[rob_macca67]

Hey all, Just after some advice.....

I've came across a couple of posts here in AZ where people have broken their front "Alloy" Diffs on their Vitaras and from the Pics that I've seen, they all have seemed to break in a similar spot around what "I think" is called the 3rd Member (or Diff Alloy Carrier that bolts to the Alloy housing)

Couple of Questions:
1. Does it always break in this same spot or around this spot that I've mentioned above AND HOW COMMON OF A PROBLEM IS THIS???
2. Has anyone ever broken the Alloy Housing that the "3rd Member" bolts into? If not, is there any need to have this replaced with a Metal one out of a GV then ??
3. When these alloy front diffs do go, does it also damage the Crown Wheel & Pinion as well, resulting in having to buy another Diff Centre as well?
4. I been told that GV's came out with "Metal 3rd members" (if that's the right terminology) from around 2002 onwards and that it's best to source one of these and swap over the 5.12 centre into one of these.... is that correct & Do u just get the Metal 3rd Member or do u also get the "Metal Diff Housing" as well?
5. Are these a simple bolt in or is there "Other mods" req'd?
6. What would one expect to pay for one of these???

Just wanting to stay informed (so I know what to do "if" or when it happens to my Vit) as I been told it's inevitable that sooner or later it will happen if u want to play hard in the bush....

any advice/help would be most helpful <ii>

cheers....
rob


(PS: Sorry Royce/Steve if this in the wrong spot )

[royce]

1. Most of the ones I have seen seem to break around the pinion bearings, I think the pinion flexes sideways and smashes through the weak spot

2. I have seen one cracked and once you start with stronger centres and cv's eventually you could break this at the mounts

3. most time it will, youd be pretty lucky to get of the gas fast enough not to

4.I think all GV from 2003 and manuals before that, I think its worth doing both halves together

5. get the mounts from the GV as well, I think one of them is needed to fit in the diff, I think the one on the crossmember

6. I wish they were $50 but from a few hundred to $1000 seems to be about it

[RIKSTR]

I broke all three mounts on the alloy housing . What happens is that one breaks and the extra stress on the other two mounts will break them too.

I have also seen a pinion and bearing been pulled out of the "3rd member".

I replaced my outer housing with a GV V6 steel outer housing and used the Calmini mounts. The mount on the 3rd member needs to be the std GV unit. I am yet to replace my 3rd member, just have not been able to get one at the right price. The housings are a straight swap but on the side that has 3 bolts in the Vitara the GV has 4 bolt holes and on the side that has 4 bolts on the Vit the housing only has 3 holes. So, you will only be able to use 6 bolts not 7

From memory a complete front diff was about $750, and that has everything you need.
I ended up with the housing and my mate had the centre to put in to a "Calmini Anvil"

[ninjadaniel]

Hmmm, i just installed 5.12's in my sierra, used the vitara alloy housings so i didnt have to remove the pinion & crush tube.... starting to think that was a bad idea now. How much trashing do you have to give them to make em break?

[appsie]

ninjadaniel - i had the 5:12 vit cetres in my last sierra still in alloy with a welded rear and 31s and never had a problem.but i believe i have a non abusive driving style and hate to get on the gas hard out bush.I have driven every track my mates ever have in other zooks,patrols,luxes etc and never broken anything except one of my poorly welded rear lockers

But my mate aeren also off this forum had the same diffs for a while to,welded front and rearAs you can see not so good Trying to climb up a fairly big granite rock step half way up a steep climb this happened sending his tailshaft and pinion flying around upp into the floor of his tray.Aeren was not so lucky tho he seemed to break something every trip.In that pic it still had 31s,he later went 33s.If you have the know how or some spare coin might be worth changing them mate.

Sorry to hijack the Vitara question

[rob_macca67]

Just wondering also if the "condition" of these "Rubber" mounts (LHS & RHS + 1/3 Member) would have anything to with it breaking as well?
Do these Alloy Diffs suppose to move around a bit or are they to be fairly solidly mounted to limit any movement??

royce wrote:

1. Most of the ones I have seen seem to break around the pinion bearings, I think the pinion flexes sideways and smashes through the weak spot

2. I have seen one cracked and once you start with stronger centres and cv's eventually you could break this at the mounts

3. most time it will, youd be pretty lucky to get of the gas fast enough not to

4.I think all GV from 2003 and manuals before that, I think its worth doing both halves together

5. get the mounts from the GV as well, I think one of them is needed to fit in the diff, I think the one on the crossmember

6. I wish they were $50 but from a few hundred to $1000 seems to be about it