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DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)

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Offline Quaddawg

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DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« on: March 19, 2007, 08:54:21 AM »
Well...  I decided to make a quick and easy, no-weld front diff mount...

Nope, it's not pretty and perfect, but works great

Two pieces of steel strap, a torch to heat it (not needed)  a drill and you're done.





It leaves the front diff rubber mounted (except in reverse...)  and seems to be pretty darned strong. The "ear" for mounting is broken on my front diff, but with this redneck-engineered strap set-up, it's STRONG! (strong enough)

all pictures here:
http://www.forumsigs.com/users/quaddawg605/diffmount/



Sorry, I didn't take any pictures while making it, but it's simple and straight forward.



« Last Edit: March 19, 2007, 09:17:53 AM by Quaddawg »
1996 Tracker Daily Driver, "The Flea"

Clicke HERE for Specs and Pics[/url]

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Offline crikeymike

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2007, 12:21:33 PM »
I like the detail that you put into it, that the rust level is the same on the new mount as the crossmember and other steel parts around it.

Looks like the pinion seal is leaking just a fraction.
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Offline Quaddawg

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2007, 01:03:44 PM »
heh heh, yeah, the mount has been broken for a while and everytime I would make a long climb, the diff would deflect down,and cause the pinion seal to leak.....

finally decided to fix it, and it works great now.  The upper strap had been on there for a few trips already, I just finished the lower strap this last weekend.

1996 Tracker Daily Driver, "The Flea"

Clicke HERE for Specs and Pics[/url]

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mic

Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2007, 08:10:05 AM »
Quaddawg, I recently broke my mount. What gauge metal did you use, and is it still working or has it broke or bent. I'd like to do the same quick and easy fix. If anyone else has a fix other than removing and reweldind let me know. Thanks.

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Offline sidekicksrock

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2007, 02:07:59 PM »
Quaddawg, I recently broke my mount. What gauge metal did you use, and is it still working or has it broke or bent. I'd like to do the same quick and easy fix. If anyone else has a fix other than removing and reweldind let me know. Thanks.

from the pictures, it looks to be 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 X 1/4 flat stock. I don't know for sure but, I am sure it has not broken.
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Offline ZeusZuki

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2007, 01:14:20 AM »
You have the right idea there all right BUT those alloy front diffs break apart after a while and destroy all the internals  :(

I will take some pics tommorrow of a broken nugget and a home grown steel replacement - please note: the steel diff is NOT a new idea and I can and will not claim to be the founder of such ( basically I aint going to take someone elses credit for it  ;) )


1600 Escudo / Kick, beam front, coils all round, 37 MTR's, 97" wheelbase, locked fr & rr,twin stick, front stock ratio, Calmini 5.14 t box rear, Warn XD9000i winch, blah blah!

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Offline lil_Truck

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2007, 05:43:15 AM »
Yours is fancer than mine.  I made just the top strap, got rid of the rubber in the mounting and strapped it all down to the cross over.  I don't get any noise at all from grounding the diff to the frame.


I'm a convert from a sand buggy, and all the powertrain was strapped to the frame (no rubber mountings.

I also have a steal third member out of a sami.  There's no mount on those, so thats another reason for the strap.
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Offline bentparts

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2007, 06:16:25 AM »
Mine's pretty much the same as those, but when I lowered my diff, and made new front mounts, I also dropped the output down till it's almost on the crossmember. Eliminated the bottom half of the mount. Still holding up fine, with no broken parts in 2 years now. I finally got ahold of a steel front diff and carrier out of a 99 GV, and one of these days I'll swap my gears into it, and do a 37kicker Toyota cv swap. Make that baby idiot proof. Then all I'll need is some heavy duty rear axles and 33's.
The usual stuff, and 2nd generation Air to liquid intercooled TURBOCHARGER

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mic

Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #8 on: December 09, 2007, 08:45:36 AM »
Just wanted to say thanks for the info. I'll give it a go next weekend will take some pics of it and some custom bumpers I'm working on this week.

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Offline truckasaurus44

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2008, 07:05:23 AM »
I've seen this diff mount mod a couple times before and always wondered the same thing.  How do you drill out the hole in the crossmember for the bushing on the outside side of the diff?  It doesn't look like theres alot of room to get a drill in there.  Did you just use an existing hole on the member?

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Offline Quaddawg

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2008, 07:50:39 AM »
I've seen this diff mount mod a couple times before and always wondered the same thing.  How do you drill out the hole in the crossmember for the bushing on the outside side of the diff?  It doesn't look like theres alot of room to get a drill in there.  Did you just use an existing hole on the member?

There isn't a LOT of room, but there was just enough to get a drill in there...  I MIGHT have used a right angle air drill, sorry I don't really remember, it's been a while now.

I do remember it being a bit difficult to get the drill where I wanted to get it, but it's doable.

Oh, I remember, I dropped the spindle off the passenger side control arm, and got the drill in from underneath
« Last Edit: March 07, 2008, 07:52:56 AM by Quaddawg »
1996 Tracker Daily Driver, "The Flea"

Clicke HERE for Specs and Pics[/url]

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Offline MUD CHILD

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #11 on: March 07, 2008, 11:56:27 AM »
I unbolted the bottom ball joint so I could push the control are down, then I drilled the hole. I have diff drop brackets on my set up so the pinion sits on the cross member. I originally built a strap to go over the pinion, and after a couple trips out I noticed that it started to bend, and was pulling the metal around the hole I drilled in the cross member up. I re bent the strap back into shape and welded another piece of flat bar over the strap and then added a couple of gussets. I also added some large washers around the hole in the cross member to distribute the pull on it. I have not had any problems since.
Here are a couple pics
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Offline Quaddawg

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2008, 04:59:16 PM »
no fair, yours is pretty!!!  Mine is all redneck... lol..

Seriously, that is nice, now that I actually have a garage and welder set up and everything, I guess it's time to re-do it and make it nice like that..

Good work!
1996 Tracker Daily Driver, "The Flea"

Clicke HERE for Specs and Pics[/url]

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Offline Carnage

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2008, 06:20:39 PM »
no fair, yours is pretty!!!  Mine is all redneck... lol..

Seriously, that is nice, now that I actually have a garage and welder set up and everything, I guess it's time to re-do it and make it nice like that..

Good work!


naw, just paint it blue  ;)

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Offline MUD CHILD

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Re: DIY, Kick front diff mount (a bit of redneck engineering)
« Reply #14 on: March 10, 2008, 12:17:50 AM »
no fair, yours is pretty!!!  Mine is all redneck... lol..

Seriously, that is nice, now that I actually have a garage and welder set up and everything, I guess it's time to re-do it and make it nice like that..

Good work!

Thanks
NO DITCH TO DEEP NO HILL TO STEEP

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