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how do I identify differentials

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Offline budzuki

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how do I identify differentials
« on: October 29, 2011, 02:13:03 PM »
I bought two differentials, they are supposedly out of a newer sidekick. i have an 84 sj410 that I wish to put them in and these difs all seem to line up, (perches, yokes ect) the front has manual locking aisan hubs, and the brake line attaches to caliper directly underneath bleeder valve. the back brakeline feeds the passenger side and then crosses to the drivers side with only the one bleeder on that side. what i wanted to know is how can i tell what they are actually out of and how to tell the gear ratio. thank you, Dave

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Offline wapitijames

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2011, 08:00:28 PM »
Not sure how to tell what you have, the description of the rear end matches mine (94 Tracker) and all other Trackers I've owned, all 89-94's. The manual transmission ones all had 5:13 gears in them, the auto was different 4:88's? (or something like that). My question though is, the front diff of a Sidekick/Tracker does not have hubs or brakes attached, it's got CV shafts, maybe I'm misunderstanding your description, but if it's a straight axle it's not out of a Sidekick.

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Offline budzuki

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2011, 08:28:27 PM »
it has calipers attached and they say suzuki right on them.it is exactly the same as my sj410 dif except for the manual hubs.And the calipers are different (beefier) thanks Dave.

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Offline wapitijames

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2011, 08:47:39 PM »
I wasn't doubting whether or not they were Suzuki, but if they are the same as your j410, they are not out of a sidekick. The front end of a Sidekick doesn't have any brakes attached, they attach to the spindle, they don't have anywhere to attach leaf springs either, the front end doesn't even reach past the beginning of the control arms. You probably have a front end from a Samurai, I don't know alot about Samurais but you might have a rear from a Samurai as well. I'm sorry if this seems argumentitive, it's certainly not ment to, just trying to help you figure out what you've got.

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Offline ack

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #4 on: October 29, 2011, 09:24:03 PM »
Unfortunately, I have to agree with wapitijames.

You have your terminology a bit mixed up.

A Differential  (also called the Third member) bolts onto the differential housing on the axle.  It contains the ring and pinion set.

On the Samurai (SJ413) and the older SJ410, the axle housing extends to the wheels and are supported on the frame with leaf springs.

Samurais and SJ410s only has one ring and pinion ratio to match the engine each truck had (1.3 for the Samurai and 1.0 for the SJ410).

Many Samurai owners use the ring and pinions out of the Independent Front Suspension axles of SideKicks, Trackers and Vitaras.  These Ring and pinion sets (from the FRONT axle only) varied in ratio based on the body style and transmission of the Sidekick/Tracker/Vitara model.

I am not sure that the SJ 410 Third member is compatible with the newer Samurai third member and thusly may not be compatible with the Sidekick/Tracker/Vitara third member.


All that said, please describe to us exactly what you have purchased - Sidekick/Tracker/Vitara Independent front suspension axle housings or Samurai solid Axle housings.   Did the seller tell you that - if they are Samurai axles - that they have Sidekick/Tracker Vitara ring and pinion sets already installed?

Once we have this information we can move on to determining what gear ratios you might have...

Cordially,

Ack

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Offline budzuki

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2011, 12:25:45 AM »
gentlemen, you have convinced me to have a beer :o i believe from what you have both said that they are Samurai solid Axle housings. wether or not anything has been changed i dont believe so but really dont know. the seller told me they were purchased from auto wrecker as a set out of a sidekick but he has been known to be a little out there. i have them on a set of saw horses. i marked the the drums and the pinion(?) and turned the drum 2 full turns. the other drum did not move but the pinion turned just a little over four turns. i repeated this with the front and the result was the same. this leaves me thinking they are open or limited slip and 4.11`s ? and thank you for your help and I appologize if i come off rude or short, i dont mean to at all.thanks Dave

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Offline ack

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #6 on: November 01, 2011, 07:40:14 PM »
Okay then!

Place one of the drums on the ground/floor so that it will not turn.

Turn the wheel on the raised end of the axle one revolution while counting the number of revolutions that the differential input turns.

The resulting turn counts is the ring and pinion ratio.  Stock on a Samurai is 3.73 to 1.

I hope that this helps!
Ack

'88 Samurai, '88.5 Samurai TT, '11 Ford Transit Connect XLT
Ack's FAQ  http://www.acksfaq.com

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Online fordem

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #7 on: November 02, 2011, 04:50:11 AM »
Okay then!

Place one of the drums on the ground/floor so that it will not turn.

Turn the wheel on the raised end of the axle one revolution while counting the number of revolutions that the differential input turns.

The resulting turn counts is the ring and pinion ratio.  Stock on a Samurai is 3.73 to 1.

I hope that this helps!

Ahhh - shouldn't that be two revolutions?
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Offline budzuki

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #8 on: November 02, 2011, 01:56:30 PM »
i did that procedure and i did do two turns( after some research i found that you must have either two full turns of one axle or one full turn on each axle simultaneousley to determine the correct amount of pinion rotation). the result was just over 4 turns on the pinion. thats why i assumed they are 4.11 gears. i am draining the gear oil and pulling the third members out of front and back to A: have an inspection, B: thouruoghly clean (diff oil is brown and murky !!!!) and C: possibly make the front into a fozzy locker and the back into lincoln locker. this is strictly hunting rig towed on trailer. I am interested in knowing if the field fabbed fozzy locker i read about on izook ,filling in only one tooth alternatively instead of two did in fact allow it to articulate better while still providing good lockup? should i create another post for that subject?

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Offline itay

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #9 on: November 02, 2011, 03:43:08 PM »

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Offline Skyhiranger

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #10 on: November 03, 2011, 05:48:09 AM »
Okay then!

Place one of the drums on the ground/floor so that it will not turn.

Turn the wheel on the raised end of the axle one revolution while counting the number of revolutions that the differential input turns.

The resulting turn counts is the ring and pinion ratio.  Stock on a Samurai is 3.73 to 1.

I hope that this helps!

Ahhh - shouldn't that be two revolutions?

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Offline Drone637

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Re: how do I identify differentials
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2011, 04:33:31 PM »
How wide are the axles?  If they are 4.11 gears you might have an SJ-410 axles, which came with the 4.10's stock but are 3" thinner then the Samurai axles.
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