Max from Monster Rides

[Hilux_Max]

G'day Guys,

Max here from Monster Rides.

No I do not own a Navara, I own a 2007 Hilux that has a "little bit" of work done to it

No, Im not in the market for a Navara, but as a part of Monster Rides I would like to better understand the setup of D40 Navara suspension and learn a little about the vehicle and any problems people encounter in regards to lifting them for my own personel satisfaction.

In the meantime, heres a couple pics of my truck.

Adjustable Height Monster Ride Suspension Kit - set at 3"
Monster Rides front Diff brackets
1.25" Uniballed UCA's
Front ARB Locker
Rear ARB coming in next few weeks
4.7 geared Marlin Crawl Box (second transfer case)
3" Exhaust system
305/70x16 MTR Kevlar's

And a couple of other minor details.

Heres a few pics -

Thankyou.

 

[Hilux_Max]

 

[KraftyPg]

ARGH!! A smelly Yota driver ban ban ban!!!

Sorry I got carried away.

Welcome to the forums Max

 

[Hilux_Max]

Thanks Mate...I wont be posting much at all...just browsing, reading and learning....nothing wrong with learning more about what goes on out there. Im a member of several different forums and different make forums.

 

[Jason]

Hey Max, welcome to the forum.

I'm sure you know a bit about IFS setups so I think the boys will like having you around.

 

[Hilux_Max]

Cheers mate....just a question, where would be the best resource to view the front end of a D40 Navara online?

Is there a thread with detailed pics somewhere and/or diagrams?

Just so I could compare how the front end looks/works with how a hilux does/is?

Would be keen to suss out the coilover setup, controls arms, front diff mounts etc etc etc

 

[Aussie Frontier]

Welcome to our playground
Good to see someone else using Uniballs

The 4x2 has the same arms and mounts as the 4x4.Hope these pics help

 

[Leprechaun]

The D40's major weakness is the aluminium front diff.

 

[Hilux_Max]

The D40's major weakness is the aluminium front diff.

In which way? size of the diff itself? What sized diff is it? The Hilux's have an 8" front diff and 30 spline cv shafts for comparison.

any pics of a D40 front diff and mounts?

 

[Leprechaun]

In which way? size of the diff itself? What sized diff is it? The Hilux's have an 8" front diff and 30 spline cv shafts for comparison.

any pics of a D40 front diff and mounts?

Check out WoodyD40's thread.

http://www.navara.asia/d40-drive-train/7699-oops-i-broke-5.html


It's a R-180. No diff locks are available either as the housing/carrier just isn't strong enough.

 

[WoodyD40]

geez thanks leprechaun ... pick on me why dont ya ...

LOL

Welcome MAX ... if ya want to help out us D40 drivers, replacement STEEL front diffs as an option would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Hilux_Max]

Welcome MAX ... if ya want to help out us D40 drivers, replacement STEEL front diffs as an option would be greatly appreciated.

Ive been doing some hardcore researching into the D40's this evening to get a better understanding of all your issues.

The UCA and camber/castor issues can be easily rectified with a little bit of local R and D....thats no problem.

What really suprises me is (and no offence at you D40 owners) the piss poor engineering and design that has gone into the front diffs of your vehicles.

I'd almost say that these Navaras front diffs are too brittle to use offroad in low range.

What I have found out so far -

1) The front alluminium diff housing flex's alot and is weak
2) The front diff center itself is too small and weak
3) The front diff carrier is weak, so much so that ARB doesnt make a locker for it
4) The front carrier can flex offroad and crack the diff housing.

No offence but thats a bloody joke!

I like the look of the Navara D40, I even think from a drivers perspective the front seat and dash layout is the best in its class. I was at a market research group a couple years ago that Mitsubishi organised that had 2 tritons, a hilux, a navara and something else cant rememebr....the driving/seating position of the Navara stood out , the rear seat also stood out as worst in the class.

Anyway, being able to substitute a current hilux front diff inplace of the alloy piece of crap thats there would be ideal in my books. How much is involved...not 100% sure but anything is do-able.

Thou the price I cannot imagine would be cheap. At a glance, the Navara and Hilux seems to share a very similar track width which is a bonus.

