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				Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t
				Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:33 pm
				by antt
				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) 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:40 pm
				by -Mick-
				
 That sucks mate  
 
 
How'd ya do that one  

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 8:50 pm
				by antt
				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
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 9:57 pm
				by Beastmavster
				Man that's a pissweak trail....
still... an excuse for MQ diffs front and rear 

 
			
					
				snappage
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:37 am
				by Damo
				You pulled it apart yet? Wat happened?
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:10 am
				by cj
				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 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:22 am
				by antt
				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
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 8:44 am
				by redzook
				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 
 
  
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:27 pm
				by stumped
				sux dude...  when u gonna upgrade to a sierra??  

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:49 pm
				by DRV11T
				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
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:44 pm
				by antt
				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
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:45 pm
				by antt
				stumped wrote:sux dude...  when u gonna upgrade to a sierra??  

 
yes, i would love to downgrade to a weaker axle 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 1:51 pm
				by sierrajim
				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.
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 2:49 pm
				by antt
				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
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:11 pm
				by grimbo
				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
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:26 pm
				by antt
				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 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:30 pm
				by bubs
				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?
 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:36 pm
				by antt
				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 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:43 pm
				by Beastmavster
				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.
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:44 pm
				by bubs
				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.
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:46 pm
				by mud4b
				or a coily steering arm....but id upgrade....
the bundy arm will be too long...
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:50 pm
				by bubs
				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
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 3:53 pm
				by antt
				thanks for the idea's guys. need to chat to an engineer about it too
			 
			
					
				Re: Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:04 pm
				by xtreem
				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????????
 
			
					
				Re: Suzuki drivetrains are sh*t
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 5:22 pm
				by antt
				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 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:11 pm
				by xtreem
				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?
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:28 pm
				by Beastmavster
				Yes.
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:32 pm
				by GV_Qld
				Do you have a rear locker?  Was speed/revs involved?  At what point on the shaft did it break?
			 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:33 pm
				by xtreem
				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 

 
			
					
				
				Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 7:40 pm
				by antt
				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