Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t

Post by **antt** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:33 pm

well, now that i've had my spate of front end problems. today i (think, haven't pulled it apart yet) snapped a rear axle. so had to get the farker towed home from cruiser (2 1/2 hrs away)

Post by **-Mick-** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:40 pm

That sucks mate :cry:

How'd ya do that one :?:

Post by **antt** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:50 pm

on an 'extreme steep' (according to the map) climb on lower davidson way (i think). it was a steep hill covered it loose rocks. was coming up to a bend in the track and the back stepped sideways into a bank then BANG, and it was all over.

i though rear vitara diffs were supposed to be strong

heres a pic of the hill with basketcase going up it

Post by **Beastmavster** » Sun Aug 15, 2004 9:57 pm

Man that's a pissweak trail....

still... an excuse for MQ diffs front and rear

Post by **Damo** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:37 am

You pulled it apart yet? Wat happened?

Post by cj » Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:10 am

Bummer, the Vit rear end is generally pretty good but I suppose you were getting bored with working on the front end so it was time for a change

you could always spend some money with Calmini for some heavy duty axles http://www.puresuzuki.com/h_d__axles.htm

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:22 am

i was looking at those last night cj. but they aren't even available yet :cry:

im just gonna track down an axle from the wreckers and keep saving for bundera diffs

Post by **redzook** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:44 am

antt wrote:i was looking at those last night cj. but they aren't even available yet

im just gonna track down an axle from the wreckers and keep saving for bundera diffs

good plan

Post by **stumped** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:27 pm

sux dude... when u gonna upgrade to a sierra??

Post by **DRV11T** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:49 pm

antt wrote:i was looking at those last night cj. but they aren't even available yet

im just gonna track down an axle from the wreckers and keep saving for bundera diffs

Isn't Bundera rear the wrong offset for a Vit? or are you running a sierra T/case?

Mark

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:44 pm

DRV11T wrote:
antt wrote:i was looking at those last night cj. but they aren't even available yet

im just gonna track down an axle from the wreckers and keep saving for bundera diffs

Isn't Bundera rear the wrong offset for a Vit? or are you running a sierra T/case?

Mark

yes wrong offset, but yes eventually i'd like to run a sierra transfer

just started to pull it apart this arvo, here's some pics

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:45 pm

stumped wrote:sux dude... when u gonna upgrade to a sierra??

yes, i would love to downgrade to a weaker axle :roll:

Post by **sierrajim** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:51 pm

Build the VIT!!!!!!

I was going to do mine but by the time i had broken just about everything possible i was just over it and started on the Sierra.

It is funny though that so many Vitara owners upgrade/downgrade to a sierra after a few years of wheeling.

BTW i wouldn't say too much about weaker diffs in the Sierra's and that's coming from someone who has has a Vit.

The wreckers used to call me on Mondays to see if i needed CV's and that was with 30" tyres. Most 1.3ltr Sierras can fairly comfortably run 32's with little or no breakages and heaps more wheel travel.

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:49 pm

vitarajim wrote: Most 1.3ltr Sierras can fairly comfortably run 32's with little or no breakages

maybe if they are mallers or dont drive on rocks

Post by **grimbo** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:11 pm

full float rear as per Spidertrax kit.

Front go with a Bundera (they are centre offset aren't they?) so what if the pattern is different just have two spare tyre/rims

I have pics somewhere of a SAS 4 door Vit, Jason kemerer from the US he had it at Moab the year before i went but i watched some vids of it and it was awesome. There was also a story on it in 4wheeler or Petersens. He used hilux diffs and tcase and used leaf springs front and rear. it is a red/maroon colour

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:26 pm

grimbo wrote:full float rear as per Spidertrax kit.

Front go with a Bundera (they are centre offset aren't they?) so what if the pattern is different just have two spare tyre/rims

I have pics somewhere of a SAS 4 door Vit, Jason kemerer from the US he had it at Moab the year before i went but i watched some vids of it and it was awesome. There was also a story on it in 4wheeler or Petersens. He used hilux diffs and tcase and used leaf springs front and rear. it is a red/maroon colour

bundera's are offset to the drivers side (in the front), just like a vitara. the coils are the same diameter, the coil spacing is identical and the radius arms will fit nicely on the inside of the chassis. just trying to work out steering.

the spidertrax FF rear axle is $US999 :shock:

Post by **bubs** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:30 pm

antt wrote:
grimbo wrote:full float rear as per Spidertrax kit.

