Vitara and GV front Diffs Cracking?

[WaveCult]

Hi guys...

Anyone had any trouble with front diffs on Vitara and GVs here?

Mine seems to have cracked without hitting anything :(

[Gonzo]

they are a known weak point :(

[bigsteve]

Hi guys...

Anyone had any trouble with front diffs on Vitara and GVs here?

Mine seems to have cracked without hitting anything :(

a bumper and a front diff in as many weeks, you really need to treat that thing more gently Luis.
(Kind of like the way i treat mine)

[WaveCult]

they are a known weak point :(

Do you know anyone who's tried to deal with this under warranty at all?

It seems to me a diff just break/crack when driven conservatively on standard tyres and standard suspension (as I have always had) no matter what... So bloody frustrating... particularly with Suzuki saying "it's not a warranty issue" and that there is "nothing wrong with the GVs" in regards to front diffs.

[WaveCult]

a bumper and a front diff in as many weeks, you really need to treat that thing more gently Luis.
(Kind of like the way i treat mine)

Come on Steve, you've seen me drive! you know I'm gentle! Besides you were there when the bumper literally just fell to the ground without touching anything... that left me completely baffled!!! like... WTF? I wasn't too upset then, but the diff is too much!!!

I know, I guess I should've got a Daihatsu (saw a nice Rocky today) (or a Sierra, ok)

[-Mick-]

Come on Steve, you've seen me drive! you know I'm gentle! Besides you were there when the bumper literally just fell to the ground without touching anything... that left me completely baffled!!! like... WTF?

Sell it now before it just tips over for no reason

[WaveCult]

Sell it now before it just tips over for no reason

I have witnesses (no, seriously, the plastic clips that hold the bumper up broke from the weight of the Unibar, miniature driving lights and snatch strap)

As for rolling over for no reason, if it ever happens all fingers will be pointing at you!

[Beastmavster]

Obviously not the steel diffed GV then :|

Time to do the upgrade while it's broken anyway

[antt]

has it cracked the diff mount or the actual diff carrier?

[WaveCult]

has it cracked the diff mount or the actual diff carrier?

It's the aluminium diff-housing/case... not the mount... at least I couldn't see anything wrong with the mount when I last looked

[Gonzo]

see if you can put the steel carrier out of the V6 in there, much stronger

[02uke]

Vits spit diffs because of an oil feed galley that is like a little tube moulded into the casting. It's job is to feed oil fom the main pumpkin area to the pinion bearing. ( the bearing nearest the drive shaft ). The front diff mount (on the side of the diff ) is like a tag that sticks out to the left hand side. Unfortunatly as torque twists the drive shaft, yoke and pinion, the whole housing wants to twist. ( it can because there is only one mount ) The oil galley is the weak spot and the housing splits up the guts like twisting a peach in half. The simplest and cheapest way to reduce the chance of failure is to cut and force a piece of solid rubber, like an old shackle bush into the 10mm gap between the diff and the crossmember. It will greatly reduce the ability of the diff to twist but may add a slight harshness as some vibration may be felt through the chassis. Small price to pay. Chances are you won't notice it at all. Most people blame the crown wheel and pinion when a vit front end shits itself. Thats because the pinion spits out. What most people don't relise is that once the housing splits up the middle, there is nothing to hold the pinion in its place. It simply drives forward on the teeth of the crown wheel and punches its way out the front of the diff. Bummer. WINCH!!!

[WaveCult]

Vits spit diffs because of an oil feed galley that is like a little tube moulded into the casting. It's job is to feed oil fom the main pumpkin area to the pinion bearing. ( the bearing nearest the drive shaft ). The front diff mount (on the side of the diff ) is like a tag that sticks out to the left hand side. Unfortunatly as torque twists the drive shaft, yoke and pinion, the whole housing wants to twist. ( it can because there is only one mount ) The oil galley is the weak spot and the housing splits up the guts like twisting a peach in half. The simplest and cheapest way to reduce the chance of failure is to cut and force a piece of solid rubber, like an old shackle bush into the 10mm gap between the diff and the crossmember. It will greatly reduce the ability of the diff to twist but may add a slight harshness as some vibration may be felt through the chassis. Small price to pay. Chances are you won't notice it at all. Most people blame the crown wheel and pinion when a vit front end shits itself. Thats because the pinion spits out. What most people don't relise is that once the housing splits up the middle, there is nothing to hold the pinion in its place. It simply drives forward on the teeth of the crown wheel and punches its way out the front of the diff. Bummer. WINCH!!!

Great explanation...

Thanks for the advice (cheap to implement too!). Question: assuming I get another alluminium casing (suppose I can't get the steel one)... having the rubber spacer there would mean it should probably be strong enough no?

I also found this http://www.izook.com/tech/tracker/pinion/pinion.htm which sounds like a more expensive implementation of what you are saying... I think I'll go for the rubber block

Thanks mate!!

[02uke]

The earliest release Vits (88) should be the place to look for a steel housing. - mark.

[Dick]

The earliest release Vits (88) should be the place to look for a steel housing. - mark.

Not sure about that one, all the early ones are alloy to my knowlege. Only GV manuals have Steel ones.. I smashed my pinion housing to bits and then got a whole front axle from a 2002 GV and fitted it up. No problems now and I have been giving it heaps. (but only with locker engaged) I reckon an alloy hsg with modified mount and a locker would last a lot longer.. reduces to impact stress of one wheel spinning..
I have a spare alloy hsg too...

[WaveCult]

Not sure about that one, all the early ones are alloy to my knowlege. Only GV manuals have Steel ones.. I smashed my pinion housing to bits and then got a whole front axle from a 2002 GV and fitted it up. No problems now and I have been giving it heaps. (but only with locker engaged) I reckon an alloy hsg with modified mount and a locker would last a lot longer.. reduces to impact stress of one wheel spinning..
I have a spare alloy hsg too...

Thanks for the feedback... I've ordered some manual hubs and have located an alloy housing. Am intending on getting the mount modified or just putting a rubber block under it for now and see how I go. I am also intending on keeping the other diff centre... so might consider welding at some stage in the near future