[Built4thrashing]

Well we went to the high country and did alot of driving. Drove some quite interesting tracks i didnt think the GV would get up. but its developed a weird random noise.

It only happends in 4wd. Completely at random i get a mechanical clunk / thud from under the car. feels like something is skipping a tooth or spline. It feels worse if steering is turned at full lock and it happends. Worst was when driving down Trig Tk (not far from Thompson Dam) getting around one of the switchbacks.

It almost feels like transmission windup.

I still have drive to all wheels and the 4wd works a treat.

Any Ideas what to look for?

The GV is a 2000 manual. Stock drivetrain but it has 225/75/16 buckshot's and a 40mm spring lift

[Reubs]

It's possible one of the CV outers has cracked and the spline is slipping occasionally. I'm not familiar with GVs in particular but I've seen/experienced sierra CVs that have done that. It won't last too long if you continue some decent wheeling anyhow.

I'm not sure if an exploded CV will affect steering function in a GV (being IFS) but if that's the case I would think you had better check it soon...

[steak_knife]

Front diff's wind up real bad at or near full lock, causing a noise like described, not saying that's what it is, but mine use to go off with a bit of a bang..

[gregdixon]

Can be the front diff air actuator skipping. There is a service bulletin about it somewhere.
If you drive in 2wd you should hear the same noise if it is the cv's as you don't have manual hubs just drive flanges so the cv's will spin all the time. Unless you have changed them over.

[Built4thrashing]

still got auto hubs. Is there any way to get rid of the air actuating setup and go back to manual engagement?

[gregdixon]

The only way to get rid of the air engaged diff center is by fitting an air locker or vitara front center.

You can swap your drive flanges with manual hubs off vits or sierras but you will still get the slippage in the front diff. Just gives you a way to limp home if you bust a cv and saves a bit of fuel as well.

[Built4thrashing]

Planning on doing a Vit ctr with 5.12's to fix gearing issues anyway. so will just replacing the ctr get rid of the air engagement?

[gregdixon]

Yes

[steak_knife]

& the lil box that run's said engagement..

Kinda suck's when all the smoke fall's out of that lil box...

[shabz]

So why did suzuki even bother with the air engagement thingy anyways?

[gregdixon]

It is good not having to get out and lock in the hubs when you are knee high in mud because you forgot to before you started.

I keep forgeting I have the warn hubs on now and throw it into 4wd while I am moving along then get stuck.

[fordem]

shabz wrote:

So why did suzuki even bother with the air engagement thingy anyways?

It was their first attempt at "shift on the fly" - you can shift from 2HI to 4HI and back at speeds of up to 60 mph, as long as you're driving in a straight line - and just in case you ask why would anyone need to do that, other manufacturers were pushing it as a feature, so Suzuki felt the need to offer it also.

[Teracis]

gregdixon wrote:

It is good not having to get out and lock in the hubs when you are knee high in mud because you forgot to before you started.

I keep forgeting I have the warn hubs on now and throw it into 4wd while I am moving along then get stuck.

Lately I've just been stopping at the end of the blacktop and locking them in, coz every time we've been out it's just after rain and I don't need/want mud IN the zook...

[MrRocky]

are the older gen gv's part time 4x4 ??? my new one is fulltime 4x4

[Built4thrashing]

they are part time

[Ben_Sierra]

fordem wrote:

shabz wrote:

So why did suzuki even bother with the air engagement thingy anyways?

It was their first attempt at "shift on the fly" - you can shift from 2HI to 4HI and back at speeds of up to 60 mph, as long as you're driving in a straight line - and just in case you ask why would anyone need to do that, other manufacturers were pushing it as a feature, so Suzuki felt the need to offer it also.

You can do that in a Sierra if the hubs are locked in...

[fordem]

Ben_Sierra wrote:

fordem wrote:

It was their first attempt at "shift on the fly" - you can shift from 2HI to 4HI and back at speeds of up to 60 mph, as long as you're driving in a straight line - and just in case you ask why would anyone need to do that, other manufacturers were pushing it as a feature, so Suzuki felt the need to offer it also.

You can do that in a Sierra if the hubs are locked in...

And if they're not - you stop, get out & lock them - same thing goes for the Vitara.

With the GV there's no hub to consider, just shift-on-the-fly.

Just so you understand where I'm coming from, I'm not doubting you, I'm simply answering the question that was asked.

It's also not just the free-wheel setup that was changed, a syncho hub was added to the GV transfer case to permit smooth engagement of 4HI, neither the Vitara nor the Samurai/Sierra/SJ/etc, has one.

[atari4x4]

could be the common GV transfer issue.

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... t=transfer

[steak_knife]

atari4x4 wrote:

could be the common GV transfer issue.

http://www.auszookers.com/index.php?nam ... t=transfer

Doubt it, once it jump's out you get stuck, cause it's only in 2wd..

[Built4thrashing]

gravity_powered wrote:

This is the technical bulletin for the front 'vacuum' problem.
Chevrolet Tracker is a Grand Vitara's Yankee cousin with no flares and an ugly grill by the way...

Quote:

Technical report on known fault in front axle.

File In Section: 04 Driveline Axle
Bulletin No.: 01-04-19-003
Date: April, 2001

TECHNICAL
Subject:
Harsh Clunk Noise From Front Axle While in 4WD and During Turning Maneuvers (Replace Front Differential Case, Actuator and Side Bearings)

Models:
1999 Chevrolet Tracker with Four-Wheel Drive

Condition
Some customers may comment on a harsh clunk or popping noise coming from the front axle. This condition is most apparent while driving in 4WD at low speeds on loose traction surfaces such as gravel or snow and turning right or left.

Cause
Inside the front differential case, the teeth of the free wheel axle hub may jump a tooth resulting in the noise.

Correction
A modification was made to the design of the front differential case, which should reduce the likelihood of the free wheel hub teeth from jumping.

Replace the front axle differential case, actuator and side bearings using the service procedure and part numbers as shown.

Important: With the new design differential case, the teeth may still jump under extreme torque load conditions, such as making tight turn maneuvers in 4WD on hard dry surfaces resulting in a similar noise. This noise is now considered to be a normal vehicle operating characteristic. Driving on high traction surfaces in 4WD is not necessary and contributes to excessive torque load on the front axle. Customers should be advised to shift into 2WD when driving on such surfaces.

coppied this from that topic. so this is my problem. may just put up with it till i swap over the ctrs and fit the lockers with the 5.12 ratios.

[Built4thrashing]

Can someone add tis to the tech thread. as it seems to be a common problem

[atari4x4]

IMO changing the ratio's will be the cheapest/smartest option, it's a pretty cheap way to get some gearing back.

[Built4thrashing]

Aparently i can get t/case gears for mine as its an early model. 134% reduction in low range but i dont think it changes high.

[tombutt]

nah as far as i know they dont change high range when i go bigger tyres then 31's im going to install some of these transfer case gears in my vit from what ive found same transfer as the early gv

[Built4thrashing]

Getting back to the air engagement. Can it fail completely and leave you with without 4wd? or is it just one of those annoying things you can put up with for ages?

[steak_knife]

yes, the front hemisphere can explode, the jumping of teeth is what I think causes it, lot's of load & it slip's, BANG....

I was in the bush when the li box blew, stuck in 2wd, was going to pull power off the rh parker to power up the pump, but the lil pump wouldn't of turned off & would of caused more damage, so didn't..

Get rid of the shit ...