Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Sorry guys - I'm sure that this question has been asked before, but I've not managed to find the right combo of search words that pulls up a relevant result.

I've got a '93 1.3L WT which I am told has 4 pinion rear and 2 pinion front (3.7's). I have Lockrites sitting here waiting to go in, but they need a 4 pinion carrier. So my rear is fine, but the front is no-go.

I can get hold of front/rear diffs out of an '86 1.3L NT (3.9's?), both of which I believe (?) are 4 pinion. Can I take the 4 pinion carrier from either of these diffs, fit my existing 3.7 centre and lockrite into it, and reinstall it into my WT housing?

Is going to cost me $250 for the diff if I go ahead with it so don't want to take a punt and find I'm wrong...

Only wrecker in Adelaide who has Zooks quoted $550 for rear diff (1L/1.3L/NT/WT ... all $550) so $250 thru a private contact is looking cheap at this stage.

Yes, in a word. $250 is about right.

You could use the 3.9's though for a touch more gearing - but I accept in your application there's no real need.

Steve.

Cheers Steve. Won't go the 3.9's ... would need to buy a second diff and would rather put $$$ towards transfer gears.

If anyone else in Adelaide needs bits off a 1.3L NT soft-top, PM me and I can give you the bloke's contact no. He has a full rolling chassis (until I steal his diff ) with no donk or gearbox and a rusty softtop body.

Haven't pulled apart a diff before ... is fitting the locker and centre into a new carrier + setting it up reasonably straightforward, or is there a fair risk of me chewing up a diff by doing it myself?

I've done some Ghetto diff setups, but realistically, it's a DD, so I'd pay to get it done right.

Steve.

How confident are you with the tools. As Steve has said, if its a DD and you are not already confident enough to have a go, its probably best to get the diff setup by a mechanic. You can do all the rest yourself though, and it will be a good learning excersize. If you can find a mechanic that will let you watch, it will give you a good idea as to what goes on too.

Layto....

I fitted a spool into my 3.7 centre and then changed to 3.9's so I pulled it out of the 3.7 and put it in the 3.9.
I had never done a suzi diff before I fitted the spool but I was lucky enough to find a site on the net explaining it so even I could work out how to set backlash. No mention of pinion setting as I didn't remove it from the centre.
I didn't need any special tools and it took 5 mins to setup after spool was fitted. I've done 3000km since with no whines or clunks.
Unfortunately the link no longer works but there is a few other sites that will give the gist... Search "setting up a diff" on google.

I'm confident on tools, but only because I'm ultra careful and thorough ... so I get it done right, but it takes me an age. I think i might pull the diffs, swap centres etc, then take in the 2 complete diffs and get them set up.

is there anything else off the 1.3L NT drivetrain that I can cannabilise for my WT? diffs and axles are obviously different but i wouldn't mind grabbing the transfer, uni's, CVs etc if they'll fit.

Moph wrote:........................
is there anything else off the 1.3L NT drivetrain that I can cannabilise for my WT? diffs and axles are obviously different but i wouldn't mind grabbing the transfer, uni's, CVs etc if they'll fit.

Everything except the axles, diff housings, pinion and transfer flanges is the same between NT & WT driveline as far as I know.
CV's are same as are the uni joints.

lay80n wrote:How confident are you with the tools. As Steve has said, if its a DD and you are not already confident enough to have a go, its probably best to get the diff setup by a mechanic. You can do all the rest yourself though, and it will be a good learning excersize. If you can find a mechanic that will let you watch, it will give you a good idea as to what goes on too.

Layto....

whats the going price for fitting lockrights

not too bad ... Diff & Trans SA in Adelaide just quoted me *around* $250 to do the two (front and back). That's with me taking the diffs out and reinstalling. He reckons it's around 2 hrs work to do each @ $60 an hour. Plus parts if required.

At $250 for another diff if I blow one, I reckon it's worth it

Will strip 'em down and have a good gander before I take them in. Looking at pictures of a stripped down diff and knowing the theory of how it works just aint the same as actually playing with one.

Even better ... Adelaide Diff Specialists - said he's happy for me to install the centres, he'll check it over and set the backlash etc for me. Will let me watch him set 'em up. Cost: carton

Italians and the cashless economy... gotta love 'em

(no offence to any Italians ... I mean it!)

Sorry for gravedigging this thread but B4T has some diff bits that *might* do what I need, but I'm not sure. Tech noob

Could someone please clarify if the following is correct...

