370Z steering rack install rules!!!!!

[rayshake]

OK, I've had my '06 M45S for almost a year and planned to keep it stock, but that ended early. Actually, the first day I had it I rewired and reversed the manual shifter direction to be what I felt was normal. Have driven quaife and OS sequential boxes and hate when you have to push forward to upshift so that had to change.

After driving the car for a while, it really bothered me that the steering ratio was so slow. Luckily, I had access to and experience modifying Nissan 370z steering racks for Chris Forsberg's formula drift car. After taking some measurements, I decided I'd have to do it eventually. The idea of going from a 16:1 ratio to a 13.5:1 ratio sounded like what it needed. Well, I finally put it in and it was exactly what the car was missing. At least in the turning department. Still needs 200-300 more horsepower and a manual transmission, but it's soo much better to drive now.

Here's what I did...
remove 370z pinion head, press out gear, swap gear into M housing, reassemble to z rack and put into car.

Align car and reset steering angle sensors.

you will need the z inner tie rods which are 18X1.0mm vs 16X1.0mm in the M

Other than that, it bolts in. Not sure if you can use the standard Z rack as it comes, as I modified it months before I even put it in. I figured the solenoid location difference could be an issue so just did it.

Manual transmission is next. Maybe I'll put one of these flat crank indy lights motors in I have kicking around. More than likely it will end up turbocharged though. I like my luxuries. LOL.

[mexillis]

nice install, per unspoken forum rules this thread needs photos of the install! Porbly to late for that but sounds like another part from the 370z we can use. So by having a better turning ratio does that mean you can make better U turns, lol? You should put in the VLSD next from either the G37/370z, Im sure that will make you enjoy the M more.

[rayshake]

No better u turns with this mod. Just faster steering. For better u turns, you would have to change more than that which we have done too.

Have a carbon clutch type differential laying around I may put in. Don't care much for viscous type differentials.

[EniGmA1987]

You can try adding a Transgo shift kit for quicker and firmer shifts, and get an UpRev tune and mess with the transmission torque management tables, and finally a good grounding kit for the TCU, ECU, and throttle body. Add 370z paddle shifters too and you might actually like the automatic transmission enough to keep it.

The G37s rear differential will make the car feel WAY lighter on it's feet. Id definitely recommend that.

[06M4.5]

The G37s rear differential is in the future planning for my M

[rayshake]

I'm more of a 3 pedal guy personally and have done most of the design work on fitting the gearbox to the engine so that will be the route. we use up rev here, and have done automatic to manual conversions on Nissans of that ECU architecture without issue, so hopefully all will work out with the factory ECU staying in the car. If not, we have done 90 percent of the work to fit an AEM infinity to the engine/ chassis, so we have that as a backup and if that doesn't, most of that work will transfer to a motec M1. We want to do initial testing with the OEM ECU initially, but feel it will be holding the car back. We have already tuned the car with up rev, but returned it back to stock. we were just baselining the car and seeing what the standard calibration looked like. I've never been a big fan of it because there is so much you can't do with their software.

[rayshake]

Random pics for the unspoken rule. Sorry. I don't take a lot of pics these days as a lot we have going on here is pretty secretive, but I've become aware that we have some pretty neat stuff that would be nice to share.

Note the aluminum housing 370z rack



aligned


and 1 of cool vk engines in our engine room because we loooove VK engines

[EniGmA1987]

Are those ITB's I see? The trumpets make it looks like it is...

[rayshake]

Are those ITB's I see? The trumpets make it looks like it is...

Yup. ITB's on VK56, dual runner ITB's on VK56 and ITB on VK45

These are the VK45 ITB's dressed

[EniGmA1987]

So.... We need sound clips....

[rayshake]

So.... We need sound clips....

working on it!! Got plenty of vids of our VK56 engines. 800hp normally aspirated and 1000+ on nitrous!!

[mr_luv]

Where in MD are you would love to see your M in person Gaithersburg here.

[mexillis]

Have a carbon clutch type differential laying around I may put in. Don't care much for viscous type differentials.

def do a write up for that if you ever put it in. The g37 dif is the cheapest and easiest mod for the M that we know of at the moment. With half shafts and the pumpkin it is only about 600.

[mdk350]

Is the M45 rack very similar to the 370z? I was looking to do this on my 350z but the racks arent even close. Pinion height is different and the rack has much smaller teeth on it.