Front go with a Bundera (they are centre offset aren't they?) so what if the pattern is different just have two spare tyre/rims

I have pics somewhere of a SAS 4 door Vit, Jason kemerer from the US he had it at Moab the year before i went but i watched some vids of it and it was awesome. There was also a story on it in 4wheeler or Petersens. He used hilux diffs and tcase and used leaf springs front and rear. it is a red/maroon colour

bundera's are offset to the drivers side (in the front), just like a vitara. the coils are the same diameter, the coil spacing is identical and the radius arms will fit nicely on the inside of the chassis. just trying to work out steering.

the spidertrax FF rear axle is $US999

whats the problem with the steering?

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:36 pm

bubs wrote:
antt wrote:
grimbo wrote:full float rear as per Spidertrax kit.

Front go with a Bundera (they are centre offset aren't they?) so what if the pattern is different just have two spare tyre/rims

I have pics somewhere of a SAS 4 door Vit, Jason kemerer from the US he had it at Moab the year before i went but i watched some vids of it and it was awesome. There was also a story on it in 4wheeler or Petersens. He used hilux diffs and tcase and used leaf springs front and rear. it is a red/maroon colour

bundera's are offset to the drivers side (in the front), just like a vitara. the coils are the same diameter, the coil spacing is identical and the radius arms will fit nicely on the inside of the chassis. just trying to work out steering.

the spidertrax FF rear axle is $US999

whats the problem with the steering?

there mightn't be any bubs, just that i haven't even looked how they're set up to figure out how to do it. it might be an easy swap, thats something i have to investigate

Post by **Beastmavster** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:43 pm

Still havent busted one CV yet after a couple of years of wheeling the Vit on 30" and 31" rubber.

I think it's a driving style thing more than anything else, and there are plenty of guys who bust axles on sierras.... so they're probably the same people who break axles and cv's on vitaras.

Post by **bubs** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:44 pm

i dont thing you will have any problems, especialy if you are running with the coils. Bundera steering arms bolt on just like a hilux.

Post by **mud4b** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:46 pm

or a coily steering arm....but id upgrade....

the bundy arm will be too long...

Post by **bubs** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:50 pm

i would probably get a flat steering arm, chaos used to make one and they will drill it to suit, eg make em as short as you require

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:53 pm

thanks for the idea's guys. need to chat to an engineer about it too

Post by **xtreem** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:04 pm

antt wrote:well, now that i've had my spate of front end problems. today i (think, haven't pulled it apart yet) snapped a rear axle. so had to get the farker towed home from cruiser (2 1/2 hrs away)

Why didnt you just remove the rear tail shaft and drive it home in front wheel drive????????

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:22 pm

xtreem wrote:
antt wrote:well, now that i've had my spate of front end problems. today i (think, haven't pulled it apart yet) snapped a rear axle. so had to get the farker towed home from cruiser (2 1/2 hrs away)

Why didnt you just remove the rear tail shaft and drive it home in front wheel drive????????

cause the wheels would still turn the axle inside the housing, they're not full floating.

plus when you pull the tailshaft out, all the oil from the transfercase comes with it

Post by **xtreem** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:11 pm

What you dont have a flange on the back of the transfer ? Which can be disconnected? Sorry i'm not familiar with vitara's but surely the drive shaft doesn't slide into the transfer like a gearbox? Or are they gearbox/transfer in one like a rodeo?

Post by **Beastmavster** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:28 pm

Post by **GV_Qld** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:32 pm

Do you have a rear locker? Was speed/revs involved? At what point on the shaft did it break?

Post by **xtreem** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:33 pm

OK I got you now then. When I had my TJ Heep I had to use front wheel drive for a while as the thing liked spitting out uni's. Done mad burn outs in front drive though

Post by **antt** » Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:40 pm

GV_Qld wrote:Do you have a rear locker? Was speed/revs involved? At what point on the shaft did it break?

yeah, a rear lockright. probably about 3grand revs, 1st low, and it was slipping and skipping on all the rocks when i think it touched the bank.

it broke where the shaft tapers down for the splines in the centre

Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t

Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t

snappage

Re: Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t

Re: Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t

Who is online