Thread: AWD & independant rear suspensions

I saw some other threads but wanted some opinions from those that know more about the car ( joe/trav/yogi).

I spent some time under the xtrail today and the rear floor pan is pretty much identical. the hardware bracketry is different but that's nothing a welder won't fix. Even the holes for the subframe connecting bolts exist on the sentra, there is just no bolts, but again very mild creativity solves this problem. The biggest problem I see is the actual struts are MUCH taller on the xtrail and use a coil on strut setup, not a coil on shock.

Now if for nothing else would it be worth swapping the rear end just to gain the independent setup?

Next question about the AWD..

No nissan exists with AWD/ MT except for the gtir and sss blubird. the xtrail, rouge, murano and sunny SS are all AT. Now the SSS bluebird uses a RS5F50 transmission so it's transfer case should in theory mate to the specs trans since the RS5 &RS6 use the same cases right?

A SSS front end with an xtrail rear all seem very possible and appealing. Thoughts?

and before someone says it I know it wouldn't be as easy as I've typed it. But on paper it doesn't seem too extreme with only mild fabrication

I you bring us an x-trail and your Sentra we can find out

my sentra is already undergoing vq surgery so it won't be going anywhere for a bit ( actully it just needs wiring done, motor is already in), but I had an xtrail and a sentra side by side today and the rear end looks like it will carry over with light to moderate fab work.

My local dealer has even offered up a xtrail rear end and Tcase for $200 so I can play........ BUt would the independat rear with out the awd be worth the effort? You guys race, what do you think.

unless you go AWD, I can't see it being a huge advantage.


Now..... if you used the t-fer case, trans, rear subframe w/ diff, and built an adapter to bolt up a VQ........ that would be pretty good.

w/ a huge turbo

Originally Posted by Justin@2J-Racing

unless you go AWD, I can't see it being a huge advantage.


Now..... if you used the t-fer case, trans, rear subframe w/ diff, and built an adapter to bolt up a VQ........ that would be pretty good.

the case and input shaft is the same on the rs5 and rs6 so the u13 sss Tcase should already fit minus some bracketry to hold it in place ( again in theory)

step 1- make it run
step 2- make it better
step 3- make it faster
step 4- make it spin 4 wheels lol

I thought the t-fer case bolted to the bellhousing?? You should be able to use a 5pseed bellhousing on a 6 speed trans....... but you have to make sure the final drives match

I already have the 5speed vq bell on the car now. The transfer case mounts where the right side input/output shaft would go, then a shorter axle takes it's place going to the wheel from the other side of the tcase

I know, I've looked

I just thought it bolted to the belhousing where the axle goes in to the trans

you got a pic or two??

Infinity has several AWD options..... several with the vq35 as well....that might be another option to look at since we know the vq can be swapped

not any I can up load at the moment, most aren't the greatest either, but from what my guy at nissan has told me all the current vq and QR transfer cases are completely separate. I'll know more tomorrow when I go down there to check out his parts bin

Originally Posted by kktohot

Infinity has several AWD options..... several with the vq35 as well....that might be another option to look at since we know the vq can be swapped

all the Infiniti options are setup for longitude mounted engines not transvers like the sentra

this is my next goal...if someone can come up with the idea how to and a fairly decent price, i wanna do this in the next year or 2

AWD here we come..

if your going to try awd, personally I would go with a gtir engine and drivetrain. Reallllly well designed engine (sr) proven to make power, with tons of aftermarket support, and an awd system already in effect for the engine.

I like to be difficult. IF i follow through this car will be one Frankenstein'd beast. as I want to keep the VQ in place GTIR front with xtrail rear would 100% work but would be too easy

I bought the car as a non running shell so it's really of no consequence what happens to it or what goes into it. I bought the car strictly as a toy

VQ + turbo > GTI-R

Hell if we can just make it rwd ill be happy

looking into it more you are right justin, they all mate to the bell. Good news is there were a few 5spd AWD xtrails out there. So for the QR equipped, this is looking better. For me using a VQ I'd likely have to make an adapter plate to mate the xtrail bell+ transfer case to the VQ engine. Not sure if or how the alignment of the case will interfere with the engine cradle yet but the xtrail's cradle appears to be the same as the sentras so it should be ok as long as the adapter plate is not too large