Driveshaft options on SAS Nissans - Coil over radius arm or SUA, SOA leaf or 3 link.

Options to make a front driveshaft after A SAS. SUA with leafs, Radius arms or a custom 3 link should be fine with stock slip shafts. SOA leaf requires extra long travel. I am currently running this alloy adapter on both my SAS Nissans. I sold the original steel version. NissanNut AKA "NN". The front shaft is one of the hardest parts to get right on a SAS Nissan. I hope this page will help others with some ideas. I have tried 1,2, 3 and 4. My personal favorite is number 2. Its the version I run on the pathy today.
 

  1. Add A 1310 CV (Double Cardan) to the stock D22 or D21 (90+) shaft, remove Nissan flange from Dana 44 side and add NN adapter. (Note WD21 does not use 1310 U joints like trucks do)

  2. Buy a Jeep (TJ, XJ or Wagoneer) driveshaft and shorten to length and use NN adapter. Add 211229x flange.

  3. Have a custom shaft made around NN adapter.

  4. Have custom shaft made around Nissan tcase flange. (Bad idea) I tried this and had problems finding any shops that could make one.  I accidentally broke the custom flange and went with option 2.

  5. Buy a  CALMINI driveshaft if you have the coil over kit.

The NN adapter I use converts the Nissan female bolt pattern to a popular 1310 Spicer female centering yoke flange. Part number 211229x. This Spicer flange was used stock on

1980-1982 Ford Thunderbird
1982-1983 Lincoln Continental
1980-1982 Mercury Cougar XR-7

The Spicer Flange 211229x

This flange is the closest flange to the Nissan flange. Its old so its SAE. 2.48 bolt to bolt 3.5 bolt circle. designed for 7/16 bolts.

There is also a Rockford version 404A of the Spicer 211229x. Its about $50-78 new at any driveshaft store or some auto parts stores like Napa..

You can buy the flange at any driveshaft store, Napa or the cheapest I have found is $55 at shaftmasters.com 

I bought one used from car-parts.com for $30. I bought a 82 thunderbird driveshaft. I had the junk yard cut off just the CV. That was for the whole CV WITH flange!

I found some more brands of this adapter. Oreilys sells 2 part numbers. Precision 627 works.

 

 

The NN adapter: Steel. Version 1.0.

 

Due to bolt patter is so similar. I choose to have the adapter tapped on both sides. The adapter has two Male centering pins. The Nissan side is hollowed out for the nut clearance. The CV side is SAE 7/16. The Tcase side is 10mm.

Tapped both sides.
10mm x 1.5 T case side. use Class 12, 30  mm long bolts with lock washers and lock tite from Autozone
7/16 x 14 tpi CV side, use Grade 8, 1.5" long bolts with lock washers from Lowes.
 

NN Adapter Aluminum Version 2.0 6061 version. Much lighter, same cost to make. I found a local machine shop to make these.

 

 

Aluminum versus Steel

Alloy was made thinner and a smaller diameter or some reason.

 NN Adapter Aluminum Version 3.0  I had emachineshop.com make these. I changed the design slightly with some milling, drilling and sanding.For $85 shipped in US. If you want one send me an email. I only have a few left. This one use 1 in long 7/16 in bolts and OEM Nissan bolts on TX10 tcase side.

 

Option 1. Nissan shaft with CV and an adapter.

I cut off the tcase side 1310 U joint and flange. Welded on a Junk yard 1310 CV that already had the spicer flange I needed.

Ironically the shaft is the perfect length now. I removed the rubber boot and there is plenty of travel hidden in there.

Remove this flange from the axle side. The U joint is the same as the Dana 44 Yoke.

 

Option 2: Add Spicer flange to Jeep shaft and shorten to length.

Just need to shorten to correct length and add the spicer flange. Also need the NN adapter. All stock easy to find parts.

 

You can see by this picture the Jeep XJ/TJ shaft is more than long enough. It needs to be shortened allot. I picked up this shaft used on ebay $30. Just add NN adapter $75 and Spicer flange $30 New online at a Jeep forum. This one is from a 98 Jeep Cheerokee AKA XJ.

Disassemble the CV and shorten the tube to length. Then weld bolt stud yoke back on. Then reassemble CV.

Comparison of socket yokes.

Sell the left over yoke to a jeep friend and save the tube for another project.

Compressed and extended stock and CV version. Measurement is at ride height.

Installed:

This is my D21 custom shaft with a the 1330 CV and old steel NN adapter. It has 1310-1330 5134x conversion joints. This allows more flex. You can vonvert a 1310 CV to this if needed. You need 2 new conversion joints and a new H yoke.

Any questions or corrections just email Me. My email is on the menu bar up top.

 

I picked up 2 more used driveshafts. A= 1979 wagoneer, B Jeep cherokee C=WD21 D=D22

Parts sources: