[chazook]

Hi Everyone,

Would like some feedback on the 3 inch suspension set ups,
I have a 2 inch body lift and did have 2 inch suspension, no issues with transfer until upgrade to 3 inch system.
Noise is like a bearing sound, have been told the 3 inch system is too large as the rear axle/diff drops too far, further than what the uni joints allow on the rear tail shaft , running rancho 5000 shocks with mounts to step the shocks away from brake lines ect. The weight of the diff/axle during full flex is pulling down on the output shaft from the transfer damaging the transfer output shaft bearing as a minimum, could also be causing damage to housing, second transfer is now damaged until i went and spoke with suzi sport to ask some questions.
I also have a tail shaft spacer mounted at rear diff.
Have ordered a new gearbox crossmember which claims to drop box approx. 30mm, yet to hear back if this would resolve the problem.
I would like to fix the issue? please if you have any experience with this problem, i dont want to rebuild a gearbox and have it damaged again.

Possibly has anyone modified the rear tailshaft, extra uni joint ect.?

The vehicle is a SWB Vitara 92 model.
cheers

[got_bar_work]

Wat lift r u running
U could put a limmit strap in the center of the diff to stop it from dropping so much
The ball joint doesnt let it drop very far

[atari4x4]

sounds like an ODA bits & pieces kit... i wonder if the longer rancho's & the shock re-locators are giving it too much droop.

take it to the place you got the kit from & ask for their advice.

[chazook]

hi guys thanks for the responses so far, you are right i purchased the kit from ODA, have spoken to him and he does not have much info on his kits, he is just a retailer i guess. The kits are not properly sold complete, i suggested that the install of the new crossmember could be helpful, asked him to research the possibility that it will rectify the problem but have not heard back. The ball joint that you speak of above the rear diff has had a spacer fitted 2 " approx Heim joint spacer i think he called it.
I doubt ODA will pay for the two transfers damaged so far lol.
Suzi sport said to shorten the shocks,still maintains lift but droop is lost to a point.
what suspension systems do you guys run?

[atari4x4]

a tweaked calmini kit.

send ODA the bill for the 2 transfers... you might get lucky.

[got_bar_work]

No need to shorten shock just limit the middle and it will still be able to flex
I run about the same but i have a lwb
I just replaced my rear output bearing aswell so maybe it has to do with the bj spacer

[got_bar_work]

No need to shorten shock just limit the middle and it will still be able to flex
I run about the same but i have a lwb
I just replaced my rear output bearing aswell so maybe it has to do with the bj spacer

[chazook]

thank god someone else had the same problem, did you change the rear output bearing yourself, i want to repair the 1st transfer that got damaged as it has my reduction gears in it. Have you actually installed this limiting strap, a pic would be great or should we remove the ball joint spacer, i was going to test the droop by putting the chassis on axle stands at the rear and let the suspension drop to its full extent, inspecting the tail shaft until its full arc is achieved should be able to see if tailshaft yoke is putting stress on the output shaft. If so i will remove ball joint spacer and re access the situation.

thanks again for your quick responses.

[DarkHorse]

I and several others have been running Calmini heims or balljoint spacers and longer shocks without killing transfer outputs...

I would have thought the slip joint would deal with excessive droop before it killed output bearings, and would simply fall off before it flogged out a bearing.

Removing the transfer is a bit of a job, but once it's on the bench it's not too bad to split the rear housing and get the output bearing out. I've just done a full transfer rebuild, the first time I've done such a job, and it was fairly straightforward if you take things step by step. I've got a good set of instructions from christover via shandy for a gear install, but it gets you started with taking a case apart.

[got_bar_work]

I donthave a strap buti have a lwb so the angle isnt so much a problem
Do u have a tail shaft spacer it might be to big and the slip yoke might be pushing back in maybe

[atari4x4]

i still reckon it's got too much droop, can you measure the total length of the shock extended with the re-locators?

[chazook]

Yeah i will take some measurements for you, but the re locators are at a very similar level to the original fixing point, the tail shaft spacer is only 10mm thick also.
ok took a measurement at full flex, measuring from the underside of the shock mount on the body to the centre of the eyelet bolt at the re locator is 580 mm

[DarkHorse]

That's the same travel as mine, and no transfer output dramas here. How much shiny metal is showing at the slip joint at full flex? I've got a 25mm spacer in the tail shaft, so you might be pushing your luck with only 10mm.

My money is on pinion angle being put too far out of sync, vibes through the tail shaft killing output bearings. The balljoint spacer is just a square block, yeah? It doesn't space the diff backwards on a bit of an angle? How are your unis holding up?

[chazook]

Thanks for your input Dark horse, i will get the uni's changed to be sure and i will inspect the slip joint at full flex and report. Took it for a spin today to the shops and the bearing type noise of like a cable is being dragged behind appears very obvious whilst in gear coasting with no throttle used, use the throttle and the noise disappears. And yes the ball joint spacer is just a block approx. 2 inches tall. When close to home coming back from fraser there was a large vibration after the noise started again in the second gearbox, sounds like what you have been describing. The ball joint spacer is offset, dont know if it could be turned around, the offset could possibly cause the diff to be put on an angle when installed. Will inspect that also.

Thanks everyone so far for there advice, it does help alot.

[DarkHorse]

Take a photo of the slip joint at full droop and of the diff, spacer and pinion and we should be able to give you some better advice.

[christover1]

Sometimes the metal dust protector sleeves, on diff and transfer out puts,
can get bent or damaged, and rub metal to metal.
I had that issue once, was hard to find.