[Tawatree]

Hi, I'm part way through a 3sge beams swap into my 1996 sj80. Currently engine mounts are mocked up and final position is being confirmed. The engine is being run through the 5 speed auto that it came with so should be easier on the drivetrain but I'm still unsure if I could build the axles to handle it. The plan for tires is probably just 31s maybe 33s in the future. Looking for anyone with more experience with these cars and axles to give some advice. The seemingly easy option is to swap in some Hilux/ Lc axles but I don't really want to add the weight and I'm wanting to try to keep the Zook stuff if possible.
Cheers from nz

[Brenno]

It will depend on your driving style and the traction your wheeling terrain gives you.

I run a ca18det through an auto with full float axles rear axles and chromos up front, twin air locked. I haven't busted anything but I am also pretty easy on the gear.

You will have the change from coily gear to at least WT/chromo/full float at the least.

[Tawatree]

Would it be possible to build the coily gear up to that spec? From the searching I've done it's quite hard to find WT parts here and they usually cost more than Hilux/ landcruiser axles if they do show up anyway. I'm a machinist so I should be able to make my own chromos to custom length/size (just probably not cvs) From what I've read the rear is similiar strength wise to WT, just a little wider, so should be just as easy to full float and chromo. The front seems to get a lot harder but if I could get my hands on a set of WT cvs would they fit? Or possible jimmy cvs would be the right size? I can make the shafts to fit whatever cv is needed.

[Gwagensteve]

It’s possible to break Suzuki drivetrain with a standard motor so use is the key here. In low traction use it will likely be OK, however there’s a lot of things to consider.

The weight of the engine/gearbox will bend the front housing. It will require substantial trussing
The front diff is a unicorn, unique to the sj80
Cromo semifloat rear axles don’t provide an adequate increase in strength
The ring and pinions will likely be the failure point if the axle shafts are upgraded. The front ring and pinion is hard to find.

1.3 sierra/samuari isn’t really stronger than what you have. Upgrade parts are more common but there’s no upgrade for the ring and pinion.

My solution was to build axlehousings out of vitara/escudo rear housings. The splines are the same as SJ rear but the ring and pinion are substantially bigger. In my case I’ve broached the diff side gears out to 30 spline and run Toyota LC axles and full float hubs. The front is still 26 spline cromo.

An issue you will need to resolve is that the SJ80 runs a high pinion front diff with the tie rod behind the axle. This will only with the sj80 or JB jimny diff. Swapping to a low pinion diff in the front will require you to run the tie rod in front of the diff and use leaf Suzuki steering knuckles. This causes clearance issues with the panhard rod.

[Tawatree]

Hi Steve, I have been reading through lots of your hybrid diff threads while researching the options and it seems like a good compromise between strength and size. I'm wondering what the strength comparison is like compared to Hilux/ Bundy diffs (it sounds like if you're running lc axles then it would be very similiar) and what the weight and size savings are with the vit diffs. Would the Hilux/Bundy combination be much bigger in size? And much heavier? I'm also looking at wheel options and the 5 studs are much harder to find here so going to 6 stud would be an upgrade in that regard.

[Tawatree]

I thought I had read that the vit rear is not strong enough to run up front, so would I have to run a WT diff on the front or majorly truss the vit? I am planning on changing either to longer radius arms or a 3link in the front (so would need trussing anyway for the link mounts). Another concern is the transfer case, I would be changing out to a 1l case with a handbrake on the back for doing discs all around but I'm also unsure if that would handle the load I'm putting through it. I think it's maybe possible to change out the tail end of my transmission to one that will bolt to a Hilux transfer if needed which would allow the running of Hilux front and rear diffs. The huge issue with that though is weight, do your hybrid vit axles save a lot of weight over the Hilux axles?

[Gwagensteve]

I’ll reply in more detail later but the bit you’ve misunderstood is I’m running a vitara REAR diff in the front. The vitara front diff is the same size as 1.3 sierra/samurai.

[Tawatree]

Cheers, id like to hear some more about it. I'm also about to order either a 1l or 1.3 transfer case and wondering if there is any significant strength increase between the 2.