So, my 4x4 is still working and not working periodically, hoses seems fine, pump runs, etc. I was wondering if anyone ever permanently engaged the front difl and installed manual hubs successfully, and had it hold up. i've searched for this under a few titles but cant find much on it, though i have heard of it before. i would like to try it out if its a good setup because i'd like to have the reliability of a simpler 4x4 system. 

Seems quite common to install manual hubs such as a set of warns.  I read somewhere, where a guy made a brass spacer that kept his front diff actuated. Im assuming it was just a simple plate to keep it engaged and not allow it to retract.

yeah the warns add a few style points too. i'm looking for a write up of how someone would do something like that, someone must know!

there is a guy on here that installed two ty-rap's end to end to hold the ring engaged. when i put gears in mine i am going to weld mine in place. i seen a write up where some welded theres. no sure if it was on this form or not, i think it was though.

as for free wheeling hubs im running samurai ones on my 01 tracker for a year now. the only problem i had was when i first in stalled them i left the cone washer's off and they came lose. after installing the cone washer's i haven't had a problem.

I got this idea off another guy on the forum who had welded his front end.  Not the spider gears... but welding the air actuator ring to the the main dif ring gear.  Four very small tac welds holds it in place just fine.  I have over 10K+ miles to date since these mods, including installing the Warn manual hubs.  I'm glad I did.  No regrets.  Failure of my air pump or bladder is now out of the equation as well as the expense of replacing them.  Far more dependable.


http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/suzuki-grand-vitara-vitara-chevy-tracker-(gen-2-platform)-1999-2005/suspension-upgrade-33541/

Basically, when you pull the front diff out, then you gently pry, then wedge, the spring loaded cog over towards the ring gear as far as it will go, hold it in place and tac weld inside the four depressions around the ring gear.  The critical piece is ensuring your cogs are fully meshed, engaged and interlocked.  It is possible to NOT get them fully engaged before tac welding them.  Then plug off your air hose going to the front diff.  Bingo!  You now have a mechanically engaged front wheel drive.  This ISN'T the same as welding the spider gears.  You end up with an open diff drive in the front just like you  had with the air actuated front end.  Installing the manual hubs allow you to "unlock" the axles so your CVs aren't turning all the time... which will reduce the wear on the passenger side diff housing seal.  Plus, you can run in 2-Lo without being locked in 4WD, which comes in handy occasionally as well.    Especially if you are running a locker in the rear.

If you elect to mount some manual hubs (Warn) take the time to mount them with some studs and stainless or nickle plated ny-locks.  Down farther in the thread there is a piece on the need for studs (versus bolts) as well.

Oh yeah, I've heard guys say unlocking the front hubs doesn't affect their gas milage... it does for me!  MPGs are 'more better' when unlocked.

from what i heard any manual hub off any year tracker,sidekick,sunrunner and vitara should fit. and sum samurai as well. for the air pump set up i never had issues with it yet, i have relocated the pump next to the air pump so it wont get as much water and mud. i just put on longer air pipes. actualy yes, only once i had an issue witch the pump was running fine and no leak in the lines. i soon found out wen i pull the air feed line next to the pump that i saw that it has sucked mud in the pump. i changed the pump and it worked. i run 33" tires by the way. id think if there is issues with these diff id had them a wile ago.

The diffs do work and run great.   They are built fairly tough (typical Suzuki engineering... which is grossly under rated within the automotive industry IMHO).    It is the air pumps and the air diaphragms built into the diff cluster that give out... usually without prior warning.  If you experience electrical problems and your pump doesn't get juice, you will experience the same results.   When they do, you are rear wheel drive only.  If you don't have a lockler in the rear then you are ONE wheel drive.  These aren't easy trail side fixes when they break, especially the air diaphragm.

so are you saying that you don't need to install manual hubs in order to get rid of the air engaged 4x4?? also did you say you need to pull the front dif out all together to get at the actuator ring and main dif rings? or can you just remove the cover? sorry for my lack of axle/dif etc. knowledge lol

