Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS!

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:24 pm

So I know I'd been throwing aorund the idea of making an adapter plate, and it has finally come to be.

With the help of mtcookson, he loaned me a Dixon adapter plate that I can use to copy and remake. My design will be much thinner, requiring a small spacer for the flywheel BUT will not move the mount back a mile like it does with the dixon plate.

The dixon plate is about 1inch thick made out of aluminum. my design will be about 1/4in or less.

Right now, the plate has been traced... This weekend I will draw it up on the computer (or maybe sooner depending how antsy I get) .

My idea is to make a plate that is cheaper than the mazworx one, requires no bellhousing modifications (better for international shippers), and will not push the transmission back requiring extensive modifications to the mount....

Post by **tmorgan4** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 2:53 pm

Any idea on timeframe for this? I will put money down and be one of the first to put these on if it won't take forever. Right now my only option is the Mazworx adapter and that means I have to pull the transmission and transfer case (and I REALLY don't want to) and then send it out for machining.

Let me know and I can put money down! Or if you are willing to sell the drawings I've got access to a full machine shop here at Colorado State.

Post by **jamestgk** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:02 pm

what are you adapting

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:03 pm

That is something I have been considering. The main thing is I dont want my work (and especially the work of John Dixon) to just go out to whoever wants. I may consider sending my work directly to a machine shop, however it wouldnt be worth your while... especially, since I have to order special bolts to make this work. The idea is that you cant make them cheaper than I can... Believe me, they will be reasonably priced, well under the mazworx one.

Once I secure my hardware its just a matter of getting the plate made which im working on right now....

Im hoping in 1-2 months I have a complete plate shipped to someone. It all depends on how long my hardware takes to come in because that is going to be the limiting factor... The plate and the spacer should only take me an afternoon to draw up.

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:03 pm

jamestgk wrote:what are you adapting

VH45DE to 300ZX 5 speed trans.

Post by **jamestgk** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:34 pm

sounds sweet... i have a 03 m45, wish it was 5speed.

zerothread?id=176029

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:38 pm

I may consider doing a VK adapter someday, but for now this is it.

Post by **tmorgan4** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:49 pm

If there is any way you can get it done quicker than 2 months from now (a month would probably work) put me down for one. I'm without a car until I get this engine in however I need some time to get the engine put back together too.

Post by **SSDwellah** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:51 pm

Is there anyway you can shave some of the thickness off by removing the OEM engine plate and making this bolt on to the engine directly? Sorry if this sounds stupid but I was under the impression that the Dixon adapter bolts onto an OEM removable engine plate that is already on the engine. If so, it would be nice to replace these BOTH with one piece that is machined right to accept the Z32 5 speed without any flywheel spacer.

Again, if this doesn't make sense, I am working off of pics and memory: I have the dixon adapter but no VH45DE yet.

Post by **elwesso** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:25 pm

is your pathy already 5 speed? If its not, you may want to get your car running before you switch to manual..

I dont think I will need to have the engine plate there, im not even sure what it does. We'll see what happens when im done...

The dixon plate should bolt directly onto the motor. It has the holes on the bottom for the bracket for the lower holes, but I dont think you need the engine plate there.

Post by **tmorgan4** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 4:36 pm

The Pathfinder is already a 5-speed. I've got the factory FS5R-30 5-speed and a completely rebuilt Borg-Warner T-5 transmission ready to go in. I don't want to put the T-5 in quite yet though since that will require a new transfer case and drivelines.

Post by **ultrapulse** » Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:22 pm

Sounds good, however how is the strength of the tread of only 1/4" of material supposed to hold the tranny on to the adaptor plate? I wouldve thought getting it strong here (like dixons) then making a custom flywheel would be the best idea, as in safe and strong. All this is constructive so please dont think I'm trying to put down your idea. Hope all works out, and I may be keen on one as well:)

Post by **gs14racer** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 3:09 am

My mazworx one is aluminum and isnt much thicker than that. My car sees constant abuse evry time it is driven altough i have relativly stock power.

The key to remember here is that the stresses on the plate are torsional. So as long as you put dowel holes for the factory dowel pins in the block, the put dowel pins in the plate for the transmission you will be fine.

