Think my front diff has gone?

[chris71920]

Been at pay & play today and had a great time (1st time) Very impressed with what the SJ is capable of!

After a few hours it seemed to struggle and I noticed the front end was doing nothing, and after checking with a wheel jacked up, it was confirmed.

Having both hubs locked and spinning one did nothing to the front propshaft :( Checked with the other wheel up too.....the same! Its not the transfer box as that would still spin the front prop.

The diff case is fine so its not as if its exploded, is it definately the diff? I cant imagine it being BOTH front manual locking hubs

[Tramp]

Yeah but if one manual locking hub isn't working the propshaft wont spin, if you turn the wheel with the damaged locker it won't be connected so it won't turn any thing, & if you turn the wheel that has the locker working it will just turn the half shaft of the wheel that hasn't locked properly, the prop wouldn't turn in either case, my moneys on a freewheel hub, take them apart clean & inspect them

[chris71920]

That makes sense!

I thought it most cases if a diff went, it would normally make some bad noises and possibly make a mess of the casing.

I'll check the locks soon as I can.....what part inside it is the usual culprit that breaks?

[Darrell]

They don't often break, but they do seize up and therefore don't engage when in the lock position. However check your other post on steering

[chris71920]

Just checked both hubs, they're both engaging ok BUT something isnt right in the N/S hub area. It could well be the joint you mentioned in the other thread Darrell.

If i remove the manual hub and turn the shaft end by hand I can feel a tight spot and it makes some noise at the same time. I then put the wheel back on and pulled it, as if to steer it left and tried to rotate and it makes a clonk and then is free to steer further. So it seems both problems are caused by the same thing.

It sounds like its the hub end rather than the diff, especially as its worse when the wheels are turned to steer.
Are these joints readily available or used only?

[Darrell]

You can get new one's. Never done one but I'm sure someone will have done one or two and have some advice.
In my suzuki book it refers to it as a barfield joint but normally it's called a birfield joint and in the UK a CV joint . Just have to google all of them

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SUZUKI-SJ-413-W ... 1360043295

[chris71920]

I've changed c.v joints on cars before so I guess they are the same in principal. Better get the old one off before ordering just to make sure its that, sounds quite probable though.

Thanks for the info Darrell

[ScottieJ]

After reading this thread and your 'steering has a tight spot' thread I'm gonna say you have broken a birfield/CV.

If the halfshaft is ok then I have a spare birfield I can sell you, if yours is a samurai then I have front halfshafts as well.

[palmer]

I had excactly the same thing happen to me at christmas while off roading, mine had been knocking for a while then just exploded and it was the cv joint. I got a new one from my local motor factors and job done.

[chris71920]

It's sounding very likely its the culprit. How do the sj shafts and birfields differ from each other?

Thanks