[remydog05]

Gwagensteve wrote:

Even with shipping, that full floater kit from RRO is quite cheap, however, the material of the axle shafts isn't specified. That's a concern because "22% stronger" isn't, in my opinion, enough to justify the conversion.

The floaters I've built used EN-26 shafts these are a lot more than 22% stronger than stock. These cost $600 for the pair, plus $200 for the seal adapter to use a front inner axle seal.

Additional costs are $120 or so for a complete rear vitara axle and third member from a pull-it-yourself wrecker, and $20 or so for the laser cut adapter plates to mount the spindles.

I flip and cut down the vitara rear housing so the rear axle offset is very close to correct. This is time consuming work and requires a jig to get it anywhere near square. I shave the housing at the same time. IMHO there's no need to start from scratch with new tubes.

Ideally, the axlehousing should then be trued to ensure its square.

I've built 5 of these. They have given no trouble in victoria with 35" tyres and hateful driving.

I'm about to start a couple of WT housing based floaters because we have a couple of cars in the club that require 3.7/3.9 diff ratios due to 3 speed autos. They're not as good to use as a base as the housing isn't as strong, but there you go.

I'm not selling any or offering to make any more commercially, but I am pointing out that USD$985 is good value, and that a vitara based full floater rear is, in my experience, strong enough for 35's.

I wouldn't run a floater with free wheeling hubs. They aren't as strong as drive flanges and there's one more thing there to go wrong. GV's and early 1.0litre sierras are the source for drive flanges.

Bear in mind too that using a vitara rear helps with mounting a traction bar or 3 link setup as it has the A-arm mount cast into it. Another small benefit.


Steve.

So could you use a 98GV rear as the base for this conversion??

[Gwagensteve]

Maybe - although I'm not sure you can airlock a 98 GV centre, so you might need to source an older centre to have an unlimited choice of lockers.

The housing should work fine but will be lots more work - it's wider so it will have to be cut down at both ends (potentially) and ore junk will have to be cut off as GV's run a panhard.

for what it's worth I reckon I'd source an early vitara rear - less work.

Steve.

[Teracis]

So I noticed the banner ad for Joe's stuff which mind you looks like it'll be the goods, and I hit the search tab to find out what the hell "full floater" meant.

This i the thread that came up but it hasn't completely explained it to me. I've worked out that if you have one and snap an axle you can still get around though yes?

I now understand the difference! Wikipedia Axle It's right at the bottom of the page.

Sounds like it would be a lot stronger than standard (load bearing wise) but also very hard to set up/retro fit.

[steak_knife]

This may help, it's out of Ken's factory Lj build..

joeblow wrote:

funny shit..........



yes i copied it!......not only did i copy it i actully IMPROVED on the idea. if you are familiar with the original you will notice that the hub end uses a very dated coarse spline system......and the other end....well.....its just plain butt ugly.

my system uses 26 spline both ends and allows very fine tuning of the system, something the one in the images above does not. some more pics will be added over the next few days. here are some closer shots of the full floater.

[Teracis]

Thanks for that, that's a bloody solid looking bit of kit!