Narrowing a vitara diff

[grimbo]

I am currently chasing down some widetrack Sierra diffs and I have a front but still in the process of getting a rear. But I thought what about narrowing a Vitara rear. Seeing as the Vitara is centre mounted for the driveshaft and a Sierra is offset what about cutting the sidekick down so i can use a short side rear Sierra axle. Will this work with splines etc and measurements wise or will I end up just as narrow as a standard narrow track Sierra.

(I don't want to get into a whole "why not use Hilux diffs" discussion either
So a few simple yes no explanations would be appreciated

[N*A*M]

surely it must be easier to get a w/t sierra diff than to find a vitara one and then go through the trouble of narrowing it.

[grimbo]

well i know where i can get a vitara diff but still haven't managed to find the wt. also out of curiousity to see what it possible

[camskizook]

ive seen a cut down bundera diff in the back of a narrow track....i cant see why you couldnt do it but i think the short side axle would be too short probably

[OVERKILL ENG]

Grimbo I have a wt front and rear diff if interested.
SAM

[Dozoor]

I have been there before grimbo,
1, The vit rear is a truck load stronger ring and pinion the suckers look like a nine inch.

2, the splines on a vit rear are same as 1.3 narrow, wide , rear.
3, the inner daimeter of the axle bearings of all of above are the same ,the outer diameter of the vit bearing is larger ,
4,the diameter of the axle tubes are different ,
5 The direction i was going -- i obtianed some acid pipe ,(very thick walled tube),
it had a diameter 10mm larger than the vit axle tube,and about 10mm smaller in inner diameter we cut 2 x 100mm lengthes
then machined the these down on both ends to fit snug in the axle tubes
we left a 10mm wide ridge in the center to allow an exellent weld surface protruding up by 5mm the full circumfrence of the tube ,
I was going to use the sierra axles ,vit housing and axle bearings and vit backing plates brakes ect , with a vit axle end you can remove the axle without the brake backing plate attached,
Problem -- you need to make the cuts on the housing very acuatley
one needs to be further away from the centre of course you also need to remove a little from one end , i cut the housing using a very large tube cutter . The type they use for copper , only bbbiggg, I never completed the Project and have since given the stuff to anothere guy
Larry (GUNNA).