R33 GT-R Update: R34 GT-R Steering Wheel Swap

Not many people know this but R34 GT-R steering wheels are plug & play when it comes to Series II / late model R33 GT-Rs. Airbang and all mind you, with no error lights showing.

Now theres nothing wrong with the stock R33 GT-R quad steering wheel. Its just that it doesn't have much character going for it. I mean, it only has an embossed 'Nissan' on the horn button, along with the corresponding moon corporate logo and outer red leather stiching. It was also present in the Silvia S14 and other Nissan models like the Skyline GTST (ENR33 / ER33). No offence to the owners of those cars but I wanted a steering wheel that had a tad bit more GT-R exclusivity. Nissan must have really liked the design by the way, because it was still in use in their first generation X-Trail! Ahh, you've served me well old girl...

I've always been a fan of the R34 GT-R steering wheel, mainly because of the tri-star sculpted design and the prominent 'GT-R' horn logo. It's also smaller by an inch or so in terms of diameter. No prizes for guessing where I managed to source a unit (thanks to my good buddy Eu-Jin at JDM Auto Link). Supposedly, these are quite rare and difficult to source.

It was a pretty straight forward affair in removing the stock steering wheel. I knew that the airbags in the two steering wheels were of the same model, but there was no harm in checking. To do this, the side latches were opened up and the airbag housing unscrewed. Fortunately, the sockets all matched up, so we were good to go. Do note that this modification is only possible in Series II / late model R33 GT-R's, that feature driver and passenger side airbags. If you have an older BCNR33, then you're unfortunately out of luck. This is confirmed for Series I R33 GT-Rs. Oh and did you know that airbags have a shelf life? The one in my stock R33 GT-R steering wheel has clearly gone pass it's expiry date (circa 1997!), while I'm hoping the R34 GT-R's airbag is still good for a couple more years. Food for thought, gentle people.

Now all that was left to do was to line up the R34 GT-R steering wheel and bolt it in. I have to say that due to the tri-star design, the steering wheel feels much smaller and more chuckable. I just love it because it's a straight fit (no adaptation needed), looks like it belongs there in the first place, is much smaller than the unit that it replaces and really spruces up my R33's interior. Aki, you should really do this mod, mate ;).

R33 GT-R Update: Nismo Under-Floor Reinforcing Bars Set + Nismo Rear Member Brace

My brand spanking new Nismo Front Under-Floor Reinforcing Bar

Been busy with work, so I've actually done a lot to the GT-R since last my update, as you can see from the above picture.

Installed: One of the Nismo Centre Under-Floor Reinforcing Bars

The last aspect of the car that I wanted to improve on was it's stability. That's where Nismo comes in to save the day (yet again) - don't you just love these guys? Through countless hours of testing and improvements at the track, in events such Le Mans and other races where the R33 GT-R competed for top honours, Nismo was able to develop their Under-Floor Reinforcing Bar set.

The set consists of three pieces, a front underbrace and a pair of centre underbraces. These reinforcing parts, made out of strong high-carbon steel, help to increase the vehicle’s rigidity against twisting and bending. Installation will also provide a more linear sense of stability. And the best part - these bars are above the minimum ground height clearance point, so there is little chance of scraping or under-body road rash. So in a nutshell, they strengthen the under-floor section of the car to provide greater stability. They looked so shiny and pretty, that I felt bad installing them underneath the GT-R! You can always count on Nismo to make products of the highest quality and finish.

I've already installed Nismo's rear member brace sometime back, so this completes my GT-R's handling setup. What's really cool about the rear member brace is that Nismo developed it exclusively for the Z-Tune R34 GT-R but fortunately, they decided to make it available for all R33 and R34 GT-R owners through the Nismo link upgrade.

One section of the Nismo Rear Member Braces installed

Here's what Nismo has to say about their Rear Member Brace:  
Attached to the rear suspension link of the rear suspension member, the brace improves rigidity, and controls changes to alignment due to deflection of the suspension member. By bringing out the true potential of the suspension, it improves cornering and traction performance. And by installing the brace, changes to the car are more directly transmitted to the driver, so settings are more immediately understood.

I have to say that there has a marked improvement in the car's ride and handling characteristics. Far more pliable but not uncomfortable at all. In fact, my R33 GT-R now soaks up road imperfections without creaking and there is definitely less flex when riding over bumps. Even on highway runs, at speeds approaching 200 km/h and above, the strengthened chassis glides over any dips or raised features that are on the road. 

As for the Nismo front underbrace, the GT-R already has good rigidity to begin with but now you can actually sense the body better through steering feel, which is more direct and precise. This makes it easier to predict how the car will react in high speed situations, like when taking a long sweeping bend in the road. These upgrades make you fully aware of how far the car can be pushed, when tackling such obstacles. Traction has improved as well, with the rear section being able to put down power more effectively, when the gas pedal is pressed.

Overall, my Skyline now feels really stable when I'm carving up windy roads and doing high-speed runs on the highway. I've fallen in love with my GT-R yet again (this happens every time a new upgrade is bolted on!) and it gives me the confidence to carry out more difficult maneuvers, like attacking a sharp corner or carrying speed into a curved bend. Thank you Nismo!

To learn more or if you want to order these parts for your own car, head on over to http://www.nismo.co.jp/en/products/competition/lb/index.html.

Vimeo and the GT-R Family

I never get tired of watching this vid, especially the part where all four GT-R generations are cruising down the street in line abreast formation.



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