I'm planning on getting new gears on my GV, as I have 3.909 right now. It's more or less OK, as the diesel engine can pull hard, but I don't think it shall be the same when I change tires (235/70-16 is what I have in mind, possibly more). I'll figure out the exact ratio once I get my tires.
The question is, what options do I have? Can I fit any grand Vitara axle ratio? Or are there any restrictions. I could get my hands on 4.3, but I was looking more to 4.875, if I could find a rare gas version. Do they have to be Grand Vitara or would they work from a sidekick? It would be much easier to find a donor sidekick than a donor grand vitara.
Any help would be much appreciated.

You can lower the ratio of your GV by fitting vitara diffs, but you do need the complete axles for this mod. Have a look at the xl7 forum and I have posted the mod on there with all the instructions you need to complete the job. My GV is now runing 5.1 diffs on 235/85/16 tyres with good results. Any questions feel free to e-mail me at Richie.thompson|removethispart|@airbus.com

OK, just checked, thanks a lot!
I might just reduce my transfer box, seems much easier, though more expensive, plus I get that 4.24 low ratio (I now have 1.6). Does the calmini kit, for example, reduce high gears as well? I think this would be a better solution for my case...

i ve read somewhere a couple of months ago that the Calmini rockcrawler gear set for GV, reduses transfercase high gears also, from 1:1 to 1,58:1.

i,m not 100% sure but must be something like that.

thats a nice mod, true!!  but its also a bit expensive!


Ps. correct me for mistake  

I thought I read about the Calmini kit reducing high gears, but when checking the website I found no mention to high gears (though it does comment on high gear reduction in samurai). In any case, I thinl 1:58 would be a very big reduction, with my 1,653, I can't go over 60mph with stock tires. I would have to get 32" to get to a decent top speed... I think that for my case, something near 1:1,2 would be ok...
Now that I remeber, I thin it was 12% reduction in high gears. Wouldn't that make a 1:1,12?

Richie, I read your post on the Xl-7 forum, which was great. The thing is I would rather keep it as simple as possible, and all I want to do is reduce the ratio. I have found cheap stock sidekick gears (5.125), wouldn't they work on my GV diff? What if I found GV gears, wouldn't that be the easiest?

Richie, I read your post on the Xl-7 forum, which was great. The thing is I would rather keep it as simple as possible, and all I want to do is reduce the ratio. I have found cheap stock sidekick gears (5.125), wouldn't they work on my GV diff? What if I found GV gears, wouldn't that be the easiest?

what year is your GV?  before 2003 a 12 bolt 5.125 rear vit R/P should go straight in.  After '03 you'll need the center as well to replace the GV center that was changed (or get an vit airlocker like me and Richie)  the front is an easy swap R/P.

I went from 4.30 to 5.125 and running 31', i'm still 7% lower than stock ratio.  when I go to 33' I'll put in the calmini 5.83 R/P

As far as I know all the transfer gear sets for the GV leave high range alone.

there is a shop in greece which it sells calmini products ect, and in the price list catalog that they have in the web they say that the spesific gearset reduses high-range also to 1:1,58.

here is the price catalog in excel.
http://www.tetrakinisi.gr/catalog/products0904lianiki.xls
roll down to grand vitara and check it.
price is about to 1600 euro without Vat.
there are some other shops with lower  price but i found that one for check.

maybe they are wrong.....a mail to calmini stuff maybe solve that prob for sure!!

My GV is 2004. Does anyone know if the diesel version has any difference with the gas version?

So lets see, if I want to reduce the ratio, I need:

2x rear Vitara (sidekick) 12 bolt R&P
1 center for rear

Assuming I can't afford an arb right now, would a stock kick center work? Would I be able to use sidekick lockers in the rear with this setup?

If it is only swapping parts, I might do this fairly soon.After I get my wheels though...

By the way, gv1600, don't you think it's kind of unfair that we get the calmini kit for 1600 euro when it costs $900? I know transportaion is expensive, but this is too much! It's the same here, around 1700 euro!

yes sergi , its unfair and i know it!!

but what can we do now? the only way is to have a friend there and get it in his bags when he get back home, or to send it without any receipt in the box and full of greeze (lol) like a used/old part.
i cant imagine something else!!!

i want that gear set too......but it costs tooo much here too!!

Is there a reason someone can't just ship it to you from the states?  Heck, if you send me 1200 euros to my Paypal account I will buy it and ship it to you.  I will even refund you some money if taxes, Paypal fees and shipping don't cost that much.  Heck if you weren't comfortable prepaying (and I'm not comfortable buying it without the cash in hand) we could do an eBay auction with an escrow account, but that adds more fees to the mix.

There is no reason someone can ship it from the states.
The thing is, to import it to spain, there is a 16% sales tax plus a 4% import tax for car parts. Plus shipping. Of course, you can declare less and pay taxes for less.
Or you can take it on the plane in a suitcase (sounds familiar ).
It would be way less explensve than what we've got here. The problem is I have no cash! I would be glad to do it in the future though, and pay comissions too!  

By the way, for anyone interested in packing things into a suitcase. It says on airline rules, that it is illegal, under enalty of fine or jail, blablabla ... TO CARRY RECIPIENTS WITH OIL. Sounds like a shock absorber doesn't it . So don't!

here in greece it's the same thing as in spain.

enerything that arrives from the states and its over 300 euros is being stopped to the customhouse.
then we have all the rest that sergi said before..... charges-VAT, ect

thats all guys.....  

Anyone on those sidekick parts?
Would this be a good solution to only reduce the ratio?
2x rear Vitara (sidekick) 12 bolt R&P
1 center for rear

As I have 3.9 right now, wouldn't the R&P from any gas version (like 4.875 or 4.3) of a GV be a better idea?