[bristlenose2008]

Hey, as the title says I require guidance removing the original front diff brackets, with aftermarket drop brackets. It is for a 1995 vitara

Anyone has good instructions on how to do this. Preferably colour pictures and step by step instructions.

Should the can be jacket up fully, half way, or not at all?

It appears I may be able to remove the factory brackets without even taking wheels or cross members off. The car does not even need jacking up.
Doubt i could get the longer bracket on thou.

[got_bar_work]

how big of a drop are they and do u have 2 or 3
u should be able to stick a jack under the diff and just unbolt the front brackets and bolt in the new ones

[christover1]

I fitted mine,
the only issue was my big hands fitting in tight places.
Trolley jack under diff should work ok.
May need a bit of jiggling of diff to get it into position.

[christover1]

[bristlenose2008]

christover1 wrote:

####

I tried fitting the driver side first, then the passenger side. That did not work.

In the end I managed to put the passenger side on 1st. but the drivers side I can not put the single large screw hole to align with the screw. The bracket sits too high in that housing. What is the trick to getting it in?

It looks like the front cross member won't allow enough movement. Has anyone done anything with these?

[atari4x4]

got any pics of the brackets or a link to where you got them from.

the RHS diff mount has 4 holes, diff drop bracket has 3.... have you got the bracket in the right location?

out of all the diff drop kits i've seen, Calmini (your favourite company) are the only ones that supply a lowered pinion mount... which IMO reduces the stress placed on the pinion mount on the alloy diff when using diff drop brackets. with out the lowered pinion mount you're rolling the diff forward & loading up the pinion mount.

[bristlenose2008]

atari4x4 wrote:

got any pics of the brackets or a link to where you got them from.

the RHS diff mount has 4 holes, diff drop bracket has 3.... have you got the bracket in the right location?

out of all the diff drop kits i've seen, Calmini (your favourite company) are the only ones that supply a lowered pinion mount... which IMO reduces the stress placed on the pinion mount on the alloy diff when using diff drop brackets. with out the lowered pinion mount you're rolling the diff forward & loading up the pinion mount.

Both brackets are fixed to the diff. I am not having issues there.
I can not get it to fit into the chassis mounting point.

Mine are Bits4Vits ones. What you are saying about the other brand I really think that the lowered pinion mount is pretty crucial, and probably a cause of broken aluminium diff for many.

[atari4x4]

but have you got the RHS bracket lined up in the right holes on the diff?

if it isn't it won't be anywhere near to lining up at the chassis mount.

post some pics of the RHS bracket mounted to the diff.

[christover1]

You have to loosen the crossmember to diff bracket a lot.
And have all other bolts loose.
Don't tighten anything till all bolts are in.
Think I did the chassis ends first,
allows a bit of rotating to line things up.

[DarkHorse]

Yep - keep all bolts LOOOOOOOOOOSE - just located so you can move things around as much as possible.

When I did mine I jacked the car up and put stands under the chassis rails, then a jack either side of the diff pumpkin so I had as many options for raising/lowering and tipping side to side as possible. From memory I also shuffled them backwards and forwards under the diff to get it to roll. Worth using 2 if you got 'em.

If the mount is too high I'd suggest cranking the car up on stands so the wheels and diff can drop in relation to the chassis.

I think I also got the chassis mounts in first, then manouvered the diff to line up with the brackets. Was a bastard to get the last one.

I've got the later model steel diff in, so only 3 bolts each side...

[bristlenose2008]

atari4x4 wrote:

but have you got the RHS bracket lined up in the right holes on the diff?

if it isn't it won't be anywhere near to lining up at the chassis mount.

post some pics of the RHS bracket mounted to the diff.

Okay re-loosenened all the small bolts and the 2 bolts on the 3rd cross member. The results are somewhat better, but i think I need to find bushes which have a lower profile.

[atari4x4]

just looks like you need to roll the diff forwards or backwards a bit... can't really tell which way from the pics, it's close!

did you try mounting the brackets to the chassis & manoeuvring the diff to get the bolts to line up?

do you have the RHS CV out? that will make it easier to move around.

i doubt you'll need different bushes, pretty sure Bits4Vits would be supplying them with the right ones

[bristlenose2008]

atari4x4 wrote:

just looks like you need to roll the diff forwards or backwards a bit... can't really tell which way from the pics, it's close!

did you try mounting the brackets to the chassis & manoeuvring the diff to get the bolts to line up?

do you have the RHS CV out? that will make it easier to move around.

i doubt you'll need different bushes, pretty sure Bits4Vits would be supplying them with the right ones

I am about 4mm out. The diff wont move 1mm forward, and it only moves about 2mm backwards.

The CV is not out. I won't be touching that as I have no tools since my garage was robbed 2 weeks ago. All I have not is a socket set and a few spanners.

[DarkHorse]

Try jacking the diff up on the passenger side, just inside the bracket, as far up as it will go. Diff should rotate around the pinion mount and pull the driver's side down.

Otherwise G-clamp or BFH on the stubborn mount?

[christover1]

because rhs is hardest, try doing that 1st.
Undo lhs mount and get rhs in position.
Then work on lhs, it has more room to get tools in.
Could be biding on a cv.

It looks close enough that a levering down could work?

[bristlenose2008]

Managed to do it.
Used loosened everything I could used a longer breaker bar, and forced the diff lower down.
Re-tightened everything now, but I will change that pinion thingy on the cross member with something that is lower profile.

Now I have to replace my spare rims with a -13 offset mag wheel. Original got stolen, and I only realised it wasn't Suzuki factory one and really would like to track these down.

Anyone knows who made them?

[Charlie Brown]

Sorry to bring up an old post guys!

Just wondering if you got these diff drop brackets off ebay bristlenose: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Suzuki-Vitar ... 4ab70731a1

im looking for some cheap ones =P

[fordem]

Pity you didn't read the thread - you would have seen where he says he got them from Bits4Vits

[dirtydogz]

This site in the UK is good for vitara parts.
http://www.bits4vits.co.uk/store/vitara ... cat_1.html