So, back to the front differential. The CV stub shafts do not fit into a Samurai carrier. I should have remembered this from a youtube vid I partially watched. So, I took it all back apart, ground the welds off the carrier pins and smashed them out, and put the empty carrier case in the lathe to bore out one side to fit the stub shaft.
Then I proceeded to bore it out too deep and too far, ruining the area the side gear sits and making it hopelessly wobbly. Beans. Brand new Samurai carrier is on the way, back to waiting...
Alright, I'm compromising for now, I don't want to keep waiting for parts to have 4x4 working again. Took one of the stock air actuated carriers and welded the air actuator shut. I'll be annoyed when I have to take the front third member out of the car again, but at least I'll have a working open diff for now. I had to order new carrier bearings from India to go with the new carrier, so those parts are a while out anyway.
Rock sliders in progress.
newrider3 said:
Finally installed the wench
How does she feel about this? 
Seriously, though, this little thing is bad ass.
That thing is going to make many trails BORING with dual lockers. But for a winter beater/fun rig, its gonna be wonderful capable.
just the rear lockright in my old nissan truck made 95% of formerly challenging obstacles a simple walk. Put it in 4 lo and it would just walk through.
with the front locker, are you going to be using some locking hubs up front? From what i recall, many would lock the front diff, then leave 1 front hub unlocked until they need it.
now you got me thinking about putting a locker in my project pathfinder. I have gotten stuck at least twice due to tucking a back tire and lifting the other just enough to not grab.
i was stuck here. Lame! Open diffs.
TJL (Forum Supporter) said:
with the front locker, are you going to be using some locking hubs up front? From what i recall, many would lock the front diff, then leave 1 front hub unlocked until they need it.
I robbed the front locking hubs off a Samurai axle I have in my shed, they bolted right up.
I also have a twin stick t-case shifter kit ready to go in, when I tear the engine and trans out to seal up all the oil leaks, replace the timing chain madness, and also install a set of 3:1 low range t-case gears.
Toyman! said:
Damn you work fast.
Looking great.
Thanks! Just don't look at any of the multi-years-long unfinished build threads I also have going here :p
Love this build, I used to play with Samurais/Trackers building trail rigs. Theres so much potential with these 4 doors. Most have written off the V6 with the complex timing chains but when good they are potential little things.
Those steel front diff cases are starting to be rare birds. Can confirm the aluminum ones are like glass even with 2.0 power and little all terrains. Rear axle is quite stout (for Suzuki).
Figuring out the tcase on trackers/vitaras is the challenge if you need crawly gears. A friend of mine has done a couple tracker case to toyota doublers since the old tracer/tracker and tracker/d300 options dried up.
Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.
So, that diff carrier up the page a little ways, that I welded the air actuator closed? That only lasted about 3/4 of a trip before a medium *pop* noise followed by loss of front drive. Guess I'll be getting the locker and Samurai carrier in as soon as bearings show up from India.
Nice day out today though.
Here's some more pics courtesy of the passenger in the Rocky.
I actually did the lift, bumpers, rock sliders, etc on this Daihatsu Rocky for a friend in trade for the Grand Vitara itself.
A Rocky and a grand Vitara wheeling together!? I'd be tickled pink to see that on the trail. I never see either one, let alone both.
I keep getting Bugatti vibes from your front bumper.
I love this build so much.
Engine and trans out for various parts replacement and freshening. I hope I haven't made a terrible mistake, I really liked driving this one :(
Timing chains on the Suzuki H-series V6 are always exciting.
Engine grossness level, before:
Somewhat improved, and should stay better with new gaskets and seals:
Front diff completed. Lock-Right, in a modified Samurai carrier, aftermarket pin can, Tracker 4.88 gears, going into a steel Grand Vitara housing :p
Still working on the transfer case.
"Grind a little for clearance", the low range gears set instructions said...
Plates arrived, the car is now Groffle the Awful Waffle.
I still remember when motor trend wrote these up when new. They really changed the small suv game.
grover said:
I still remember when motor trend wrote these up when new. They really changed the small suv game.
It's really too bad manufacturers didn't stick with the body-on-frame, live rear axle, real 4x4 with low range formula for any modern cute utes.
At some point right before or just after the engine and transfer case work, the rear locker stopped clicking and the rear tires were constantly chirping. Total yard sale inside. Hopefully I can make it live again with grinding for clearance and new pins/springs, really starting to regret not saving up for an ARB in the first place.
I dig the little SUVs. Looking really good so far!
newrider3 said:
At some point right before or just after the engine and transfer case work, the rear locker stopped clicking and the rear tires were constantly chirping. Total yard sale inside. Hopefully I can make it live again with grinding for clearance and new pins/springs, really starting to regret not saving up for an ARB in the first place.
Did you break the little pins? I thought those things were pretty bombproof.
In reply to thatsnowinnebago :
Yep, all four pins broken in half and all the springs shot out and munched. Lock-Right tech guy said it can happen if driver clearance is too wide, but also admitted there's no way to measure or adjust that on this style case.
I was definitely too tight on the clearance between the side gears and center crosspin block, but that shouldn't have affected the locker driver clearance. Hoping it survives now that I ground the center block down.
This is literally keeping me from cheaping out and buying a selectable locker for the xj. This was the first time I have been considering a non selectable.
I had a 2001 Tracker with the 2.0L 4 cyl and auto trans. Neat car with a really tough suspension design. My first time under I was amazed by the rear 4 link with panhard bar.
If it had had a manual trans or V6 or 4wd I would have kept it but I had too many projects and was out of space to store it.
I wasn't going to get the locker springs and pins in time for a trip this weekend, so I slapped the open diff back in the rear end. Worked just fine with the locked front, the twin sticks and low range gears were great. Twin sticks ruined the streetability of the car quite a bit though, they're berkeleying loud.
Made it all the way to Bill Moore Lake this time, just in time for the snow to start. Once the drifts accumulate this trail won't be passable until June or July.
After the trip, I noticed some scratches up near the oil pan and front diff from errant rocks, so I decided to build a little skid plate.
Should help protect the steering rack, oil pan, and front diff a bit.