The current hilux front diff has removable brackets that locate it between to factory crossmembers - front and rear. therefore nothing hangs on the diff housing or gets in the way as such.

Being able to weld on a couple custom mounts onto the hilux front diff housing looks like it would be easy enough to do to make it fit.

You have a large range of available diff ratios, and with an ARV locker the front end is pretty strong when driven with some common sense and brains.

Yanks have been abusing this front end on their tacomas and FJ's with 35's, lockers and crawlboxs over rocks for years.

Gotta speak to the boss about this tomorrow to see if it would be feaseable in pursuing.

 

[d22dave]

geez thanks leprechaun ... pick on me why dont ya ...

LOL

.

Well YOU did break it

 

[Dave]

Or even swapping R200A's into the D40's. CV's should be easier to sort out then.

 

[turbogu]

Ive been doing some hardcore researching into the D40's this evening to get a better understanding of all your issues.

The UCA and camber/castor issues can be easily rectified with a little bit of local R and D....thats no problem.

What really suprises me is (and no offence at you D40 owners) the piss poor engineering and design that has gone into the front diffs of your vehicles.

I'd almost say that these Navaras front diffs are too brittle to use offroad in low range.

What I have found out so far -

1) The front alluminium diff housing flex's alot and is weak
2) The front diff center itself is too small and weak
3) The front diff carrier is weak, so much so that ARB doesnt make a locker for it
4) The front carrier can flex offroad and crack the diff housing.

No offence but thats a bloody joke!

I like the look of the Navara D40, I even think from a drivers perspective the front seat and dash layout is the best in its class. I was at a market research group a couple years ago that Mitsubishi organised that had 2 tritons, a hilux, a navara and something else cant rememebr....the driving/seating position of the Navara stood out , the rear seat also stood out as worst in the class.

Anyway, being able to substitute a current hilux front diff inplace of the alloy piece of crap thats there would be ideal in my books. How much is involved...not 100% sure but anything is do-able.

Thou the price I cannot imagine would be cheap. At a glance, the Navara and Hilux seems to share a very similar track width which is a bonus.

The current hilux front diff has removable brackets that locate it between to factory crossmembers - front and rear. therefore nothing hangs on the diff housing or gets in the way as such.

Being able to weld on a couple custom mounts onto the hilux front diff housing looks like it would be easy enough to do to make it fit.

You have a large range of available diff ratios, and with an ARV locker the front end is pretty strong when driven with some common sense and brains.

Yanks have been abusing this front end on their tacomas and FJ's with 35's, lockers and crawlboxs over rocks for years.

Gotta speak to the boss about this tomorrow to see if it would be feaseable in pursuing.

ive planned on swapping in a yota diff for a while now, just havent got the time to do it, for me it will be easier cause im running the calmini kit which gives me heaps more room, brackets and tail shaft are no dramas,Have plasma, can cut!!! some custom cv's should be too hard either, got a plan in my head for them, just gotta get my hands on a diff and then some spare time and it will happen

Ive got some 4.1 diff gears and a detroit for the rear im itching to get in, just need to match the front gears

Hardest part of that conversion for guys not wanting to change the rear diff gears would be finding a match for the front as all d40's are about 3.6 and taller ratios so im not sure what yota gears are avalible in that range to match

Find me a cheap diff and ill make it happen!!!!

 

[Leprechaun]

Ive been doing some hardcore researching into the D40's this evening to get a better understanding of all your issues.

The UCA and camber/castor issues can be easily rectified with a little bit of local R and D....thats no problem.

What really suprises me is (and no offence at you D40 owners) the piss poor engineering and design that has gone into the front diffs of your vehicles.

I'd almost say that these Navaras front diffs are too brittle to use offroad in low range.

What I have found out so far -

1) The front alluminium diff housing flex's alot and is weak
2) The front diff center itself is too small and weak
3) The front diff carrier is weak, so much so that ARB doesnt make a locker for it
4) The front carrier can flex offroad and crack the diff housing.

No offence but thats a bloody joke!

I like the look of the Navara D40, I even think from a drivers perspective the front seat and dash layout is the best in its class. I was at a market research group a couple years ago that Mitsubishi organised that had 2 tritons, a hilux, a navara and something else cant rememebr....the driving/seating position of the Navara stood out , the rear seat also stood out as worst in the class.

