Hi to all. trying to find some informatio.
australian 1998 v6 manual grand vitara.
Problem. rear diff broken. {pinion tooth}
First trying to any information regards this car in australia is nearly impossible.
I have been told that the spider gears fail causeing the pionio gear to load up and break. it is a major problem in Australia,Suzuki sold 10 sets of crown and pinion gears alone last week !!
I have purchesed new crown, pinion,spacers nuts and bearings. I do not want to buy a spider gear set if they are only going to break again.
This leads me to my questions hear.
I have one contact here in Australia that has a lsd center. He will not tell the brand ect but tells me that it is not calmini. but it does come from the states.
It has taken this bloke 5 weeks to check his stock ready to send today only finally to tell me it is the wrong one and that he needs another 6wks to get one in. As you can imange i am really really unhappy.
The diff is.
12 bolt crown 4.3 ratio 26 spline axle.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW ANY ONE THAT CAN HELP. The car has been of the road for 5 wks now.
If the lsd unit is not a CALMINI who eles makes one ?
CALMINI thinks one of there units may fit but as yet not sure.
Calmini has advise that the ez locker sk1512 will fit but i just dont know anything about them.

Any help would be most appriciated in any form, in fact i would probably kiss the ground you walk on.

Ps the lsd unit this bloke garentes to fit is $1400.00 au i dont care how much, or if i have to inport ect. I just dont want to deal this person any more, but he has me hanging.

i cant think of anyone else except suzuki that sells lsd for the kicks/vits. i might be wrong though. what would an arb cost you in aus $$ for a rear locker - might be worth looking into.

derek

Hmmm seems a bit strange.. I have a 97 V6 and have never killed the rear Diff. I fitted ARB lockers front and rear to 5.125 centres. I have never heard of spider problems and they appear quite a solid set up..
I am not sure where you are in OZ but Suzifour in Sydney are a great source for bits..
The front alloy Diffs are a different story, no good at all. i replaced mine with steel housings after the pinion carrier exploded .. 
I think you are less likely to do damage when they are locked ..

AFAIK the LSD sold by Calmini is a genuine Suzuki part. They were an OE fitment on some of the more upmarket versions (X-EC?) of the old shape Vitara.

Where abouts in OZ are you? The Calmini LSD is a Suzuki LSD. They were fitted to some GV's in QLD from what I've heard but QLD has a separate distributor for Suzuki. Suzuki did have the LSD listed as an accessory in some markets including NZ but as you know they are not cheap and by all accounts not particularly effective. If you are looking for more traction off-road then spend the money for an ARB Air Locker. What size tyres are you running? You may want to consider a ratio change if you are running larger rubber. 4.6 R&P's are one option. Also I now run solid pinion spacers rather than the Factory crush-sleeve arrangement. Adds a little to the cost but worth it in the long run in my opinion.

ARB here does not list a unit for my diff, however thats not to say one wont  fit.
The lock right unit is not listed in australia either, however paart no sk1512 is listed for the 7/88 vitara onwards, the guys at calmini tell me that the sk1512 Will fit into my Diff.
At least i have a start. ARB also list a diff lock for the vitara only 7/88 onward.
So at least i now know that the INSIDE of the centre carrier is the same as a 7/88 vitara,maybe the ARB unit will fit.
i am starting to believe that this car has the same rear diff as the vitara 7/88

would anybody know if the arb unit for a vitara 7/88 has 12 bo;t 26 spline
i am checking this out know but like i said it seems that when you mention suzuki they just go blank,
thanks for the help so far ive at least got a start and one option.
as for the dollars i just dont care. i want to drive not walk.

i am in South Australia the person that has or now had the lsd is in Qld so that it make sense that he knows about the suzuki lsd. he is from suzisport. Just so hard to deal wilh nice enough guy but just so busy. waited 4wks just to get told he has only the 10 bolt not 12 bolt.

Reider racing show a powerbrute LSD on their website in 10 and 12 bolt Sidekick.  Don't know if it will work in a vit.

Take a look at this Air Locker application guide off their website.

http://arbusa.com/alac/215109.pdf

It lists that you will have to use a 3rd member assembly from a pre 1998 vitara.

You're in Australia already.  Call ARB in Melbourne and ask them what parts you'll need.  They obviously seem to know that it can be done with a little parts swapping.

If you're going to stick with the 4.3 ratios then just get the RD79 but if you are going to change ratios to say a 4.6 then you may either want to use the RD79 or the RD74 depending on what year Vit you source your gears from. You will find the 4.6 in the early 8v carby 3 speed auto or in the later 2.0 V6 and 2.0 4cyl widetrack manuals. We have a few ARB's in club members GV's in Melbourne that I have helped out. The 4.875 is a problem for the ARB as it ahs a couple of differences that prevent it being used. the 5.125's are fine though. A few of us have been getting solid spacers installed at the same time too.

TO CJ 
and all. Thank you for all the help.  This is what i think i'm going to do.
Since i already have paid for the 4.3 crown and pinion  and all the bearings ect suzuki will let me exchange the crown and pinion .
i have spoken to lee from suzifour just a magic help. he has sugested that i use the 39.9 rear diff and has given me the vin to be able to exchange the crown and pinion. so i will end up building a brand new 39.9 rear diff. while the diff is appart i will put in a arb air locker. this should solve the rear diff problem.
 i will order the second hand front diff with matching ratio. i will install the arb front air locker at the same time.
CJ can you tell me what the solid spacers are am sorry but just dont know.
again thanks to all at least i have many options.
PS i was orriginally told by ard that they did not do a diff lock. but at least i seem to be on the right track now. 
what do you think the 39.9 is out of a 2ltr i think.
how much would this effect the spedo ?

Yes, Lee is quite good to deal with. Maybe I'm not quite understanding what you're saying but I'm not quite sure why you are swapping a 4.3 for a 4.3 (39/9=4.3).

i must have noted the wrong no,s down we talked about so may options. i will talk again to him when i order the front diff on monday. What he was saying was that i had some options. both were reductions in the ratio. do you know what they would be ? ill have to make very sure because suzuki only gos of the vin no ratio listings. or can you recommend what ratio you would use that would suit my car. i really only do sand work and will tow a light trailer

i think i have this right now

i have on crown 43   pinion 10 = 4.3
lee has sugested, either

crown 39 pinion 9=4.33   or
crown 38 pinion 8=4.75

i have been advised that for some reason the ration i have currently got breaks. i know that suzuki aust sold 10 sets in 12 days and that it is impossible to buy a seconhand diff with my ratio.

lee has said that the 4.33 or the 4.75 is haveing no problems. probably by haveing less teeth more meat on the gears.
if you can provide any more info it would be great. i have learned more in 24hrs on this foruum that i have in 5 wks hitting the phone.

can you let me no what the solid spacers are.

Solid spacer - the standard diff's use a crushable spacer in order to set up the pinion bearing preload. The crush spacer is prone to collapsing and throwing the set up out ( can cause serious diff melt down ). To overcome this problem many people fit a solid spacer that will not collapse, but it takes a lot more time to set up - well worth it though 

I damaged my 4.3 diff doing a burnout LOL - but I run 32's now so the ratio is going to be changed. If you go on NBS4x4 site and drop "gear" a PM he will help you out with this too.

Good luck.

ZeusZuki