[redzook91]

Right, now is there any way to tell the front axle spline count on this model of vitara without removing bits and pieces? It's my daily driver and i dont want to cock something up removing shit to find out. Pretty sure it's a 26 (PLEASE LET IT BE!!!) but need to be sure. Reason is i found a steel diff to replace the coke can (hooray!). unfortunately funds are a bit scarce and i might need to keep my CVs to save some dosh (or is it worth it to replace everything?). I hate being a student on a shoestring budget... probably worth the money in the end though, right?

Massive props to ATARI for all the other info i needed, pretty much the vitara guru .

[Joe]

Im 99% sure it will be 22 spline

[atari4x4]

pfffft, i'm far from a vitara guru....

i just know how to read n stuff, hell i drive a keyboard all day.

i'm thinking it will be the same as what Joesph pulled out of his smashed longy.

you should be able to tell if it's a 22 or 26 spline front end by unbolting the LHS CV from the diff end & gently tap out the axle to see how thick it is & compare it to the 2 photo's below.

depending on the type of CV you have it will either be recessed like this or it will have a raised section.


The 26 spline shafts are thicker & have less taper coming down from the bearing surface like this


NOT LIKE THIS lame 22 spline axle


FYI that is Joesph's crocodile in the background of the first photo

[Polar_Bear]

pretty sure it will be 22 sp aswell, i think it was around '95 they swapped over to 26 spline.

if you've found a steel housing, and its cheap, grab it, i'm sure ive got a 22 spline cv you can have cheap

[Joe]

Polar_Bear wrote:

pretty sure it will be 22 sp aswell, i think it was around '95 they swapped over to 26 spline.

if you've found a steel housing, and its cheap, grab it, i'm sure ive got a 22 spline cv you can have cheap

Can anyone comfirm this as im starting to grab bits and bobs for the front end and i need to know what i need to get hold off??????????

[Joe]

atari4x4 wrote:

FYI that is Joesph's crocodile in the background of the first photo

And a good crocodile he is too never bit me once

[Polar_Bear]

cant actually confirm it, but if its got the newer type dash it'll probably be 26 sp. i had an import 93 efi half cut and that was 22sp, anything carby will be 22 sp. my 94 carby was 22sp.

[atari4x4]

that sounds about right.

[Polar_Bear]

redzook91 wrote:

Reason is i found a steel diff to replace the coke can (hooray!). unfortunately funds are a bit scarce

a steel diff will fix ya strenght problems, however, it will quite possibly have the wrong ratio for what you need, and will have to factor in the cost of swapping in your current ring and pinion, which may cost as much as the diff again. (did steel diffs ever come with 5.12 gears?)

[atari4x4]

Polar_Bear, he's aware of the ratio change & i suggested getting a locker installed when getting the diff built up.

for a diff specialist to rebuild & set up the locker & diff gears you're looking at around $500...

[royce]

the only reason you need to swap cv's is if you buy a locker cheap thats the wrong spline, otherwise fir our current 22 spline hemisphere or buy a 22 spline locker

[redzook91]

right, this seems to make sense. I had an idea that it could cost a bit of coin to get everything swapped over + locker etc. but the plan was to grab it now and either wait for the other one to break or wait for the funds to accumulate, whichever comes first . still a little confused about the above comments, if i do the internals swap (including axles from mine, i think ) i will need the CVs from the GV? or do i need the axles from the GV to fit inside the case and connect to those CVs.

My head hurts a little, I'm not used to all this stuff. Keen to learn but, cheers guys.

[royce]

you keep everything from yours except the 2 alloy housing bits, which you repalce with the steel GV bits, all the GV gears and axles and CV's and internal diff parts you dont use

[redzook91]

royce wrote:

you keep everything from yours except the 2 alloy housing bits, which you repalce with the steel GV bits, all the GV gears and axles and CV's and internal diff parts you dont use

is it that simple? shit i thought it was gonna end up as a frankendiff. although from what i've read on other build ups if i do end up putting a locker in it it would be wise to switch to the 26 spline for strength purposes, meaning a 10mm alteration of the axle. or something...

Thanks heaps for the help guys, when i do go grab it and start the swap i'll grab some photos of everything. I can see everyone is a whore for photos round here haha.

Cheers

Anthony

[got_bar_work]

u can run a sierra hemisphere and side gears in the diff if u want to run 26 spline and sierra locker just need the lhs iner axel and 2l vit cv ds and all 1.6l cv pass side
gv cv will be to long i think
ps u need to machine the hemisphere a little for the driver stub to fit if u go that way
also u can do this http://www.zukiworld.com/month_120102/f ... endmod.htm
then u can run a 1.6l lhs cv on both sides
when ever i break a cv i will get around to it
dont know y every one says that vit cv are weak i never broke one yet and im locked gears and 31 and drive like a "patrol" driver with a big right foot

[got_bar_work]

1.6 l vit with 26 spline cv were only in 96 they had some of the parts from the 2l
dash maybe