[bibby]

Hey guys

Just bought a set of WT diffs and im going to be doing alot of work to them so that when i swap them with my NT diffs i have pretty much new and upgraded diffs.
I am going to be putting cromo axles in the front, replacing all seals and bearings front and back, puting a spartan locker in the rear as well as making the rear disk brake.
I was then planing on either shaving them or putting diff guards on. Diff guards would be an easier less time wasting option so that may be the choice, but the real meaning of this post is should i but trusses and knuckle/swivel hub supports? Or is this just overkill and too much? Im going to be running 33s with NT spacing and NT rear diff centres for the 3.9 gears they have. Im also doing RUF when i swap the diffs.
So what do you guys recon? Trusses or na? (Reasons would be great too )

Thanks in advance

Sam

[5ierra]

What is your driving style. If you treat the car nicely, dont thrash it, there is no need.

If youre one of those drivers who doesnt realise there are another 2 pedal and our all right foot, probably worth while.

At the end of the day, the only thing that is going to bend the housing is jumping it/bumping up onto things and throwing the nose into the air. If thats how you drive then yes, put one on, if not, then dont worry.

My 2c.

5ierra.

[alien]

I bent my front diff running 31s and bouncing up a rutted hill. It wasn't by any means thrashing it or going crazy - there was just too much leverage for the diff to handle and i needed that momentum to get up (it was muddy).

IMO with 33s its only a matter of time.

Don't forget to brace it at the steering knuckle area as that's usually where they bend at the front.

[bibby]

Alright sweet guys thanks for that i think i will stick with the idea of getting some then, is there any australia dealer that sells truses for zooks or would i have to order from lror?

[atari4x4]

alien wrote:

I bent my front diff running 31s and bouncing up a rutted hill.

sure it wasn't from the jumps as a stocker...

[buzbox]

Just good cheap reassurance.

Because I have the diffs out of the car and modding them for other things I thought for $30 it wouldn't hurt to add one here and there.

[bibby]

you getting some from lror buzbox?? if so send me some photos of them on?

[alien]

atari4x4 wrote:

alien wrote:

I bent my front diff running 31s and bouncing up a rutted hill.

sure it wasn't from the jumps as a stocker...

Yeah cos i'd already bent and replaced a front housing when it was stock =) This time was on a straight diff - it wasn't long after it was engineered on the 31s. After i bent that housing i had it straightened professionally and gussetted at the same time (so they could check it was still straight after welding).

While that was out at an engineering mob being done, Suzistore did the rear while it was sitting there (at my request) even though i've never bent a rear.

[JrZook]

alien wrote:

there was just too much leverage for the diff to handle and i needed that momentum to get up (it was muddy).

Rough! Must have given it a fair boot full and hit it at ~80?

[jdk81]

What offset rims alien?

[alien]

I was on 15x7-15 (Speedy Desert Rat) - IIRC it was 3rd Low (5.14 tcase) going straight up a rutted muddy hill... front drivers side went down a hole then took the brunt of the whole car as it landed to climb out. Inside the car it was very smooth even though there was a notable "landing" of the front back on the ground.

It was only bent a few degrees. Looked like racing camber =)

[monley]

For the sake of $30-$40 it's a worth while investment

This is the LROR truss

[alien]

FWIW mine bent on the drivers side at the knuckle...

[bibby]

Looks great will look alot more tuff if i truss and armour them

[pezz]

Id say dont do it unless you do the knuckle gussets too, otherwise you will just transmit the load to the knuckle join

[Dcraw]

Monley, any advice on welding the brace on? Did you weld in small sections bit by bit? Im going to be tackling this soon aswell as shaving and a pumpkin guard. I think shaving is were people are more worried about distortion correct?

[alien]

The distortion is from welding one big bead in one go as it creates uneven tension on the tube (like when you put a tight bit of sticky tape on some paper and it curls).

