front diff bearings

[Vitara Tim]

Hope someone can help me if possible, is there anyone in the UK that does a diff rebuild kit for vitaras
tried my local bearing suppliers but no good, found a kit from Australia and from the USA, but thought I'd check if I could get one in the UK first.

[twiss]

Hi,

Im not sure on where to get an actual rebuild kit but you should bear in mind that you need special tools to rebuild a diff in order to set the backlash correctly.

[Darrell]

Just the 2 larger taper bearings are £80 each for a branded make

The kit from Auz is not much dearer than one bearing (not including P&P)

[Vitara Tim]

Hi twiss that's not a problem, I work in a HGV workshop so we've got the tools to do it,

Hi Darrell, yeah I couldn't believe the cost of the bearings as well, looks like I'll be ordering the kit from AUS. Thank you both for replying.

[ScottieJ]

95% of the time the carrier bearings are fine to re-use and you can just change the pinion bearings, crush collar and seal.

[twiss]

I've only managed to kill the side bearings in one diff so far

[ScottieJ]

Well you are quite special twiss......did you run the diff dry of oil or something? Only other way they fail is being set up with too much/little preload.

[twiss]

Pretty sure it wasn't running dry... might have been something to do with driving on fucked wheel bearings though

[Vitara Tim]

In this case all the bearings are no good, there not worn out as such, but it would of helped if the person I brought the vit off would have put the breather pipe in the axle casing and then not driving through rivers and washing the oil out and rusting the bearings, but I should have it sorted now as I've ordered a kit from the USA with everything in.