Let’s talk axles and diffs!

[Derek]

So I would like to know the interchangeability of axles and differentials.

I have a 94 4.5 petrol auto ABS non diff lock breaker.

Are the axle casings the same across the range?

I’d like to build then replace the axles on my 97 4.2 Amazon ABS with lockers with the ones off the breaker as they are quite clean.

And are the diff ratios different between petrol and diesel?

Thanks

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

Petrol auto and diesel auto are 4.1:1. Diesel manual are 3.7:1. If you are running bigger than standard tyres sometimes people re gear by fitting auto diffs in manual trucks. The axle cases are not the same but AFAIK the diff lock type diff can be retro fitted with some grinding to relieve the case where it matters..

 

[Dave2000]

I second this, I was called up to find out why a home mechanics 80 would not move, he had fitted a petrol diff into a diesel and they basically 'bound up being mismatched. Re the locker I also agree that getting the pattern from the locker 80 'face and transfer it to the non locker diff and grind away......quite a bit, you can make the pattern from cardboard and you can you RTV sealant when putting back together

Regards

Dave

 

[Derek]

Thanks guys.

The grinding out doesn’t sound too bad tbh.

Haven’t thought about changing the gears out, although I did notice a difference in “get up and go” on my previous manual when I would put the 35’s on.

Can I use only the gears from the auto and fit the locking diff part from the manual? Or is the diff lock part of the gears.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

You can swap the CW&P from the non locking diff to the locking diff. Not impossible but fiddly to get right, preload on bearings and backlash etc. If it was me I'd strip the gears out of the non locking diff and ask a specialist to swap them out. you'd probably get new seals and bearings and a guarantee as well.