EDIT:  Scroll down this thread to my second post for the actual information.  The link to kczuks.us only works if you are a registered user  - Ack

For those of you thinking about a way to beef up the front axle assembly on your aluminum housing-equipped TrackKicks and Vitaras, there is an excellent article on the subject right here at Zukiworld:

http://www.zukiworld.com/month_090103/feature_sidekickdrivetrainimprovements.htm

We now have some solid information on which truck to look for when ordering/harvesting a steel (!) front axle housing for your Tracker/Sidekick:

http://www.kczuks.us/index.php?topic=1060.0

A big Thanks to the efforts of suzukiparts1, a parts department manager at a  Suzuki dealer in Virginia who has a forum at http://www.kczuks.usKCZuks.us!

You need to sign up to view that page. Maybe you can cut and paste here?

Derek

You need to sign up to view that page. Maybe you can cut and paste here?

Derek

Yikes!

I didn't think that kczuks.us was set up that way!  Sorry, I just wanted to provide a proper documented path to the original information...

That said, here is a cut-and-paste version of the information:

The question:

Can you provide any info on exactly what part or - in the case of salvage yard hunting - what model year one should look for to score a steel front axle housing that would be compatible with the aluminum front axle housing found on sidekicks and trackers???
 

The answer from suzukiparts1:

OK, here are the prices for the OE XL-7 front diff housings...2001-2003 models, readily available The same part numbers are used for the 99-01 Grand Vitara AND Vitara

Housing for vehicles equiped with Automatic transmission $336.80
Housing for vehicles equiped with Manual Transmission $386.63


Again, my apologies on this.  Apparently kczuks.us is a bit "tighter" in terms of access than the average Suzuki forum...

Finally, one wonders exactly what the difference is between the automatic and manual transmission version of the housing.  I guess I better ask...