There's a significant drum-size difference, but I never really looked at it like that.

Got it...hadn't thought about that.  I knew it was something.

I'm 99.9% certain the splines were the same, but you're still going to have to deal with the shortened distance between the tranny output and the flange on the larger rear diff.

Oh, yeah...hadn't thought about that.

Labor only cost me $100, and I didn't get any sort of a sweetheart deal as far as I know.

I used these  guys.  Did great work as far as I was concerned:

Driveshafts Unlimited
636-296-2841
3608 Market Pl
Arnold MO 63010

I knew $400 was pie-in-the-sky.

Calling around, if the shafts are the same diameter/thickness, which they should be or it'd cost a fortune to cobble together, the well-known guy in town says $85-$105.  Balancing might be an issue, as he doesn't know if he, and doesn't know of anyone in town, has a tripod chuck for his balancer.  If he has one to balance it, an additional $40.

Just called another place, a simple cut and weld is $52.  Still have to find a balancer, though.  Called a guy, got an answering machine.  I'm good with that, as he's "just a guy".

Oooooh.  I'm going to have to figure out what the difference is in overall shaft length because of the flange change.  I guess I can compare the two and subtract that figure from the overall length of the shaft.  Any ideas on what it should be?  I figure you're about 95% finished, so....   

My logic is measure from the end of the flange to the very front of the axle housing, where the actual axles are.  I'm sure it's not this easy.  Of course, I could just put it in, then see how long it needs to be, but then it's so far into being mutated, there's no going back, really.

My logic is measure from the end of the flange to the very front of the axle housing, where the actual axles are.

Nope.  Since the axle XL-7 axle housing is a larger diameter than the Trackers....it's always something.....you'd have to measure from the front surface of the flange to the midpoint of the axle housing (basically, the center line of the axle).  Tricky measurement to get exactly.

You're gonna make me go out back with a tape measure and freeze my ass off, aren't you..

..okay, done.  It seemed a lot it took a lot longer at this end, believe me...

There's a "cup"-like fixture on the yoke that fits around the rear of the housing at the output shaft.  I can't see how much it overlaps the edge, so the measurement I'm giving you isn't the one a proper driveshaft shop would ask for.  BUT, my driveshaft, measured from the front rim of that cup to the flange surface, is 31-1/4" long. 

The chicks are always impressed..

I wouldn't do that, that's mean.  It's 70F here in Vegas...just tell me where to measure to and from.

I wouldn't do that, that's mean.  It's 70F here in Vegas...just tell me where to measure to and from.

We topped 14 degrees in St. Louis.  Balmy.

I updated the my previous post.

Now that I've thought about it a few more minutes, a couple things have to be true for that 31.25" measurement to do you any good.

1. The length of a track/vit 4-cyl's auto transmission has to extend backward the same length as my transplant's.

2. Someone with a 2-dr track/vit with automatic will need to get the same (cup rim to flange surface) measurement to compare to mine.

The difference between the two would then be the difference the bigger rear end makes.

Unfortunately, I have no clue if #1 above is true.  So....have fun measuring, I guess.

Oh, dude, I feel truly bad right about now, as I just noticed your ZR2 is a 2dr.  Mine GV is a 4 door, which means any measurements are hosed.

You did give me a bunch of good things to look for/think about, however.  This is going to be more tape measure intensive than I initially thought, though if it keeps diffs from routinely breaking, I'm all for it.

The XL-7 has the same rear drums as my 2.0 V6 lwb Kick/Vitara which is basically the same as the Kick Sport. In fact I don't know why but my 1.6 lwb had the same larger drums too. The GV drums are the same as the smaller sized 1.6 rear drums.

The XL-7 has the same rear drums as my 2.0 V6 lwb Kick/Vitara which is basically the same as the Kick Sport. In fact I don't know why but my 1.6 lwb had the same larger drums too. The GV drums are the same as the smaller sized 1.6 rear drums.

You're fixin' to ruin my just-spent-$130-on-waaaay-too-long parking brake cables.  I'll be very unhappy if the lwb cables would've worked instead of XL-7's.

Which picture earlier in the thread looks like the fitting you've got?

This is the 2.0 V6/Sport

This is the 2.0 V6/Sport

Okay.  Whew.  That does indeed look like it's compatible with the Tracker's backing plate, NOT the XL-7's.

Thanks for snapping that pic, by the way.

I can understand the reasoning behind this...kinda.

The XL isn't likely available with 15" wheels, so everything can be larger.

This being said, the rear drums do so little, unless you're towing a 3,000 lb. trailer, making them an inch larger in overall diameter isn't going to do much, if anything.

I think Suzuki does things such as this intentionally to prevent us consumers from fixing glaring engineering flaws.

If the GV's wheels bolt up to the XL's axles and the brake backing plates bolt to the housing, then the GV's drums should fit.

If the housing's bolt holes do not line up, I'd think, being the inventive folks you are here, especially you, beercheck, would have 'tweaked' the GV's backing plate mounting holes to make it fit.

Go ahead, gimme the bad news...I'm dreaming this would actually work.  Caution, I can get pretty creative...comes from years of long-distance motorcycle rallying.  Think 1600 miles in 24 hours.  There's a reason one will spend $800 on an ugly seat, put two sets of PIAA lights on it, and add enough extra fuel capacity to be right at the 10.5 gallon limit.

You'd be surprised how easy it can be for an 1100cc sport-touring bike, a Honda ST1100, to get 22 MPG over the course of said 10.5 gallons.  There was a reason I kept a big button/display calculator in the map pocket of the tankbag.