[magnat]

I have heard rumours that the front diff is soft on the Auto GV's

How can I tell what the hell mine is ??

Its a 2001 5 speed Manual if thats any help ?

[atari4x4]

pretty sure the XL-7's use a different diff than the GV's/Vitara's so you wont be able to bolt in a steel diff, but i believe they're a cast steel diff anyway.

for what you want to do it will be fine.

[fordem]

As far as I know a 2001 XL-7 runs the same front diff as a GV - final drive ratio will be different, but the housings are the same - if you want to know if it's steel, get a magnet. The rear diffs are different.

[GeckoXL7]

I thought they where steel, i guess a magnet to the diff will tell you or the sound of a screw driver against it.
Bellow say there aluminum.

Suzuki XL-7 4dr Automatic 4WD
Engine
Type: V6 Gasoline
Displacement: 2.7L / 167 CID
Fuel System: MPFI
SAE Net Horsepower: 183 @ 6000 RPM
SAE Net Torque: 180 @ 4000 RPM

Transmission
Type: 4-Speed Automatic w/OD
First Gear Ratio: 2.83
Second Gear Ratio: 1.49
Third Gear Ratio: 1.00
Fourth Gear Ratio: 0.69
Reverse Ratio: 2.70

Transfer Case
Gear Ratio (high): 1.00
Gear Ratio (low): 1.82

Axle(s)
Front: Independent McPherson Strut (w/coil spring)
Axle Housing: Aluminum
Rear: 5-Link (w/coil spring)
Axle Housing: Steel
Final Drive Ratio: 5.13
__________________

[magnat]

Magnet sticks to it..
I just used a weak fridge magnet and she stuck solid....

[GeckoXL7]

Guess its steel then.

There are lots of confusion about this on other forrum's, i always thought it was steel and quite hard steel, while the early GV's had the alloy diffs.

I cant see why suzuki will put a alloy diff on just because its a auto and not a manual, the whole drive train was made stronger to handle the extra weight and torque etc.

The transfer case on the other hand i have read in the suzuki manual is a aloy case, its tuck well up there and above a cross member so never has been hit, but always thought about putting a bash plate there.

[magnat]

The Rear is also steel.. Magnet doesn't stick to the transfer...

[GeckoXL7]

If you look at around 21:38 of the video i posted earlier, you can see a rock i hit, it bent up the bash plate around the front diff and hit where the diff plug is, not one scratch on the diff. if that happened to a alloy diff it would of cracked in half like a coconut, or at least lost all the oil in it..

Bash plates do a good job at protecting the sump but would be better if they where steel not alloy

[magnat]

Yeah I looked on mine, there is no bash plate, just a cross member So its something I will have to rectify..
The fuel tank has a bash plate but the other components just have a cross member underneath them as protection..