Differential Install on a NA Miata
 

Hey guys,
I'm looking to purchase a 1997 miata with just the touring package (no torsen lsd)

• Power Steering Package: Power-assisted steering and wheel trim rings.
• (New) Touring Package: Power steering, leather-wrapped steering wheel, power windows, power mirrors, aluminum alloy wheels with locks and door map pockets.
• Popular Equipment Package: Touring Package items, plus Torsen limited-slip (manual transmission only), rear subframe brace rods, headrest speakers, cruise control and power antenna.

I'm planning to turbo in the future. I understand the benefits of a lsd but is there a significant difference between the oem torsen diff and an aftermarket like the os giken from flyinmiata?
https://www.flyinmiata.com/na-nb-os-...ferential.html
also, how difficult is to install either one and what parts/cost would I be looking at.

as far as the cruise control goes, it looks like I can buy the servo myself and install for a couple hundred?

Thanks for the help!
with something like https://mossmiata.com/cruise-control-kit ?

Do some reading on diff swaps there are lots of guides and posts. Theoretically it's pretty easy: loosen the axle nuts with the car still on the ground, put car on jack stands, drain stock diff and remove exhaust (cat-back), half shafts, and driveshaft, remove smaller 12mm bolts on diff mounts, loosen main 17mm nuts, undo PPF-to-diff bolts and swing the ppf out of the way, then put a jack under the diff housing and remove the 17mm mount nuts before lowering it down.

That being said, in practice it can be difficult if your axle nuts are stuck or your half-shafts wont come out of the hub easily, both of which happened to me and turned what should have been an hour-long job into two days of beating on the rear end of the car. Ended up having to swap in a new hub on one side.

There's a pretty big difference between the OS Giken and the Mazda Torsen... one is probably going to cost you close to $2k all said and done if you buy it new, but it's racecar shit. Shouldn't have any problems holding whatever power you want to throw at it, within reason. The other is the best OEM option, easy to swap in, and will likely cost less than half the price. I would only recommend the OS Giken if you plan on tracking the car, going for relatively big power with your turbo build, and/or have no concerns about the cost.