To fit a 4 pinion LockRite into a front WT diff (2 pinion 3.7) I need:

a) a 4 pinion WT rear diff. Take 4 pinion centre and carrier and swap to front diff housing, fitting LockRite. Doesn't matter if I retain the existing crownwheel or use the one out of the rear diff as they are both 3.7's.

OR,

b) a 4 pinion 1.3L NT front or rear diff. Take 4 pinion centre and carrier and swap to front diff housing, fitting LockRite and retaining existing front diff crownwheel to maintain 3.7 ratio.

Because I haven't pulled a diff apart before I'm a bit confused as to whether I simply need a 4 pinion carrier and the 2 pinion centre will fit it once the LockRite is installed, or whether I need the 4 pinion carrier + 4 pinion centre - in which case I presume that to keep my 3.7 gearing I simply need to retain the existing crownwheel?

Cheers for any help!

Moph wrote:Sorry for gravedigging this thread but B4T has some diff bits that *might* do what I need, but I'm not sure. Tech noob

Could someone please clarify if the following is correct...

To fit a 4 pinion LockRite into a front WT diff (2 pinion 3.7) I need:

a) a 4 pinion WT rear diff. Take 4 pinion centre and carrier and swap to front diff housing, fitting LockRite. Doesn't matter if I retain the existing crownwheel or use the one out of the rear diff as they are both 3.7's.

OR,

b) a 4 pinion 1.3L NT front or rear diff. Take 4 pinion centre and carrier and swap to front diff housing, fitting LockRite and retaining existing front diff crownwheel to maintain 3.7 ratio.

Because I haven't pulled a diff apart before I'm a bit confused as to whether I simply need a 4 pinion carrier and the 2 pinion centre will fit it once the LockRite is installed, or whether I need the 4 pinion carrier + 4 pinion centre - in which case I presume that to keep my 3.7 gearing I simply need to retain the existing crownwheel?

Cheers for any help!

u need a front 3.9 centre/carrier + then use ur 3.7 ring+pinion. as axle spline is different F&R

best to keep ring and pin as a pair for gear meshing

pr find any WT rear center. that will have your 4 pinion and 3.7 gears..

also found out that front and rear pinion splines are different. there is one or two LESS on a front center

front diffs have a smaller diameter axle. So you will need to find a 4pin front.


it could be possible to strip down the ctr and swap parts over but id check this out b4 pulling 2 diffs apart.

arr yes that also B4T.
but the parts do swap over as i have mixed and matched to get mine running when i did the 3.9 swap and lockrite front

Ooookkkkk sorry to hijack but quick question. Would my 1988 sj50 have 4 or 3 pinion front? Any way of telling without pulling it apart?

GRPABT1 wrote:Ooookkkkk sorry to hijack but quick question. Would my 1988 sj50 have 4 or 3 pinion front? Any way of telling without pulling it apart?

WT or NT?

early WTs some had the 4pin front.

I think the rule of thumb for which WT's have the 4 pinion front is as follows:

For about the first 9 months or so of WT production, they have plastic flares, not steel flares.

If your car has plastic flares, it has NT driveshaft flanges, which use 8mm diameter bolts not 10mm bolts of the later WT, and I think these ones have the 4 pinion front diff.

Early 1989 cars have steel flares and bigger flanges etc.

Steve.

Bugger, I've got plastic flares and the big flanges :(

Sooo to fit a front locker I need to chase up one of these ever increasingly rare 4 pinion front carriers or get an air locker?

Ahh, more suzuki weirdness.

Just pull the front diff to be sure.

If you going to an airlocker I'd go all out and upgrade to 26 spline shafts/HD cv's at the same time.

Steve.

Can you convert the rear ctr into a front by doin a swap of the internal gears?

Gwagensteve wrote:Ahh, more suzuki weirdness.

Just pull the front diff to be sure.

If you going to an airlocker I'd go all out and upgrade to 26 spline shafts/HD cv's at the same time.

Steve.

Does this mean I need a locker to suit a rear diff cause of the 26 spline axles?

Yep, you'd use a rear locker.

Steve.

this is what i did...26 spline newfields and rear airlocker in front housing. I have an april 88 build WT which came out with a 4 pinion front...lucky lucky me...

You can swap the side gears from a front 2 pinion into a rear 4 pinion carrier....apparently...

I thought you didn't need 4 pinion for the air locker though? DOH!