Mine were stitch welded on, kinda like how you do up the wheel nuts on your car going from point to point diagonally opposite, allowing each previous one to cool in between.

[bibby]

pezz wrote:

Id say dont do it unless you do the knuckle gussets too, otherwise you will just transmit the load to the knuckle join

yeah i shall be getting knuckle gussets aswell

[Joshyboy26]

I shaved my diffs and welded it in 2cm long sections in different places with a junk 3rd bolted in to hold it together.

[buzbox]

Here;s mine, but I've only done the rear so far.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=48019

[buzbox]

alien wrote:

The distortion is from welding one big bead in one go.

EGGSACKERY

I first tacked it in place and only welded about an inch long on alternate sides to prevent it bending. A bit like torquing up head bolts, and as previously mentioned wheel nuts.

Heating it all up in one go is a little trick used to get more camber for track cars and the like, just that it puts more stress on other components in the diff, generally bearings.

[Gwagensteve]

My 2C - they are total overkill, and more trouble than they are worth. With a disclaimer.

In twenty years of playing with Sierras, (and club membership) I've never seen a bent front housing. Iv'e seen a couple of rears bent and a bunch fail, but never a front. However, there is an almost 100% chance you'll bend the housing by welding it (maybe not much, but maybe enough to have problems with axle seals)

Also, axle housings, if they do bend, bend between the bumpstop/spring and the knuckle, rarely between the springs.

Here's the disclaimer. I don't drive sand. Cars driven in sand seem to bend front axle housings if driven aggressively, and I think it's the nature of the terrain that does it.

If you don't drive sand, I'd say it's pointless. If you drive sand, brace the knuckles to housing, then consider a truss.

Steve.

[atari4x4]

For maximum e-fame, truss the rear like the desert trucks/ultra4 race cars.

[Joshyboy26]

Yeah look at the axle truss thread on pirate then do it lowrange trusses are shit.

[droverdave]

It seems like an excessive amount of weld on that photo above which would contribute to potential warping of the housing. What is the thickness of the plate in the brace? and the thickness of the diff housing is only like 4mm?

I would have thought something like 25mm of weld with a 80mm gap would be sufficient. You'd hope the strength of that brace is from the geometry of it, not the ~1000mm of weld.

looking at the position of the springs in relation to the wheels, I would put nuckle braces on higher priority than that diff brace thing.

[masterA]

I agree with Gwagensteve
If i had to do it i would just get it beefed up at the knuckle

I've driven some narly tracks with my trayback and up til about 2 months ago had stock CVs running 31s with no dramas
About 2 months ago i slapped a set of 32s and broke a rear axle (mainly because my diff got caught on a boulder and the tyres just gripped)
I then busted both front CV's attempting Bob's hill so it finally came to a point that i needed cromos so i brought some for the front

Transfer and diff gearing are the key to having a capable car
If you're 'bouncing' your car around and hitting things at 100km/hr then you have other issues and should learn how to drive
Jumping them over dunes etc may be fun but expect to pay for it as no cars are designed for that

Each to their own i guess

[atari4x4]

Do peeps gusset both sides of the knuckle or just the underside?

[alien]

Pretty sure perches / u-bolts / shocks etc get in the way up top, plus the actual turning of the wheel will hit the knuckle?

[monley]

Dcraw wrote:

Monley, any advice on welding the brace on? Did you weld in small sections bit by bit? Im going to be tackling this soon aswell as shaving and a pumpkin guard. I think shaving is were people are more worried about distortion correct?

Welded the ends and 1 1/2" down both sides at the end, 3"s in the middle both sides. Let it cool, weld one end to centre. Let it air cool, then to the other end to centre so on etc...

Knuckle gussets are the important as stated else where.

The diff didn't bend which surprised me due to the amount of brackets

Think the brace is 4mm thick

[bibby]

I wont be driving sand or like a complete imbusil but i think i might order the trusses and gussests purely because i can and i would rather be safe then sorry