So a slow go on my ‘Kick. I pulled the trans and t-case chasing a noise. Tore down the case and replaced the input shaft bearing. Tore down trans and found the counter shaft bearings were toast. I tried beating, heating and pressing the middle bearing inner race off of the counter shaft to no avail, and decided it was in good enough shape and determined enough that I would just let it be. Installed new bearings, and reinstalled the countershaft to the lower trans case. At this point I discovered that somewhere in all the bearing, beating and and pressing I managed to slightly bend the countershaft. It now has just a few thousandths of runout, but it is enough that when the trans is reassembled that it locks up the shafts. So on to finding a new trans. Also about this same time I was laid off and went to work for a friend of mine, but now work 400 miles from home. So the Suzuki has hit the back burner. My new job provides a vehicle to drive, so that pushes it even farther down the list of things to do my few days home.
But alas, not all is lost! My travels for work brought me into contact with an abandoned XL7! It had been abandoned by a former employee at a yard close to where I am working. I stopped in and asked about it, and was told the employee left one day and never returned, and had flat disappeared, and if I could get the vehicle off the property, have at it! I estimate it has been sitting for atleast a year. But it is 4x4, and from what I can tell, has a steel front diff! It is super rough, busted rear glass, no keys, no battery, etc. But it does have all 4 factory aluminum wheels with it also. My plan is to pull the front diff to put in the ‘Kick, and possibly the rear. I am pretty sure I have some gear noise in my rear diff, so it needs replaced anyways. Hopefully soon I can start taking measurements and see what that swap will entail. I would like to go with the 4 link from the XL7 into my ‘Kick, but I have some head scratching to do first.
Quick question on the XL7, it is a 2003 model. Do these have any kind of anti theft? I was thinking of sticking a battery in it and trying to hot wire it to see if the motor and trans are any good.