Changing a front diff

[Ladaman]

I've almost got together a pair of diffs with Vitara 5.125:1 gears in, and a Lockright for the rear.

Changing the rear diff should be no problem, but I've not pulled a front axle apart before, so I was wondering what is the easiest way of getting the drive shafts out of the front diff?

I.E quickest way to do the job, with least stripping down.

[andyrew]

I'd say the simplest way would be drop the seal plates and kingpins out

And remove the whole swivel assembly.

[dan_2k_uk]

That's what I do.

[Jordi]

That's the quickest / easiest. That way you don't actually have to mess with the hubs.

[ScottieJ]

I prefer to remove the stub axle complete with the hub on (no resetting wheel bearing preload) and then remove the knuckle, this makes it easier to refit the half shaft and CV without damaging the oil seal because of the extra weight hanging off the end of the shaft, also makes it easier to put the knuckles back on.

Might take slightly longer but it makes the job easier in my opinion.

[gp7186]

Firstly i drop the axle oil then I remove fwh, then remove half shaft circlip, then knuckle swivel seals including the two half round plates behind the swivel seals, remove both kingpins making sure I mark which is top and bottom and which shims fit on either, then I pull off the hub complete with one hand while holding the other underneath to catch the bottom kingpin bearing before it gets full of crap, then just pull out the half shaft and cv complete do this both sides then just remove front prop and then the diff flange bolts then pull out the diff assembly and the reverse the above to put it back

Gaz

[twiss]

I usually do it andy's way and take the whole hub/shaft out, but as scottie says watch out for the axle oil seal as I have broken them in the past...
tis fine if you're careful putting it back in though!

[Ladaman]

Having started on the front axle late yesterday, quick and easy aren't too important now.

So far all the bolts I've come to loosen, already were, LOOSE. The brake disc has a nice ridge on the outside diameter, the pads need changing!

So it's going to be fully stripped, one side at a time. Ridge ground off the disc, diff changed and rebuilt.

Thanks for the pointers though.

Any pointers on my Lockright issue?

http://forum.suzukiclubuk.co.uk/vi ... 497#p77497

[twiss]

Me and Anton just completely rebuilt his front axle today... took a while though!

[Ladaman]

This is what the inside of the first side I stripped down looked like.

The second side was worse, water poured out before sludge when I removed the lower kingpin.

No bearings have "gone", but I think it was only a matter of time.

New kingpin and wheel bearings ordered today. So a little time for more cleaning, before putting it all back together.