Post by **elwesso** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:04 am

ultrapulse wrote:Sounds good, however how is the strength of the tread of only 1/4" of material supposed to hold the tranny on to the adaptor plate? I wouldve thought getting it strong here (like dixons) then making a custom flywheel would be the best idea, as in safe and strong. All this is constructive so please dont think I'm trying to put down your idea. Hope all works out, and I may be keen on one as well:)

That is sort of the point (along with others) to use steel instead of alumium... Generally speaking steel has a higher yield strength and lower cost, at the expense of weight and elastic modulus to a certain extent.. Weight really isnt a huge factor in this since it is not rotational.

I thought you told me the mazworx plate is about 14mm thick, im hoping mine is about half that at 7mm or less... Not a huge difference but notable.

Post by **tmorgan4** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:33 am

If you need any money put down on one, let me know. I need one as soon as you can get them made.

Post by **irax** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 11:04 am

why put a spacer on the flywheel? when its soo much safter to put a spacer on the throw out bearing.

Post by **elwesso** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:05 pm

Because im not 100% sure the starter will mesh properly.... I may try it without a spacer all together and see how that works.

I mean, such a thin spacer (think like 2 washers thick) cant hardly make a difference...

Post by **ZX2NV** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 5:13 pm

Interest Email sent

J

Post by **T45** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:15 am

I'm getting ready to yank the VG so hurry it up Little Wesley!!!

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:40 am

Just to update...

Ive found my ULTRA hard to find M14x1.5P countersunk screws that are basically impossible to find. A guy from australia (thanks JASON!!!) hooked it up and is basically going to make this project materialize much easier.

I think my month deadline is going to be met fairly easy.

Post by **qsiguy** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:22 am

That is a strange screw size. What is it used on? I checked with 5 different suppliers we use for bolts and none carried that. One place had the size and pitch but not the countersunk version. I have a couple more to check with. You sure that's the right size? What length and quantity do you need?

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:52 am

its already been taken care of. Ive checked about everywhere to and theyre going ot be custom made.

Theyre the screws used to mount the plate (or trans) to the motor. Ive triple verified thats the correct pitch and size.

Im looking at about 30mm thread length.

Post by **ZX2NV** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:27 pm

Yeah thanks Wes

If it means I get one quicker I am all for helping you out lol

I actually verified all the details of the bolts myself aswell. I dropped into a local wrecker/importer and actually removed a bolt from the back of a VH45DE and measured it first hand with vernier calipers and checked the thread using a pitch gauge.

Then liasing with Wes we come to the correct size conclusion and I ordered the bolts today. 100 bolts will be ready in two weeks and you guys should have them within 5 days or so from then.

Its all up to Wes now to get moving with the templates and CNC machining

Post by **tmorgan4** » Thu Aug 30, 2007 10:34 pm

Can't Fastenal make any bolts you need? I'm excited to see progress too. I need one ASAP!

Post by **David Steele** » Fri Sep 07, 2007 8:44 pm

Whats your predicted time of release for these things?

Post by **elwesso** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:20 am

Im hoping to have the modeling of the plate done next week and then its however long the thing takes to get made

Ive had basically 0 free time lately which is why I dont have the plate drawn.

Post by **David Steele** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:26 am

I'm not sure if I can use one of these yet I just wanted to know.

Post by **tmorgan4** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:36 pm

Wes,

Any idea how long it is going to be until you've got time to draw it up? Not trying to rush you but if it's going to be a while, what if we had it sent out for someone to draw up or even to a shop that can scan it into their computer in about 30 seconds? I would really like to get my hands on one of these fairly soon since my engine should be done in the next week or two.

Sounds like hardware may be another difficulty though unless you've already sourced that. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!

Thanks a bunch for doing this.

Post by **importperf** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:02 pm

elwesso wrote:Because im not 100% sure the starter will mesh properly.... I may try it without a spacer all together and see how that works.

I mean, such a thin spacer (think like 2 washers thick) cant hardly make a difference...

I believe you can use the spacer off of the factory vh auto flywheel. I'm going through the same process now.

Post by **jamestgk** » Mon Sep 10, 2007 2:16 am

will it work on a ke

Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS!

Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS!

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (tmorgan4)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (jamestgk)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (jamestgk)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (tmorgan4)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (tmorgan4)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (ultrapulse)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (ultrapulse)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (tmorgan4)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (irax)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: (T45)

Re: (qsiguy)

Re: (elwesso)

Re: (ZX2NV)

Re: (David Steele)

Re: (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

Re: Operation VH45DE 5 Speed adapter plate IN PROGRESS! (elwesso)

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