Newbie confused IFS/Front Differential Upgrades? (LONG)

1st time post and Man is it an Epic!

A little back ground, I'm a Toyota guy that does not have the IFS SUCKS Pirate Syndrome.  I like to be different and am looking at buying a Sidekick / Tracker.  But before I buy one, I wanted to know what is currently available for IFS upgrades.   I could upgrade my current Toyota IFS to Total Chaos arms kit and get 12 inches of travel (4x4).  But I believe a smaller vehicle is order that is why I'm looking at a Zuk, this will also allow me to drive the Toyota then have a dedicated Zuk trail rig.

After searching and stumbling across Mikes and Kerrys developing saga on Stronger CV joints and centered diffs, I felt like I was drinking from a fire hose.  The real kicker was, I actually happen to read the threads in the correct order which left me in shock and disppointed about Kerry ending up not producing a product (lack of money).

I'm not hear to stir up a bee hive so please do not respond to this thread in that way.

Since I'm new, and after reading all those threads, I'm having a hard time figuring out what is really available for an Zuk IFS Upgrade.  So bear with me.

Besides the Anvil, and Mike Hagen's Nissan/Ford CV Joint upgrade, what is available or currently in work?  I'm not asking for development secrets, I'm asking for an (OVERVIEW) on what is IN DEVELOPMENT or CURRENT mods that are documented or ideas floating around?

I would like to not only see stronger CVs, but would also like to see LONGER ones as well (Excellent way for greater IFS Travel is longer CVs!).  
I'm stating the following so everybody does have to rehash it unless it is necessary. Greater Travel can be accomplished by using longer CVS in conjunction with either longer Arms, or a new centered front diff that is not as wide as the stock diff.

Custom Diff that is not as wide as current stock diff or Anvil width:
I read about the ford nine inch diff ideas, I do believe the combination of engine raising and/or using/modifying a different Oil pan (Samurai) will be required to accomplish this.  This option could give you the longer CV shafts with stock arms or even longer shafts with longer arms (Calmini kit).

Anvil Diff or Stock length Diff:
It currently looks like larger CVs and Shafts are going to be available for the Anvil or stock diff.  I'm not sure if they are for the following:
Stock arms
Hagen's Widen modifications
Calmini's 3 inch lift ARMS.

I do believe the effort is geared toward STRONGER CVs, I would like to see an effort for GREATER TRAVEL (Longer CVs) with at least 12-13 inches of travel.

With that stated I have the following questions:

What is the current IFS Travel for modifed and stock Zuk IFS?

I assume the Tora Tora Axles are not longer in development?

Is Mikes IFS Toy Cv swap just a CV Swap or includes a Diff (Toyota, Zuk, or anvil) upgrade as well? (trying not to step on toes Mike, I can understand the development thing and money invested)

An Idea I have since I'm a Toyota guy:

Has anybody tried installing a Toy Front diff in a Side/Traker?  I seen the following in a thread where a Toy front Diff was installed in Vitara.  I would think this would be the most logical, and the cheapest.  Just fab up some brackets and your done.  But I'm not sure if the frame rails on a Vitara are wider than the frame rails of a Side/Traker so will Toy Diff fit in a Side/Traker?

Toyota front differential in Vitara Pirate4x4 Link http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=318480

If Frame Rail is an issue, then researching of the Front Toy Diff is in order, I think you can take the long side off of the Toy Diff and replace it with the identical short side of a Toy Diff, resulting in a front center diff that would have same length stub shafts, that could bolt direct to Toyota CV Shafts, then the only conversion need is the outer part of the Toy CV Shaft to Zuk Hub.  Toyota Shaft Length comes into the picture, not sure the length required, but, Toyota Chaos Kit use T100 axles, the T100 axles are 3 inches longer, this makes up for the 3 inch longer Arms of the Toyota Chaos kit


Sorry for being so long but it is hard trying to type it so It is understandable, my brain and fingers do not what to communicate to each other lol!

Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

By the way great site, looks like I will be visting regulary!

You have some pretty intriquing ideas. One potential problem I can see with a center-mount diff though. Last night while laying under my silver Tracker, reconnecting the exhaust after a close encounter with a big rock, I was looking at the front shaft and diff assembly and thinking about different mods myself. If you center the front diff, wouldn't the front driveshaft hit the transmission? What sort of re-location were you thinking of for the married t-case setup of the Track/kick?

Here is a picture of a "Front Differential Upgrade."

If you center the front diff, wouldn't the front driveshaft hit the transmission? What sort of re-location were you thinking of for the married t-case setup of the Track/kick?

Sorry, but I'm new to the zuk front setup, the idea came from Bobzooki's "Evil Seed 9 inch Anvil" Thread.  I was only adding information about how a offset Toyota Front diff may be modified to  be used as a Centered Diff.  (If a Toyota front diff is used and a toyota rear axle is used you would have the same gearing).

Otherwise, if it is anything like my Toyota, (Just like you stated) the centered front diff would not work unless you clear the Oil pan/Transmission via engine lift, use a different/modified Oil pan, or clock the tranfer case.

I just can not remember, through the threads I read, if somebody build a center diff or not.    

Here is a picture of a "Front Differential Upgrade."

If I wanted a solid axle, I would have bought a 83-85 Yota!  

This thread is not SAS vs IFS please keep that way.

If I wanted a solid axle, I would have bought a 83-85 Yota!  

This thread is not SAS vs IFS please keep that way.

Well you did say that you were a newbie and were 'confused' and wanted a front differential upgrade...

What more can I say.



~Nate

Well you did say that you were a newbie and were 'confused' and wanted a front differential upgrade...

What more can I say.



~Nate

You really need to go back and re-read my thread, "Confused" had nothing to do with SAS.

Newbie confused IFS/Front Differential Upgrades? (LONG)

... I wanted to know what is currently available for IFS upgrades.  

Some people might think that SAS is an IFS upgrade.

~Nate

But I'd bet that Mike and Stan might have a differing opinions.

But I'd bet that Mike and Stan might have a differing opinions.

Hey, what is Stan's screen name?  I seen some interesting threads about this guy.

Hey, what is Stan's screen name?  I seen some interesting threads about this guy.

I'm not sure
I did witness his setup first hand and was VERY impressed.
Then again, it was Mike who pulled me out of Golden Spike/Gold Bar Rim.

~Nate

An Idea I have since I'm a Toyota guy:

Has anybody tried installing a Toy Front diff in a Side/Traker?

I think Natebert got you with this one..   Since our front SAS IS a Toy front Diff..  (FJ80)

But anyways..

I can understand the IFS thing, I saw firsthand in Moab how nice IFS is, and always will be for hi-tailing it across the desert.  We wanted at first to keep upgrading our IFS front, but realized it was almost easier and about the same price to go SAS.

However, Mike and Stan's setups are really nice.

Where's Mike when you need him? He could probably explain how much travel he has. MIKE! Get in here!

OH GREAT! now we have a yota guy to ask questions about yota axles!  welcome kozaz, don't forget to check out the water cooler too.

stu

Stan is 37kicker.

The Vitara on pirate is exactly the same as a track/kick everything but the name   as long as it isn't a sport the frame will be equally wide.
I still have to beef up my front suspension, so I'm gonna watch this thread closely  

did you forget who pulled Ross out & up the hills on the spike trail? ? a big yellow rig.  ;Dnuff said. i have a 9 inch front & rear in my kick with up graded axles. there is a kit avalible for this upgrade. not the 9 inch but the axle part.