My 2002 Grand Vitara started leaking at the RH Front dif  output shaft seal.  The driveshaft seemed to be loose in the diff, so I took it to a diff shop.

They took it apart and it turns out that the diff carrier is worn out.  The front diff is actually an air-locker!!!  The diff shop says it looks like ARB.  They were very amazed and say it is not normal to see in a stock vehicle.  Is this correct?

Anyways, I phoned up Suzuki and bitched about it failing already (100K), and they are offering to cover the parts through a goodwill warranty extension, but I have to pay the suzuki dealer to install it.  I had to pay the first shop to put it back together.

So I have a couple questions:

1.  Is an air-locker unusual to find in a stock 4x4?  I figure it is either there because the stock vehicle has no weight in the rear and behaves poorly in slippery conditions in 2wd, or because if the front diff were open, there potentially could be a condition where one of the driveshafts could spin 2x faster than it should (if one tire had grip, but the other none, the wheel with no grip would spin freely)

2.  Could a front diff be reworked to install in the rear?  This sounds like a potentially cheap mod using used parts.

3.  Does Suzuki's offer sound fair?  My warrany ran out at 60K.  Should I raise a stink and have them cover the labour too?  I already had to pay another shop to take it apart and reassemble it.  I have had over $2000 in warrany work on this car already (engine leak, transfer leak, squealing brakes (never fixed to my satisfaction),  door lock module, alarm, door lock module again)...

Thanks,

Marc

Hi Mark,

The air locker in a stock GV isn't what you think is a locker (ie, when you lift one wheel they spin at the same speed). It is simply that when on 4x2, one of the CVs (the left one) is disconnected from the diff, to reduce friction. When on 4x4, an electric pump actuates the "locker" ansd both CVs are connected to the diff. With manual hubs this system is rater useless, but stock GVs have fixed hubs.

This means that there is no point in putting it in the rear or anyhing like that .

The leak may be caused by little oil in the front diff. I'll try to find more info on that...

I hope this helps you on your leak:





I see that then images are resized. Here are the links for the pics:
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4033/bt01b7ru.jpg
http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/2082/bt024az.jpg
http://img328.imageshack.us/img328/4928/bt03c7pt.jpg

Yeah welcome to the club mines leaking too and now its fucked i can move it all around

I wonder if this is under warrenty lol.

Im thinking of puling the diff out and i guess changing the bearings.

WHat goes the bearings?

Thanks for the Tech Bulletin, but it's more than just a leak.  The axle is loose in the carrier, and the axle is wearing down.

There is no bearing for the right hand drive shaft, only the left side.  This means that if the "bearing surface" machined into the diff carrier is worn, the diff has to be replaced.  It is not making noise because the spline is mysteriously still in good shape.

I am surprised that they go through the effort to put a locker in just to reduce friction.

Marc

I still believe that this is the problem with your car... If the axles have incorrect lubrication, they can wear down the "bearing surface". I'm not saying this is the solution to your problem, only suggesting a cause .
Precisely someone from another forum had this same problem and he got the whole axle new under warranty.

Oh, and thats why I warned you Josh about the troubles of incorrect lubrication . Not saying it's a problem, just something to bear in mind.
The thing is that with stock setup (fixed hubs) the axles are spinning all the time. If they aren't lubricated correctly because there isn't enough oil, they wear down parts from the diff case. With manual hubs this problem shouldn't be so much...

Ok here's the TSB on this TS07-01   what it's about a $2 part that wears out do to fact that this fornt end set-up was never made to spin all the time this seal wears out.  To replace it you need to pull the cv out and replace the wron seal then refill the the diff. with it lifted up it the air about 30 deg. to over fill the diff. (this is for 99's to 01) Suzuki changed the height of the fill plug in 02.

more info from the xl-7 area http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=7763.0

George

From the looks and sounds its the same problem as mine the actual diff bearing holding the diff is fucked and i think im gonna have to change it cause i changed the seal and the shits still loose wil lnot hold straight and all the fluid come out

JDMCRX, if the diff bearings are worn, you would really know.  This would cause alignment problems with the pinion gear, and this you would know about.  I would say you have the same problem I do.  The worn parts have not caused any noise that I have heard yet.

When im in 4wd and everything is locked i get a slight vibration but either the axle is screwed or the diff carrier were the cv goes into is warn i dunno yet?

I looked on Suzuki's online technical website.  I had warranty repairs for many of the subjects listed there!  I am going to try and use the one above to help with my diff case.  If that works, I might fork out the $2.49 for some of the others.

Thanks,

Marc

When im in 4wd and everything is locked i get a slight vibration but either the axle is screwed or the diff carrier were the cv goes into is warn i dunno yet?

look to see if you drive shaft from to t-case to the front diff is rubbing on the exhaust pipe.  My was which gave me a vibration in 4wd. Just a thought.

George

No everything is tight and its just the right axle thats loose im wondering this part u talk about what is it