Anyway, being able to substitute a current hilux front diff inplace of the alloy piece of crap thats there would be ideal in my books. How much is involved...not 100% sure but anything is do-able.

Thou the price I cannot imagine would be cheap. At a glance, the Navara and Hilux seems to share a very similar track width which is a bonus.

The current hilux front diff has removable brackets that locate it between to factory crossmembers - front and rear. therefore nothing hangs on the diff housing or gets in the way as such.

Being able to weld on a couple custom mounts onto the hilux front diff housing looks like it would be easy enough to do to make it fit.

You have a large range of available diff ratios, and with an ARV locker the front end is pretty strong when driven with some common sense and brains.

Yanks have been abusing this front end on their tacomas and FJ's with 35's, lockers and crawlboxs over rocks for years.

Gotta speak to the boss about this tomorrow to see if it would be feaseable in pursuing.

I dont believe it's feasible, even with a stronger front diff, they will still be shit. They are too long, too low, terrible turning circle, cant get any decent wheels because of the stupid stud pattern, piss weak chassis, weak clutch, terrible off idle torque, no rear diff ratio options, crap LSD, no rear discs.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

 

[WoodyD40]

I dont believe it's feasible, even with a stronger front diff, they will still be shit. They are too long, too low, terrible turning circle, cant get any decent wheels because of the stupid stud pattern, piss weak chassis, weak clutch, terrible off idle torque, no rear diff ratio options, crap LSD, no rear discs.

Thats all I can think of at the moment.

LOL

i guess U have a D22 then ...

I'm happy with my D40, just learned to be a tad more careful when trying to climb rocks. I might even get out of the car and set up the winch instead of trying to do a RAMBO with my ute.

BUT, if there was a feasible way of upgrading front and rear diffs to increase the off-road capabilities, i'm sure there will be plenty of D40 navara's keen to give it a go and also the Pathfinder's run the same diffs as the D40's.

 

[Hilux_Max]

ive planned on swapping in a yota diff for a while now, just havent got the time to do it, for me it will be easier cause im running the calmini kit which gives me heaps more room, brackets and tail shaft are no dramas,Have plasma, can cut!!! some custom cv's should be too hard either, got a plan in my head for them, just gotta get my hands on a diff and then some spare time and it will happen

Ive got some 4.1 diff gears and a detroit for the rear im itching to get in, just need to match the front gears

Hardest part of that conversion for guys not wanting to change the rear diff gears would be finding a match for the front as all d40's are about 3.6 and taller ratios so im not sure what yota gears are avalible in that range to match

Find me a cheap diff and ill make it happen!!!!

I beleive it is doable as long as there is clearance....even if the custom mounts lowered the hilux diff slighly it can only benefit the cv angle.

Hilux diff mounts are actualy removable brackets that bolt to the housing.

Using half the hilux's mounts on the housing side and then welding on a bushing style mount that the Navara has would do the job.

Aligning the hilux diff underneath would be the first thing to do and then start taking measurment. Not impossible, just labour intensive Id say.

Hilux ratio's come in 3.5 for manuals and 3.7 for auto;s.

Available ratios are 3.9, 4.1, and 4.88 in the Prado 120 carrier since this carrier needs to be offset for the larger gears.

4.5 thick cut gears are available to suit the Hilux carrier (3.7 and lower ratios carriers).

 

[turbogu]

yup, your dead on, ive laid underneath mine for hours staring at it working out how i would go about it, the other dif i considered was a mitsu one from a pajero cause they are bloody big, only real thing stopping me using that is lack of aftermarket gear, best bit about the toyo stuff is you can buy what ever you want for them and then a bit more!!!!

 

[Bigreg]

Hilux_Max, you would KNow buddy right? he did my sliders. I have a D40 with quiet a few mods and a lift on top of lift, also run no sway bar and other detaislt o maximise front end articulation but still maintiain on road stability. I am Really keen on beefing up the front diff and would like to offer to help you if you need a car to check out etc. PM if your interested in eyeballing one for measurements or maybe even a test mule.
Cheers