[jimnynutter]

Hey guys,
Pretty new to the forum
I used to drive a 99 manual jimmy with a 2 inch lift
Larger tyres, roof rack, snorkel
And a custom g16 baleno engine conversion.
I now drive a completely stock-
1993 vitara manual 4 door 1.6 EFI JLX estate
It's having all the goodies put on it in January in the shed

My question is
Have I got 5.12 diff ratios?
Are these perfect for the 31's I'm putting on?
I'm doing a lift kit and body lift and cutting gaurds etc.
Just need to know if putting 31's on ruins my road gearing.
And which ratio is best for the low range transfer case reduction gears?
Thanks you for your help
I eagerly await your replies.

[christover1]

I drive an auto 93 Vit 4 door with 31;s.
5:12 are the lowest thats easily available.
Yours is most likely 5:12 already.
5:8's would be great, available from a company in Turkey. 4x4art

Mine copes ok with the 31" tyres, but is not ideal.
Manual will be less nice I guess.

There is only one choice for tranny gears, 4;24 ratio.
Only lowers low range, high stays the same.
I have this fitted to mine, and I'm loving it.
Be able to go to 33;s easily in low range.
No hope in high range tho, 31's be the absolute maximum in my opinion.

[jimnynutter]

Ok, so if I could source 5.8s I'd be sweet as?

[atari4x4]

i nominate you jimnynutter to be the test mule/guinea pig for the turkey 5.8's.

[DarkHorse]

I second that. Someone's gotta take the plunge.

The other option for hi and low range gearing is the Trail Tough Undertaker, which is a bolt-on underdrive that slots between gearbox and transfer. Requires cusatom driveshafts, but it drops your gearing by 1.5:1 - enough for 35s apparently. Would be close to $2K by the time you got everything done.

[christover1]

http://tr.4xfourart.com/4xfourarten/urunic.php?id=3

http://www.facebook.com/groups/142857621652/

[Gwagensteve]

DarkHorse wrote:

I second that. Someone's gotta take the plunge.

The other option for hi and low range gearing is the Trail Tough Undertaker, which is a bolt-on underdrive that slots between gearbox and transfer. Requires cusatom driveshafts, but it drops your gearing by 1.5:1 - enough for 35s apparently. Would be close to $2K by the time you got everything done.

I believe the undertaker is no longer in production. A club member tried to buy one.

Steve.

[jimnynutter]

Bit apprehensive about those gears from Russia, there isn't much detail and im not fond of possibly wasting money.

[Gwagensteve]

I think that gearing a vitara for on and off road use really requires the use of a sierra transfer case.

Drop 4.6 diff gears in the diffs (from a carby auto) and a sierra case with gears in it, and you'll have a 46% increase in road revs and very deep off road gearing. (31's are about 20% bigger than stock, so your cruise revs will increase about 20% overall)

I assume as you're in the ACT your driving is pretty steep and technical, so that might be the go.

Obviously this is an expensive fabrication project, but there's really no other option for a vitara unless you go to 5.83 diffs to offset high range and 4.24 transfer for low range.

Steve.

[jimnynutter]

Seeing as I do some occasional distance trips. I kind of font want to upset highway rpm much more, so will going to 5.83 diff ratios and. 4.24 transfer gears be the best combination?

[christover1]

jimnynutter wrote:

Seeing as I do some occasional distance trips. I kind of font want to upset highway rpm much more, so will going to 5.83 diff ratios and. 4.24 transfer gears be the best combination?

I personally belive that would be perfect for 31 to 33 " tyres on a manual Vitara.

but the 5:8 and 5:7 diff ratios are hard to get or costly.

I run the 4:24 transfer gears and 31's,
I would not like smaller tyres, or low would be too low.

I be trying the 5:7 ratios from Europe after 2 years or so,
too many bills right now.

[jimnynutter]

Ok that's a big help. Thanks christover1

[christover1]

If planning mostly touring, sand, desert etc,
I think with the 5:7 or 5:8 diffs you may not need the transfer gears.

[Gwagensteve]

If you went with 5.7/5.8 diff gears, you'd want to have every possible upgrade done to the front diff. Breaking a housing and wiping out diff gears that aren't readily available would be annoying to say the least.

Steve.

[jimnynutter]

Yeah I'm canceling my lightforce order and spending the money on transfer gears and steel diff upgrade, keeping the 5.12 ratios and I'm going to see how long they last. If break something then, I'll try the5.83 or what ever the Russia one ares

[christover1]

jimnynutter wrote:

Yeah I'm canceling my lightforce order and spending the money on transfer gears and steel diff upgrade, keeping the 5.12 ratios and I'm going to see how long they last. If break something then, I'll try the5.83 or what ever the Russia one ares

You will love it. Gearing rocks.

[jimnynutter]

Then I look forward to it