[vegie]

I am wanting a LockRight for the rear of my 1993 LWB Vitara as I can't justify the cost for Air lockers. The problem is I am a mechanic spastic! Is there somewhere in Perth who would supply and fit one of these? Or is it a case of getting one from OS (say Rocky Road) and taking it to a diff place to install?

Thanks.

[TryHard]

suzi store in midland there great there

but it would be cheaper for u to order a locker from
http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/

and get them to fit it

http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/suzuki/s ... ckers.html


theres the link

im pritty sure the one u want is Lockright w/out Couplers #1512

not to sure though

[ellis]

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ic&t=18000

[stocker]

I have a Question Regarding the Front Diff and a Lockrite.

I'm looking at running 30 x 9.5R15's on my LWB 1.6 Vit. is it worth putting the lockrite in the Stock front diff. or first upgrading to a GV Steel diff then Putting the Lockrite in that???

[ninjamoses]

Vegie - I'd recommend trail tough for the locker purchase, and WA diff centre to get it installed. Friggin great customer service from both companies, and definitely one of the cheapest ways to go about it.

Stocker, I was in your situation and held off on doing it till I got a steel diff. I guess if you have a spare diff handy and can fit the locker yourself you have nothing to lose really, but I'd expect it to have a fairly short expiry date. I'm still running the alloy housing on mine with no issues thus far, but have the steel third member (which seems to be the thing that explodes the most )

[stocker]

I don't quite get what you mean Mr Ninja.

so i should run the Steel Diff Center with my Gears (obviously) with the Alloy Housing??? why is this??? ( I am a Diff Noob )

[ninjamoses]

The front diff is made up of 2 alloy parts. The third member and the housing. The vast majority of the time, the thing that explodes when they let go is the third member. There are still cases where the housing goes as well, but they are definitely the minority in comparison.

Ideally you'd just get a complete steel diff (housing & third member) and be done with it, but they aren't exactly plentiful or cheap.

I held off on fitting my locker until I got a steel third member as I consider that to be the main weak point. I would have loved a steel housing at the same time, but it was ~$350 extra I didn't have at the time. Hence I'll run the alloy housing on mine until it breaks or I find a steel housing for a good price.

[stocker]

Righttt Now i understand thanks for the insight, i will keep my eye out for a Complete Unit.

. How Much do they normally sell for and What model GV Came out with them???

[DarkHorse]

I found mine for $150 from a backyard wrecker who obviously didn't know what they were, but I've heard of people asking as much as $500 for them. They are getting very hard to find, but keep an eye on eBay etc for wrecking early model (98-03 I think?) manual V6 GVs and you might get lucky. Make sure you grab whichever pinion/cross-member mount it comes with, as they both bolt to the crossmember the same but aren't interchangeable between diffs.

Ninj is right in that the 3rd member is usually what goes, as the torque transfered down the axles by big tyres twists it against the cross-member mount. People munting housings on rocks and stuff is less common, believe it or not.

[stocker]

ok so break this down for me. because i really don't know what the 3rd Member is :S. i know the Center and The housing. but what is the 3rd member???

[inbits]

Third member is the diff center

[stocker]

sweet as. no i am Edumacated cheers

[ninjamoses]

A centre/third member is the same thing, just different terminology

To give you some idea on price, I payed $330 for the steel third member and they wanted an extra $440 for the matching housing. I specifically needed the earlier style pinion mount for my model which made it all the more frustrating to find.

Shop around though and you should be able to get them for $500 + delivery. Thats what some of the bigger suzuki wreckers over east were chasing (just none of them had an early style one when I was looking).

[stocker]

i might have to hit up Suzifour and see what they have...

cheers for the advice

[rob_macca67]

stocker wrote:

I have a Question Regarding the Front Diff and a Lockrite.

I'm looking at running 30 x 9.5R15's on my LWB 1.6 Vit. is it worth putting the lockrite in the Stock front diff. or first upgrading to a GV Steel diff then Putting the Lockrite in that???

I'm in a similair boat..... but I've installed one in the rear and now looking at the front..... I've already got the Steel Housing & 3rd Member & running a 22spline axles & 5.12 R&P (10 bolt).

Which Lockright (model number) can I put in the front of mine and will a Sierra Auto-Locker one fit into my front of my Vit ???

cheers.....
rob

[larry]

thought id post on here rather than start a new thread

would you say that the standard alloy housing and centre would be able to handle 29-30s and a lockright, or is it just a matter of time before it busts?

also i thought i read somewhere that the later model (96-98) alloy vit housings are slightly stronger or something, is this true?

would yous recommend locking front or rear in my vit (i dont wanna change the front diff)

[zuk94]

DarkHorse wrote:

Ninj is right in that the 3rd member is usually what goes, as the torque transfered down the axles by big tyres twists it against the cross-member mount. People munting housings on rocks and stuff is less common, believe it or not.

x2 There is alot movement with the original rubber bushes . Not sure why they made it so flexible. I was thinking if you just replaced the rubber bushes with neoprem or whatever bushes if this would help at all . After all the after market diff drop brackets have them in. Might be better to just get diff drop brakets sooner than later , and this may help your diff last longer .
Is that clear or sound to jibberish.