I got this idea off another guy on the forum who had welded his front end.  Not the spider gears... but welding the air actuator ring to the the main dif ring.  Four very small tac welds holds it in place just fine.  I have over 10K+ miles to date since these mods, including installing the Warn manual hubs.  I'm glad I did.  No regrets.  Failure of my air pump or bladder is now out of the equation as well as the expense of replacing them.  Far more dependable.


http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/suzuki-grand-vitara-vitara-chevy-tracker-(gen-2-platform)-1999-2005/suspension-upgrade-33541/

Basically, when you pull the front diff out, then you gently pry, then wedge, the spring loaded cog over towards the ring gear as far as it will go, hold it in place and tac weld inside the four depressions around the ring gear.  It doesn't take much.  Then plug off your air hose going to the front diff.  Bingo!  You now have a mechanically engaged front wheel drive.  This ISN'T the same as welding the spider gears.  You end up with an open diff drive in the front just like you  had with the air actuated front end.  Installing the manual hubs allow you to "unlock" the axles so your CVs aren't turning all the time... which will reduce the wear on the passenger side diff housing seal.  Plus, you can run in 2-Lo without being locked in 4WD, which comes in handy occasionally as well.    Especially if you are running a locker in the rear.

If you elect to mount some manual hubs (Warn) take the time to mount them with some studs and stainless or nickle plated ny-locks.  Down farther in the thread there is a piece on the need for studs (versus bolts) as well.

Oh yeah, I've heard guys say unlocking the front hubs doesn't affect their gas milage... it does for me!  MPGs are 'more better' when unlocked.

nprecon post was the one i seen about the welding (nice write up by the way ). and you don't have to install locking hubs up front but it is a good idea if you want to prevent unnecessary wear on cv joint and diff bearings. on suzuki's there are no diff covers so you have to remove the axle's to separate the diff so you can get at the internals. as for removing the diff after you remove your side axle's and drive shaft ther are only three more bolt and it is out, there not hard to remove. i would also suggest reinforcing the front mount if it is an aluminum housing.

zuki709 answered your questions very well.  There are 4 bolts on the passenger side and 3 on the driver side that support the housing that will have to be removed too.  Easy access.   It is all doable in your driveway with basic tools, minus the tac welding of course.  This needs to be done by a competent welder.  You just need SMALL tac welds, NO large beads. you don't want to super heat your ring gear.  In fact, two on the opposite sides would probably work... but I had all four done.  Dave (my welder) could weld bubble gum.

Be careful working with your springs.  Take your time and keep your fingers, hand, and other body parts out of harms way and unload all the tension off them you can by removing/dropping suspension parts.

Your axles will probably be stubborn coming out.  A yoke or "Y" shaped pry bar made out of 1/4" steel is useful.  Rotate your CVs between prying and tapping/beating on the pry bar to help the c-clip center up.  Don't forget your driver side inner axle has to be removed as well.

Once you pull your axles out and the housing is free from the truck, loosen the bolts (10 of them?) holding the diff to the housing about half way, then lay a couple of short 2X4s on the ground 7-8 inches apart, then lay the housing on one half and the tail of the diff on the other, place one foot on the seam and slowly and gently start putting your weight on the seal between the two and the sealant bead will release on the bottom.  You can remove the bolts from there and separate the two easily.  Also note the bolts are all the same size except for two, one at about the 11 o'clock position and the other at about 5 O'clock, as I recall.  

Don't forget to drain your front diff before hand and have several layers of newspaper under the housing and diff as you split them.  There will still be some in the housing and gear oil is hard to clean up from concrete.

thanks a lot guys, this is some really good info. gonna try get at it asap so sick of 2wd!!

when i took my front diff out i let the main bolt that are holding it to the chassis you can see them in the wheel wells. i didn't want to take the bolts out of the housing. a also didn't let any suspension go. i simply on bolted the driver side cv, then when i let all the mounts go i poped the other cv out when i was lowering the housing saved a litlle time there.

That's true.  It would be "more better" to get a buddy in there with you to help man-handle the housing.  It isn't terribly heavy, just awkward, especially if you remove the housing from the passenger CV as zuki709 suggested.  An extra set of hands never hurts.

Isn't there a way you could put a metal rod into the air fitting to push on the actuator mechanism and keep it engaged without having to open up the diff?  I had a 2nd gen Tracker in the past but no longer do.