took dimensions to design caliper brackets, then, to replace the bearing retainer. With some lines that go from old to new threads, you can then bolt on GSL calipers and rotors. You only need a left and right backing plate, which are simple and are being modeled up now, one slightly shortened axle, and a new pair of lines to make all this work. The bushings are the same as FB bushings, so I'll be replacing those as well. I'm looking to swap the LSD and get my interior together this weekend for a trip to the track next weekend, and will finish the brake swap immediately afterward. It looks to be pretty straightforward, though.

 

there is actually a place that makes a brake conversion kit.

Mine is coming off sometime soon when i go to 4-wheel wilwoods...

the lines are cheap to have made.
A local brake re-shoeing shop made mine for $13ea.


Did you guys read up above??
I aquired a ******* helical LSD for the RX-3.. OMFG... those are so rare.. and so so much better...

BTW, I still need GSL-SE ring and pinion.