[oohsam]

Awesome! Thanks for the clarifications Chris! Champ

[SierraDan]

I'm liking my lockright without couplers in my Sierra rear way more than my Spartan so far.

The washers behind the sidegears were left there, runs perfect from the start.

[oohsam]

Chris, Not sure what you've done but this doesnt work.

My alloy and steel diff's are at the shop now with my 4wd mechanic. He's just called telling me that I may need a sierra hemishphere to ge this to fit.
He said even if he does some grinding on the carrier, the sidegears wont fit.

Are you sure you just used all the vitara internals with the sierra locker...

Cheers

[christover1]

oohsam wrote:

Chris, Not sure what you've done but this doesnt work.

My alloy and steel diff's are at the shop now with my 4wd mechanic. He's just called telling me that I may need a sierra hemishphere to ge this to fit.
He said even if he does some grinding on the carrier, the sidegears wont fit.

Are you sure you just used all the vitara internals with the sierra locker...

Cheers

I used Sierra side gears,
but yes everything else was Vitara internals.

The GV has a mechanism for operating the hub locks,
which is in the diff, not at the wheels.
Maybe that is the confusion?

I used the centre/carrier and ring and pinion from the alloy diff, not the steel.

[christover1]

People have successfully used Vitara side gears I'm told, but the Sierra ones looked better to me.

If using a Sierra carrier, the drivers side cv/axle wont go in, as its bigger.
I tried that first up.

[christover1]

You also need the cross pin support block, not sure if I made that clear.
Cross pin block comes from Sierra 4pin diffs.

Maybe the side gears are wrong?
No idea if they are all the same.
Vit rear diffs are huge, maybe the side gears are rear vits, not Sierra??

[oohsam]

Hmm, didnt see anythinga bout cross pin support block..
is it this what I need?



What do you mean the "rear diffs are huge"... We're doing this in the front, correct? not the rear?

What we had is an alloy front diff, and a steel front diff. Both complete....


Just to be 100% clear.
If I have a complete alloy front, I should be able to fit the spartan locker without anything extra other than the Cross Pin Support block??
Sidegears should fit ? Hemisphere is ok?

[christover1]

Yes that is the cross pin block.

I thought you may have bought extra side gears, with a risk of wrong ones.


Yes that is 100% correct.

[oohsam]

Ok. Ive just gone down to the mechanic and we've had a look.
He's right. This doesn't fit.
The carrier opening isnt big enough for the locker to fit in.
Even if it is (we were discussing grinding it a bit to get it to fit which should be ok) there's not enough clearnace to get it in as the sidegears have a flange on them that needs to go in.

Do I need a different carrier? Surely this is not the same carrier you used?

[christover1]

That is totally different to my front diff.
Mine is not open like that.
It is closed up and removal of side plate/ring gear is needed to access inside.

No idea why that is different.
First I have seen of it.

Mine was same as the GV

[oohsam]

Am I supposed to use the Carrier from the Steel diff (GV) or from the alloy diff ?

[christover1]

I used the the carrier from the alloy diff.
Every one I have seen don't look like yours.
It cfould be possible to use the GV carrier.
Though I didnt try it.
Have not got my GV bits to look at.

[oohsam]

Ok thanks Chris. Sorry to keep draining you mate, I just thought I had all the bits ready to go in..

I'm not sure if I can use the steel GV carrier. Cause its got all the vacum hub locking components in it.

I may have to try and source another vitara carier that is not open.

So yours is totally sealed, and opens up via bolts...right? Like this? )i know this is the lowrange offroad one that u can buy, but it should look similar right?

[christover1]

This is the normal front diff in Vitaras.
No idea why your isn't the same.
Yes, undo crown wheel bolts, and whole side comes off.
locker and side gears then slide in.

[Built4thrashing]

oohsam wrote:

I may have to try and source another vitara carier that is not open.

I may just have said diff hemisphere your after and for a few drinks i might even help you fit the locker into the diff center.

Call me 0408287539.

[Built4thrashing]

Oh and i like to drink JD cans while i work.

[oohsam]

Hey boys got the diff back today. Mechanic said he didn't use the cross pin support block as the cv wouldnt go in all the way to clip in ( b4t we talked about this) and also installed it with the shims.
Im not sure if I should now crack it open and try and get it to fit. Any advice welcome!

[christover1]

I'm thinking it is needed.
Though I not an engineer.
The way I'm thinking is locker will lock correctly with out it, as accelerating will push locker outwards.
It may not always unlock properly,
as side gears could float inwards without the cross pin block to control that.

But wait for more technical people to chime in.

[oohsam]

Awaiting ! Im thinking the shims stuffed up the clearence and thats why the shaft wouldnt catch.

[christover1]

Which shims? Spartan goes in without shims.
Lock rits use shims.

My 22spline axles had plenty of clearance in the block,
maybe its the 26 spline axle thats a bit different?
Check with B4T on that, as I believe he had to trim block a tad?

[oohsam]

Yeah ill give him a call.
I told him to assmeble without shims but he insisted they had to go jn.

[Built4thrashing]

Cross pin block is there to support the cross pinsand to help center the locker. Also the side gears sit against the cross block and this stops them from pushing inwards. I doubt the locker will work properly withoout it..... but i could be wrong.

[oohsam]

Thanks mate ! Im gonna pull it out and pull the shims out and put the block in

[christover1]

Cool, is good to have a go at stuff

[oohsam]

I should mark everything right, so I don't have to re adjust backlash etc ?

[christover1]

yes thats what I do. I'm sure there is a correct way, though

[Built4thrashing]

If you get stuck bring it over and ill show you how.

[oohsam]

Ur a champ.

[oohsam]

Hey boys.
After alot of cursing, hammering, and hammering witha bigger hammer, the steel diff is in.
Locking and unlocking like a shotgun. Its bloody loud and when it pops, it really pops. Scared the bejesus out of me the first time it did it (and i was hanging out the window fighting the steering!) Will get used to it and get it to loosen up a little.

Funny things along the way :
Built4Thrasing helped me heaps, so thanks mate!
Carrier was closed, had to find an open carrier
Side gears had a little lip in the middle of them, which pushed out the clearances of everything, and the pin wouldn't line up with the centre pole, we had to use other sidegears. See pics above that I posted...
Passanger side shaft wouldn't go in all the way. Measured it against another one that B4T had, and it was a touch shorter, we got it in further, but still wasn't flush.
When I pulled out my diff, i measured against that, and it was even shorter....SO i used that, and it fitted in flush...strange that all these have been different lengths...couldn't belive it to be honest.
Drives side CV was a royal pain the ass to get in. Took me like 1.5 hours...Really need someone to show me how it should be done cause it was just f#%$%ed

The original mounts that came wit hthe steel diff dont line up with the vit mounting points, so I had to use my alloy mounting brackets. Makes me nervous to use the allow brackets, but I have 2 spare sets incase one cracks - has anyone had these crack? seems like a point of weakeness..

overall thanks to all that helped, christover1 - thanks for the cross block supprot, B4T thanks for all ur help and parts mate. Champ.

[christover1]

Congrats, enjoy