So I blew my aluminum 97 Sidekick 5.13 diff that I had in my 01 2.0L Vitara. Removed it from the vehicle on the weekend and took it apart. The housing is cracked, the 3rd member is cracked, the ring gear is missing teeth, and the pinion gear is too. Not much is salvageable besides the spiders and the bearings.

I ordered a steel housing and 3rd member from Hawk. Now I need to get my hands on another 5.13 third, but I need one with 26 spline spider gears....or do I??? Could I just pick up a 22 spline front axle, and then since I need to have the r&p set up anyway, could I have the 26 spline spiders swapped in place of the 22 spline spiders? This would simplify my search greatly as the local junkyards don't have many 26 spline front ends.

hummmm. if this works, then one could order the spider gears from Suzuki, and upgrade that way without having to try and find a complete diff from a wrecker.....

You can change the spyder gears.  If yours arn't damaged I would just use them.  I would consider new bearings, (don't cost that much, and diff shop will recommend anyway).

Yes you can change the spider gears I put 26 spline side gears in mine

All right! Thanks for the quick responses guys. I will be hunting down a 22-spline front end at the wrecker in the rain this Saturday and then getting my buddy to swap in my 26 spline spider gears when he installs it all in the steel carrier! Oh, and I will be using the bearings from my 01 Vitara 4.62 carrier...virtually unused!

Ready to go all the way?  Get a rear carrier from a Sammy (4-pin style), and as long as you have done the SOTF removal, you can run a Sammy locker.  You can run Kicker 5.12's, but will need a "can and spacer" to do so.  Or you could run a 5.12 ring and pinon from a XL7 auto and not need the can/spacer.

Or you could step up to a Sammy rear ARB in it. 

Dang, well I didn't know that when I ordered all this stuff...oh well, I already go pretty good with one locker, chances are I'd just be getting into trouble with two!

Trouble is my middle name! 

Actually it's Scott, but if I had it my way...

Hello,

Sorry for jumping into your thread, but are the housings on hawk suzuki's website steel? I was going to horse collar my aluminum and build somekind of support for it unless they make steel housings...

Bryce

Yes, he has new steel housings and carriers. 

for only $700!  that's not f'in cheap!

Thats just a LITTLE wild.
I could get my front diff reinforced for about 650 cheaper.
I read somewhere a KIA front diff will fit, and is only about $280 new or something along those lines?

there are some pics of this wrap to be found on zookpower somewhere for guys wanting to do this.

They cut me a "deal" at $550...yes it's expensive but it's also a pain in the ass dragging your broken truck 7 miles out of the bush and then having to scrounge in the rain/snow at junkyards to find all the new parts you need.