eLocker or air locker?

[nofx]

I put the ute into a gearbox / diff specialist yesterday (not my usual mechanic that stated d22 diffs are prone to failure). Without me volunteering anything, he made a similar statement about the diffs failing. He said that I am unlucky and that he wouldn't normally see my kind of wear / failure until 200k - 250k km. According to him, usual failures are the hemispheres and orbitals. In my case, the hard facing has started to wear off the hemispheres (I think) so needs re-racing and the crown and pinion need lapping.

Price to fit an e-locker was quoted at about $4200 by the time the internal wear / damage has been repaired on top of purchase price and install. Price to purchase a second hand OEM diff and recondition and fit was about $2200. Considering it took me about 7 years to put 120k on the clock from new, I decided to to go the cheaper option.

 

[bods]

Hmmmm... It's taken me 9 years to reach those same km haha.

I wonder if they really need to have the oil changed more often. I don't tow anything excessively heavy with mine but I did notice last time I changed the rear diff oil it was pretty dark. I can't recall how many km since the previous change, but I might have to change it again soon and see what it looks like then.

 

[tony d22]

You should be right changing the oil at every major service as I have had done.

 

[tony d22]

Price to purchase a second hand OEM diff and recondition and fit was about $2200.

Surely just replacing the centre would cost a lot less than that.

 

[Horatius]

Surely just replacing the centre would cost a lot less than that.

The pinion is also stuffed by the sounds of it, so it would still have to be repaired if replacing the centre? If you have to do that might as well reco the 2nd h diff centre as well. That's how I read it.

Have seen 2nd/h whole diff assemblies for about a 1/4 that price though, I would probably take a punt and go that way.

 

[ericcs]

the pinion is all part of the diff centre, all comes out in 1 piece, once you pull the axles out!

 

[nofx]

Meh. I did ring two places, one of which was recommended by my mechanic. The place recommended said the repair / reco price would start at about $1400 from memory, and go up from there depending on what was required. That place was also more than 90 mins from home and since it is not a drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon type job I went with the place close to home. When they opened the diff up they provided the quote of $2200 so seems comparable.

The difficulty as I understand it is obtaining a quality second hand unit of known km / history to start with. I had a bit of look on ebay since you guys commented on price and found a wide range of prices. I wouldn't be happy taking a chance on an unknown. According to the repairer he has access (or his supplier does) to Suncorp's stock of parts following writeoffs etc. Allegedly, the diff I ended up with only had 65000 k on it.

Anyway, I've paid it now and the silence from the back is golden. Whether I was stitched up or not I don't know, but honestly fellas, I'd rather not know now!

 

[Horatius]

the pinion is all part of the diff centre, all comes out in 1 piece, once you pull the axles out!

Fair enough.

I call the carrier with ring gear and axle splines/bearings the diff "centre", don't think the pinion comes out with that. Not on a D22 afaik. The centre unbolts and falls out the back, leaving the pinion still in the front of the housing, it's a separate job to get that out.

You might be thinking of a Patrol?

ps. This youtuber explains D22 diff centre/carrier removal. The pinion isn't part of the centre, it's separate.

[YT]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsu8BMQlzYY[/YT]

 

[Horatius]

Meh. I did ring two places, one of which was recommended by my mechanic. The place recommended said the repair / reco price would start at about $1400 from memory, and go up from there depending on what was required. That place was also more than 90 mins from home and since it is not a drop off in the morning and pick up in the afternoon type job I went with the place close to home. When they opened the diff up they provided the quote of $2200 so seems comparable.

The difficulty as I understand it is obtaining a quality second hand unit of known km / history to start with. I had a bit of look on ebay since you guys commented on price and found a wide range of prices. I wouldn't be happy taking a chance on an unknown. According to the repairer he has access (or his supplier does) to Suncorp's stock of parts following writeoffs etc. Allegedly, the diff I ended up with only had 65000 k on it.

Anyway, I've paid it now and the silence from the back is golden. Whether I was stitched up or not I don't know, but honestly fellas, I'd rather not know now!

It doesn't sound as though you were stitched up. For that amount of work/parts, it doesn't sound unreasonable. I look at things from the pov of a tightarse, which probably isn't the best way to go lol.

Glad you got it going again.