Except ARB, they say that theirs will work up to 2005. Maybe they don't know about the change though.
About these differences, what can they be?
I've never seen any real differences... Whenever I catch someone with a 2002 or earlier GV I'll have a good look.
Apart from the Ford 9", how about a 4Runner rear axle? There is a 4,88 ratio that would match a front 4,88 diff from Suzuki right? Another thing would be finding them... It would probably be easier than a Ford here in Europe, though...

I'm not sure on the differences, I just keep hearing that.  I think they went to a bigger ring gear and such in '02-'03.  From what I gathered you could swap in a Kick/Track/Vit diff but it'd be stepping down in size from what we have now.  Just doesn't seem right.

Hmmm.....I'll have to check out the ARB site.

I always hear people to say that if i want to use an ARB or Lock-right or ect... i must get the rear Kick diff.
Look at this 1998 GV 2000cc with an ARB......  has a Kick's rear diff.


So i believe that we have to get a kick's rear diff, if we want to have a nice working locker or else.
I don't really know about the differences either.

We have been trying to fit an ARB in the rear in a '01 model GV with 4.875 gears and we can't find a ring gear with the right internal diameter even in the 2.0 auto Kick(Sport) that ran these gears as the they are 10mm smaller than the normal Kick ring gear. The GV seems to run a smaller carrier at least for this diff gear. Yes, it could be machined out but the problem is that they also changed the offset for the pinion and that is a major machining job to remedy. It seems that everyone I have come across with a 4.875 has swapped to 5.125 at the same time.

I always hear people to say that if i want to use an ARB or Lock-right or ect... i must get the rear Kick diff.
Look at this 1998 GV 2000cc with an ARB......  has a Kick's rear diff.


So i believe that we have to get a kick's rear diff, if we want to have a nice working locker or else.
I don't really know about the differences either.

You know, here in the States there never was a 1.6L or 2 door Grand Vitara.  I think the 1.6L left us with the older body style.  The Vitaras were available with 4 cyls and V6's and were generally "dressed down".  I wonder if your 4-cyl GV has the same rear axle as a Kick/Vitara/pre-'03 GV?

I'd love lower gears along with a rear locker.  I just want to be sure that I'm not loosing strength in the process.

Didn't Gear have front and rear ARBs? Maybe he can explain what he did to make them fit

What measurements do you have CJ?
What is the ring gear diameter for a GV?
How many bolts? 12 right?

Yes, 12 bolts and same PCD but the I.D is 108mm and needs to be 118mm to fit the ARB. The  Kick R&P's bolt straight on. We're going with 5.125's now so we can fit front and rear ARB's.

Didn't Gear have front and rear ARBs? Maybe he can explain what he did to make them fit

Gear swapped to Kick/Track/Escudo 3rds.  I remember reading that.  If I remember correctly he also broke stuff too.

Gear swapped to Kick/Track/Escudo 3rds.  I remember reading that.  If I remember correctly he also broke stuff too.

Yes but he wasn't breaking anything in the diff, it was his axles.  If I remember correctly he started breaking CV's after his Calmini diff drop bracket cracked allowing the diff to move around too much.  After removing the the diff drop bracket he started breaking rear axles; they would just shear off at the splines where they taper down to the same size as the original trackick axles.

If you are interested, read......... about his saga here.
http://www.nbs4x4club.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=120

Makes me wonder if anyone ever tried the suggestion that was floating around for a while.  Swap out the side gears in the rear axle and use custom axle shafts that are the same diameter as a dana44.

anyone used unimog axles?