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Using vit gearbox with 1.6 conversion in sierra

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 8:33 pm
by rocnut
whats involved? do I need to use vit transfer or can i bolt the sierra extention housing to vit box & shorten jackshaft? do i make new mounts & shorten/lenghten drive shafts, but the vit transfer is to high gear for the sierra its probaly in here somewere but dont have time to search. any info apreciated. :?

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:33 pm
by sierrajim
If you don't have time to search you likely don't have time to read the stupid responses you'll probably receive.

1. The Vit box will need either a body lift or tunnel widening
2. AFIK there is NO off the shelf Vit box to sierra jackshaft adaptor off the shelf. Joeblow is maybe your best try for this.
3. Driveshafts will depend on where you put your transfer case
4. Your clutch will be larger and gearbox stronger, you will also loose some gearing in 1st gear.

Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 10:43 pm
by dank
I don't know why you'd bother even considering it.

If you already have the sierra box just use it with an adapter plate from BenT on here.

Keep it simple stupid (KISS). I'm about 70% through an engine and box change and it's been a long road. just put the 1.6 in with the sierra box and transfer and drive the thing...you''ll be better off mate. Have a look arounf here and see how many people have done it with success.

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 6:20 am
by Gwagensteve
I think you're a bit off track here Jim. Personally, I wouldn't use a sierra gearbox on a 1.6 swap.

See my comments in red.
sierrajim wrote:If you don't have time to search you likely don't have time to read the stupid responses you'll probably receive.

1. The Vit box will need either a body lift or tunnel widening True.
2. AFIK there is NO off the shelf Vit box to sierra jackshaft adaptor off the shelf. Joeblow is maybe your best try for this. No need for one. The sierra gearbox slip yoke slides straight into the back of the vitara gearbox. The back of a vitara manual is bearing supported so there's no other custom work.
3. Driveshafts will depend on where you put your transfer case No need to move it.
4. Your clutch will be larger and gearbox stronger, you will also loose some gearing in 1st gear. 1st gear is the same ratio - 3.65:1
IMHO sierra gearboxes are often getting pretty flogged now and are generally quite expensive to replace. I'd use the gearbox, clutch and flywheel suzuki intended to go behind that engine.

Steve.

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:29 am
by sierrajim
Well you learn something every day. In this case two things (gearbox bearing and 1st gear).

How would the 1.6 gearbox seal for dust? I have one here but can't be assed pulling off the transfer.

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 9:11 am
by Gwagensteve
sierrajim wrote:Well you learn something every day. In this case two things (gearbox bearing and 1st gear).

How would the 1.6 gearbox seal for dust? I have one here but can't be assed pulling off the transfer.
My understanding is that there is a seal on the back of the gearbox that prevents gearbox oil being pumped into the transfer adapter, so it's fine.

It's not quite as elegant as the extension housing on the back of a standard sierra gearbox, and the little dust shield on the slip yoke would have to be removed, but it's no biggy IMHO.

Automatics are a different kettle of fish - the output shaft is NOT bearing supported so the back of the auto requires a closeout plate with a bearing and oil seal installed.

Steve.

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 5:41 pm
by rocnut
thanks for the info i was hoping it would be straight forward im guessing i will only have to shorten my jackshaft and mod gbox x-member? Gwagensteve have you done this swap, is there anything else i may need to consider? thanks again jason.

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 7:18 pm
by mr green
i'm in the process of fitting a j20a and vit gearbox with divorced sierra transfer to my zook with no bodylift. so far the biggest thing is the height of the box, not the width. width wise its a press fit, so some massaging will be enough but the height with that funky gearshift extension will mean a lot of tunnel work, redesign the cross member and tunnel work to lift the transfer otherwise the jack shaft will be at a fair angle. the shifter extension almost looks like an ad-on so if there is a shifter that will mount straight into the box i would love to know about it

box

Posted: Tue Jan 13, 2009 8:07 pm
by sic_zook
i don a vitara auto with asierra tranfer n it was great.i removed the vit. transfer n the sierra jacksharft fits straight on i just had to seal the back of the box n put a 800cc van box snout thing on the back 2 support n seal the jacksharft