Club 80-90 Forums

G'day syncronauts,

Just bought a mint 91 syncro here in oz for 5000 and can't help but wonder why it was so cheap. Anyway it seems the oz models came with power steering instead of difflocks and it kind of sucks as I wanted to do some more serious offroading with this car. Is it possible to install front and rear diff locks on my syncro or do I need to get a different gearbox with locks built in? If possible is it a difficult job and where can I get my hands on a diff lock. I have seen gearboxes available on german ebay and thought if I can't find an alternative I'd have one shipped here.

Also I've searched for info on jacking up syncro's and found only lift kits for 5cms or so. I had a 1977 kombi and know you can get around 45cms clearance by dropping the front and rear axle and adding 33inch tyres. Can the syncro be made to fit these tyres by doing some mods. I've read the most you can manage are 29's all round.Just trying to get some ideas. Thanks

Oh to be in Oz at Christmas,

Aiden (the resident gearbox specialist) will probably correct me, but I believe that with machining you can fit diff lock to both ends, but this means a complete strip out, so a good time to do bearings and synchro hubs.

Send Aiden a return ticket, and I am sure he will come out and supervise.

I think the cost of shipping the parts required is more attractive than sending two gearboxes complete.

Good luck with the bus.

Simon.

Yeah, speak to Aidan and make it 2 tickets and we'll both come out and do the box and diff

Lift... Mmm there isnt a huge amount to get.. some small improvements can be made...

BIG tyres... body mods are needed and rear swing arms too quite a bit of work...... but then power and gearing start to make problems..

do the diff locks (another option is to just fit some limited slip diffs) fit some 215/75r15 tyres and go have fun.. you'll be very surprised how far they go... But it aint ever gonna be a rockcrawler

The front diffs are usually have the locker bosses cast into the housing and it just need to machine it.Rear gearboxes are another story as many of them they don't have the locker bosses cast on them and you will need to change you housing...

Good luck,
Jim

hi,ive sold several complete diff lock kits to oz this year,theirs another currently on route now,i can supply front rear boxes,vacum pipes,switches,loom,resevoir in fact all you need to make a non diff lock car a 2 diff lock car,cheers cj.

Thanks for the reply's, Here in oz a lot of things are paid for with a carton of beer so I can offer two slabs of beer to compensate for the flight over costs and an extra carton each once the job's done

Syncrospares, what is usually included in your kits you sent over to oz? I've sent you an email in regards to the kits.

Also I have been looking into differences between the 14" and 16" syncro's and in order to have attain the kind of lift possible on a standard 16 would I need to swap the swing arms from the 14' for those on a 16'?

Have finally had some time to check out the syncro from underneath nw that my t2 is off the ramps. Not certain yet but I think I have the locker bosses cast into the front and rear boxes. I have a few pictures of how it all looks so hope someone will shed some light on what these holes are. I don't have any kind of cables pipes etc under there it is only the holes. Does this mean it is easy to install a difflock in the rear if the casting is already there or is it still easier to get a whole box? Cheers

you'll be able to have both the cases machined to take the diff locks
Those holes in your dash are for something else, but no worry as they will be covered by the diff lock switch panel etc. that you'll be buying from CJ

Thanks aiden but what does it mean to have the front and rear cases machined. What is involved in the machining process and how extensive are the modifications. The reason I ask is that I don't think too many people in my part of oz are familiar with working on syncro's.

simple machine shop job, bore out the casting to accept the difflock sleeve and tap the top hole at M18x1.5mm for the difflock tell tale switch and tap the two small holes at M6, but I would recommend having it done at a machine shop as the perpendicularity and accuracy really demand it. My local place does the job for £45, which isn't exactly cheap but the sleeve fits properly, the o ring seal does it's job and no problems with the telltale switch so I'm happy to pay for it. I've converted a couple of non difflock front diffs this way.

thanks for that I've just one more question. Can the diff locks be installed easily once I have the box machined or is it a difficult job to do yourself?

itll be no cheaper to fit a locking diff to your front diff-gearbox and more time consuming and if not machined right potential scrap cases,cj.