[burls]

I would like to continue running 33's on my rig but after the weekend of not hard driving I have to re evaluate the set up. From what I can see I can either do one of 3 things

1 change do a digger diff like hilux

2 fit chromos and then work out what will break next and beef that up

3 a full floater of some kind I again using chromo shafts

What should I do?

[Reubs]

There is a bunch of Suzukis running 33s in Tough Tracks. CroMo axles and standard diffs do alright. As an example the Hizook is running 6.5 transfer gears and 32" centipedes which measure 33.3" in diameter and has standard diffs except for CroMo CVs and the only breakages have been 2 CVs in the past 3 seasons. The rear axles are a weak point so they are taken out regularly and checked for signs of twisting. I think the other Suzukis in the class all have full floater rears but there is no need for Hilux diffs for social type wheeling IMO.

[burls]

I've score a rear for now so I can get back into it. I might spend a bit of time working out what will be the best for the LJ

[tanshi]

no to hilux diffs, they will add weigh that you dont need.
you will also find that hilux diffs cant be fitted to standard lj81 spring spacing, the pumpkin is in the way.

dad has 33s on his sierra and doesnt have any issues with his floaters and chromos.

happy to put a kit together for you if you like.

[tanshi]

our hytuff shafts are actually stronger than standard hilux shafts also.

[5ierra]

burls wrote:

I've score a rear for now so I can get back into it. I might spend a bit of time working out what will be the best for the LJ

I'm running 265/75r16's. Roughly 32"

I only have Cromo cv's in the front, standard rear axles, 6.5's. Cant comment on reliability yet, as i've only had it offroad a handful of times.

[MrRocky]

Just get chromos cheap easy and no dramas
Been running 32"s for 6-7 yrs on rock/sand/mud on the limiter 3-4th gear changes
No rear snaps only twisty splines.
Toyota diffs are pointless in a zook until you go 36" +
or venture into 12.5" + width

[burls]

Are you running chromos in the rear?

[suzukikid]

I used to snap cvs like pretzels on my 34s.... Went chromos and have done one sence! Have sheared the hub bolts though(fixed track side!

I have snapped one rear axel but that's after years and years of abuse!

If you want to go Hilux diffs buy a Hilux...

[5ierra]

burls wrote:

Are you running chromos in the rear?

I'm not, doesnt sound like many are. I will go for a floater rear one day. Only when the time calls though.

[burls]

So maybe I was just unlucky
My next expense was going to be chromos for the front so I may just do that

[tanshi]

what/how were you driving when it broke?

i broke a rear one in my sierra on 33s but i was on a rocky crazy steep hill and just letting it bounce.

[31zook]

suzukikid wrote:

I used to snap cvs like pretzels on my 34s.... Went chromos and have done one sence! Have sheared the hub bolts though(fixed track side!

I have snapped one rear axel but that's after years and years of abuse!

If you want to go Hilux diffs buy a Hilux...

I got too much goop on my hub bolts and didn't manage a track side fix lol

So, make sure there clean going in haha

[MrRocky]

Nah just standard rears for me too
As long as you dont have a spool on dry grippy rock youll get a few years out of the stock rears.

[suzukikid]

31zook wrote:

suzukikid wrote:

I used to snap cvs like pretzels on my 34s.... Went chromos and have done one sence! Have sheared the hub bolts though(fixed track side!

I have snapped one rear axel but that's after years and years of abuse!

If you want to go Hilux diffs buy a Hilux...

I got too much goop on my hub bolts and didn't manage a track side fix lol

So, make sure there clean going in haha

Ah really I'll remember that!

I got mine out with the pointy bit of a test light and a hammer then I had a recipro blade for some reason in there and I used the little end that is usually in the saw to get the rest out! Haha took a good half a to get em all out!

Also I'm not running chromo rear have heard of them breaking anyway!

[MrRocky]

Old hd axles were worse than standard
Low range new ones are suppose to be the goods

[SuziBlu]

MrRocky wrote:

Just get chromos cheap easy and no dramas
Been running 32"s for 6-7 yrs on rock/sand/mud on the limiter 3-4th gear changes
No rear snaps only twisty splines.
Toyota diffs are pointless in a zook until you go 36" +
or venture into 12.5" + width

Why the width bit ?
Serious question.
I run stock everything on the maruti, except the motor, and have 33 x 12.5s, never a drama till one day changing and droping the clutch at 6krpm the diff finally said, ok, im dun with this shit.
Want33s tells me its the crush tube most likely, still drivable but crikey what a racket.
I understand traction, but many a tyre has great traction without width.

