Hey guys, I can not find the G. Vitara fronto axle assembly, but I found a XL-7 and I wanted to know how much trouble will I get to fit it in? is it just fabricate new brackets and that all?
                 Gui

i think the front two mounts that bolt to the frame are the same(except drivers side only uses 3 bolts) the real problem is the third mount on the crossmember, that is where you will have to fabricate some thing.

Post it when you get it done, as I think I may be having the same problem.

The only issue is the rear mount to the crossmember. You will need to do a little fabbing there. You'll see a pic of mine here http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=9148.0

Hey CJ, I had seen your design before, you did some nice things to it.
Ok, now I do have some questions, did you use the XL-7 cross member mount or you did fabricate one from scratch? Did you have to weld on anything to the third, or modify it in anyway?
I saw you also did two more things...the pinion spacer, was it needed? why did you do it?
and for last the bearing and CV shaft mod, I did not get what you did...
you moded the inner axle just like Mike hagen did but you made it shorter?
for the bearing you just made a kind of bushing thingo to hold the bearing seal and clip, but how have you locked it in?
is the bearing mod necessary?
                         Gui

Did you use the XL-7 cross member mount or you did fabricate one from scratch?

It is a modified Calmini mount with some bushes that were kicking around. Ended up pretty well making it from scratch in the end to get it to fit right. I'll see if I can get a better pic of it for you

Did you have to weld on anything to the third, or modify it in anyway?

No

I saw you also did two more things...the pinion spacer, was it needed?

No 

why did you do it?

Now I won't get any play there

and for last the bearing and CV shaft mod, I did not get what you did...
you moded the inner axle just like Mike hagen did but you made it shorter?

I just took a left hand side inner axle shaft and cut it down and re-splined it. No welding.

for the bearing you just made a kind of bushing thingo to hold the bearing seal and clip, but how have you locked it in?

Yes, it is just a carrier that pushes in and seals with a little silicon gasket cement. I also drilled and tapped the housing and have bolted it to it with some cap screws. There were other ways I could have located it but that is just the way I decided to do it in the end.

is the bearing mod necessary?

No, it is not necessary but I feel that it is a definate improvement over the original. Basically I have created my own Calmini Anvil but using a GV or XL-7 housing and this can be used without the Calmini 3" suspension unlike the Anvil.

                         

Thanks a Lot CJ, I am realy amazed by your mods, they are awesome and amazingly clean looking!!!
I want to know other two things, one is about the pinion spacer...
ok you said you do not have a play there aymore...so that makes your third stronger? do you have any pic of it? is it hard to machine? I got interested : )
The other is about the re-splining, is it easy to do that? I have never heard of anyone doing that...and I guess the Hagen's welding method would not work here because the bearing holder : ) Can I ask my simple machinicist friend to do that?
I just mailed chet so he can send me the drawings, do you know if he still have them?
                  Thanks
               Gui

 
I want to know other two things, one is about the pinion spacer...
ok you said you do not have a play there aymore...so that makes your third stronger? do you have any pic of it? is it hard to machine? I got interested : )

The spacer was done by the guy who set up my locker in my diff. It is something that is common to a lot of full size trucks and some manufacturers still do them but others like Suzuki went to the crush collar due to cost. The collar itself isn't much but you then need to shim it to get the preload right. once that is done it's never going to change. There is a guy in the UK that actually offers these too. http://www.worcester-networks.com/rsmfg/diff.htm But a decent Diff shop or machinist should be able to help you out.

The other is about the re-splining, is it easy to do that? I have never heard of anyone doing that...and I guess the Hagen's welding method would not work here because the bearing holder : ) Can I ask my simple machinicist friend to do that?

You'll need to talk to your machinist and see if he can do it. It can be done on an end mill but it is a labour intensive job that way.

I just mailed chet so he can send me the drawings, do you know if he still have them?

The PDF is actually attached to one of my posts on page 3 of the LHS?RHS mod post.  Just download it.