Winch, locker, lockrights, LSD or ATB?

StuartL

I'm in the process of finally sorting the Vit out and I'm considering stumping up the cash for some "improvements" along the way.

My gut instinct is that the cash (at this stage) is much better spent on diff-locking of some kind than a winch, although I'll take advice on that.

There's no 'budget' as such but I don't want to spend much money as there's a house move imminent. Because I can't stand the thought of electric winches (and overheating concerns, flat batteries, huge wires etc) I would ultimately go for hydraulic which would make it expensive. Therefore I think it's wiser to keep the spending down, sort out something to avoid the horrific cross axle/lost traction on one wheel problem (which probably caused 80% of the stalls I saw at Slab over the weekend) and worry about the winch after the house is sorted.

I'm now thinking that I don't want to spend the moolah on an ARB, they are enormously expensive and well into four figures if you want to do both axles. Similarly Suzuki original LSDs are uberbucks if you buy them new (and I'm REALLY struggling to get one secondhand) so as much as I'd like these I'm going to have to avoid buying new LSDs or ARB lockers right now. If anyone knows of secondhand ones kicking around please shout. I have cash waiting.

So, my thought comes to the front diff. As I've got lockable hubs on the front there is a HUGE temptation to hand over £160 to Rob and put a LockRight in the front. Looking at some of the photos of the diff internals it looks like it might be possible to weld up the spider to permanently lock the front diff and if I didn't like it replace the innards with the LockRight innards. Both of these can be disengaged for the sticky stuff using the wheel hubs, inconvenient but certainly cheap.

So what do people think? What would you do and why? I'm pretty much a pay-and-play type. The Vit isn't a daily driver (which is good) but does have to drive to/from the site it's going to be used at. Sites are likely to be Aldermaston (ubermud) or Longmoor Camp (clay-sand combo) with the occasional green-lane.

markyb · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:04 pm Post subject:

stick a locrite in the rear and see how you go

locking the front will certainly add to the breakages unless you modifi that front setup , are you still running ally casing?

locker fitted = further into the hole means less likly to only need a pull out . i would fit a winch first then a locker but that is just me

Ricardo · Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject:

I looked into a 'traction aid' for the front a while back and asked the question about a lockrite inthe front. the answer i got back was dont do it. The Vit front end is weak (even with a steel axle, and diff lowering brackets) it will also make it difficult to stear or brake stuff when it does.

If you cant find an LSD (sorry about taking mine off the market Embarassed

but its now needed for a new project) then consider a lockrite but in the rear.

Difficult question, have a diff lock so you dont get stuck or have a winch to get you out when you do. I did both. (champion winch, winch solutions, very good) but i would recomend a Tirfor (hand winch) at the very least.

Good luck. Im sure others will have very different opinions but, i can only let you know how i got on.

Richie Cool

StuartL · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 9:23 am Post subject:

StuartL · Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2008 7:30 pm Post subject:

This situation may have just got more simple. I've just spent a while on the phone to companies in the US and it seems that most of the Suzuki after market differentials are no longer sold.

I have it on authoritative information (i.e. from the manufacturers) that ALL of the Detroit/Eaton range is no longer made for any Suzuki and Auburn (who made a locking LSD, similar to the one KAM is developing) have also withdrawn their range.

The choices for Vitara differentials now seems to be:

- Welding rods
- Any old stock/secondhand units you can find anywhere (justdifferentials seem to have some of the Auburn Posi LSD for the SJ and Vitara left).
- ARB locker
- LockRight
- Suzuki original LSD, although both Suzuki dealerships I've called in the last few days didn't know what I was talking about and completely failed to find a part.
- Wait until late next year when KAM are hoping to have production of the SJ and Vitara parts. This may be a rolling deadline since they've been hoping to do this for a while.

So, anyone with a machine shop in their back garden...?