[kenn]

Burls ! I ran 35" silverstone extremes in the vic high country a few times without a problem and that was on my old diffs which were, rear: hybrid vit 4.6 centre with Lj stockman axles, front : hybrid 1.3 centre with vit 4.6 gears, Lj axles and 1lt cv's. Both had air lockers, I was being sympathetic on my driveline and I'd say the auto helps with that. The rest of the time I run 33's and yes I have broken cv's with them but from memory never a stockman rear axle.

[MrRocky]

I just found i got alot more spline twist and ultimately snappage with a 12.5 tyre. They just seem to grip alot more and when you spin them up a bit and they get a hop or bounce up they seem to go pop for me.

[burls]

Well having a break ATM, diffs apart no damage to the chinky chink air locker but the short side shaft is twisted bad
Luck I got both shafts from John cheers mate and free delivery.
Luke was driving a rocky river canyon nothing more than we had already done when it happened. By the video it didn't look too bad.

[Gwagensteve]

SuziBlu wrote:

MrRocky wrote:

Just get chromos cheap easy and no dramas
Been running 32"s for 6-7 yrs on rock/sand/mud on the limiter 3-4th gear changes
No rear snaps only twisty splines.
Toyota diffs are pointless in a zook until you go 36" +
or venture into 12.5" + width

Why the width bit ?
Serious question.
I run stock everything on the maruti, except the motor, and have 33 x 12.5s, never a drama till one day changing and droping the clutch at 6krpm the diff finally said, ok, im dun with this shit.
Want33s tells me its the crush tube most likely, still drivable but crikey what a racket.
I understand traction, but many a tyre has great traction without width.

I am yet to see a front Doubletough CV fail, even at 35 13.5, but there is no question that increased width reduces the life of rear semifloat axles.

The wider the tyre, the more leverage it's placing on the axle. As a rear semifloat axle only has one wheel bearing, it bends along its whole length when the car bounces or strikes an obstacle. Obviously the axle diameter tapers down to the diff, so both the bend and the twist are concentrated at the diff end (which is where a semifloat axle will always break) and if the axle if really close to maximum load due to torque and it's then bent (from landing a bounce, as an example) it will fail much more easily. It's why a full float axle is stronger even though it's the same diameter - it isn't being subjected to bending load.

Personally, I can't see any reason to run a hilux (or any semifloating) rear diff - I don't consider it a significant upgrade over a (much lighter) vitara based floater.

Suziblu, I understand you mostly run sand - sand isn't especially hard on driveline components - it's a pretty low traction environment, especially compared to rock.

[burls]

Well he's a turn up anyone broke a front centre running 33's and here I was worrying about shafts. What are my options for front centres?

[Gwagensteve]

I've only seen worn out gears break front or rear. Wear will mostly occur due to collapsed pinion preload.

I've run 5.12'd with a solid spacer for years with no problems.

[tanshi]

im running 33s on mine and 4.8 gears and no issues.

but i have noticed that unlocked really hard wheeling used to break diffs for us. specially left foot braking

[3cyl]

burls wrote:

Well he's a turn up anyone broke a front centre running 33's and here I was worrying about shafts. What are my options for front centres?

What part broke?

[tanshi]

lets just say aaron killed two front diffs and my dad killed 3 while competing in trophy class at TT,

these were new fresh not worn diffs.

[burls]

So what options do I have to beef them up?

I haven't pulled it apart yet so I am unsure what bit of the centre is blown, I need to get the dizzy sensor so I can start and move the car to the shed

[Bugsta]

I used to snap hub bolts nearly every time I went out. Partly due to spacers that were sloppy. Got new ones made up to tighter specs, attached them to the FWH with grub screws and then used high tensile studs and nuts, rather than bolts. Haven't broken any since, except when I over tightened one.

[ZookFan]

suzukikid wrote:

I used to snap cvs like pretzels on my 34s.... Went chromos and have done one sence! Have sheared the hub bolts though(fixed track side!

I have snapped one rear axel but that's after years and years of abuse!

If you want to go Hilux diffs buy a Hilux...

Bingo!

[shiv]

I have stripped the splines on my side gears in the front running 33's

since having chromos, no probs but havnt had them long