[got_bar_work]

Nylong bushes anywhere in a 4wd isn't a good idea they are to stiff
Rubber is heaps better it absorbs some of the shock loads
A font locker would help stop some of the shock loads off the front diff because it's usually the wheel that's spinning fast in the air then hits the ground and stops that shock loads the diff to death

[rob_macca67]

When I blew mine up, I had both wheels on the ground with just one spinning. I applied a bit of brake pedal to try and have some of the torque transfer over to the wheel that wasn't spinning. This is when it went bang. Having a locker will help limit the shock, but I reckon having stiff Front Diff Mounts on the Front Alloy instead of the rubber ones would also go a long way to prevent breakages.....but it also comes down to driving style and what sort of 4wheeling you do.....

Putting a Locker in Front or Back...... well, this depends on a lot a various things like....

# How much rear wheel travel do u have..... (like, if u have a lot, then put it in the front)
# What sort of 4wdriving u do (ie: beach or general offroad or more of the harder stuff)....
# Driving style....
# Changing of your on-road driving style if u put one in the rear.....

these are just my thoughts though.....

rob

[larry]

i think i would tend to lean towards the front locker as long as it isnt going to cause more stress on the fragile diff because 1 the back flexes way more than the front and is more likely to lift a front tyre, and i dont want to sacrifice onroad drivability
front lockright on a vit is more expensive but comes set up so pretty foolproof install??

[got_bar_work]

I would always put the locker in the front unless ur putting in twin lockers
Cars with rear lockers only are a pita
The rear tries to over take the front all the time
U can mod a sierra rear hemisphere and side gears to go in the front diff then use 26 spline axels and sierra rear lockers front and rear

[stocker]

I reckon a locker in the front is the way to go to avoid diff explosions... at least that way both front wheels are moving at the same speed, and it stops that hi-speed developing as one wheel leaves the ground.

[Built4thrashing]

stocker wrote:

I reckon a locker in the front is the way to go to avoid diff explosions... at least that way both front wheels are moving at the same speed, and it stops that hi-speed developing as one wheel leaves the ground.

Thats the ticket


With a locker you dont have to hit things with the momentum you used to.

[rob_macca67]

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... ic&t=19108

larry wrote:

i think i would tend to lean towards the front locker as long as it isnt going to cause more stress on the fragile diff because 1 the back flexes way more than the front and is more likely to lift a front tyre, and i dont want to sacrifice onroad drivability
front lockright on a vit is more expensive but comes set up so pretty foolproof install??

I used the same Autolocker for the rear in the front and to date, works fine

A few extra things that u need to know can be read in the following post:
Lockrights. 1510 v's 1512

[larry]

thanks for the info and links

just thought of another thing tho, considering the front locker will only be working when in 4wd and not really ever gunna want it unlocked when offroad (or would i?), wouldnt a sierra mini spool or a weld be the smarter/ cheaper option as theyre cheaper and easier to install? or would a spool not fit?

my front diff is 26 spline im pretty sure cause my vit is a 98 model

[rob_macca67]

The Auto Locker would be better as it will still unlock when going around corners (depending on how much applied accelerator of course) If u have the 26spline, then that's good, but I believe it will still only be a 2PIN carrier and there for u will still need the square block from a 4PIN carrier

[christover1]

IMHO
Vits are much heavier, and wider, than a Sierra.
I think spools would break/twist Vit CV's and axles.
I ran a spool front in my sierra,
and you soon tire of jumping out to unlock a hub all the time.
It was a cow going down steep dry hills,
couldn't steer very well.
and was hard to get fine steering control in the wet,
it was point and accelerate hard, to change direction.
But I loved it over an open diff for many years,
before lucking out on a 2nd hand front diff with a lock rite fitted.
Front Auto was way better than spooled.
Air lockers are never in my budget, so I never think of them.

[larry]

true, but when is it really gunna matter on dirt..
what is the square block thing? and how much will i be looking at for one?

EDIT: so a spool probably isnt a great idea then. do you think i should get the sierra 1510 or go for the proper one like this http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.ph ... ystem.html for more than double the price
the thing i do like about it is i cant really stuff up the install at all, its pretty much plug and play

[christover1]

larry wrote:

true, but when is it really gunna matter on dirt..
what is the square block thing? and how much will i be looking at for one?

I bet you can find a freeby close by,
but I can look thru my pile, see what I got to post, if have no luck local.

[rob_macca67]

larry wrote:

true, but when is it really gunna matter on dirt..
EDIT: so a spool probably isnt a great idea then. do you think i should get the sierra 1510 or go for the proper one like this http://www.lowrangeoffroad.com/index.ph ... ystem.html for more than double the price
the thing i do like about it is i cant really stuff up the install at all, its pretty much plug and play

I guess your referring to the 3PIN Carrier for the front..... When I was thinking about going that way, the waiting period from the lowrangeoffroad supplier was 1 or 2 mths or even more. They couldn't give me a definite time as there was a bit of a waiting list...... so I chose to go the 1510 one.... Your best emailing them on the availability of the 3PIN carrier Autolocker for the Vitara front 1st.....