Offroad-Express

Hey i have just bought a 89 3 door vitara and it has a snapped front axle and i was wondering if there is any diffrence between the 3 door vitaras and the 4 door escudos?

Cheers Sean

Hi Sean, according to records in 1994 they swapped from the 22 spline diff (and CV I think) to the 26 spline unit. Some earlier trucks do have the 26 spline front end but that might've been a retro fit. I'm fairly sure the diffs are the same between them. The only thing you have to watch for is the diff ratio if your changing the diff head.

Whats actually broken on yours? Diff head, diff casing, cv, drive shaft between the cv's?

Hey thanks for the help. Just had another look at it and it looks like the inner cv spline has snapped off inside the diff.

Cheers Sean.

Ah ok. I would take the diff head out and pop the broken shaft out with a hammer and socket extension. I suspect the inner cv's would be the same on the early vitara's but I'm not sure. I do know that if it's 26 spline there are 2 different inner cv's, 1 for the standard diff and 1 for the vacuum free wheel diff and you need the right one.

If you get the broken one out you should be able to match something up.