97Pathfinderman Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) Has anyone installed this locker in their rig? I have a 97 with LSD but i know of where an open differential is to swap. Edited March 28, 2016 by 97Pathfinderman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 (edited) No one with a R50 will have...it's not compatible. Long story short, this was "designed" for a 4-pinion open carrier for 31- or 33-spline H233B diffs...problem is this carrier never existed for 33-spline models; they used a 1-piece 2-pinion carrier instead. There are many more reasons beyond this why it won't work, even if you start talking mix-and-match parts. See here and compare with Nissan Nut's install. The pics in the first link are of the LSD side gears, but the the open carrier side gears have the same teeth profile. I have the means to compare Precise1's dimensions to an open carrier, just haven't since it appears to be a lost cause. Edited March 28, 2016 by hawairish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97Pathfinderman Posted March 28, 2016 Author Share Posted March 28, 2016 No one with a R50 will have...it's not compatible. Long story short, this was "designed" for a 4-pinion open carrier for 31- or 33-spline H233B diffs...problem is this carrier never existed for 33-spline models; they used a 1-piece 2-pinion carrier instead. There are many more reasons beyond this why it won't work, even if you start talking mix-and-match parts. See here and compare with Nissan Nut's install. The pics in the first link are of the LSD side gears, but the the open carrier side gears have the same teeth profile. I have the means to compare Precise1's dimensions to an open carrier, just haven't since it appears to be a lost cause. Ok well I guess one of these days I will do a dana 44 rear swap because I am defiantly not spending 1000 plus dollars on an air locker. For now the LSD will have to do. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted March 28, 2016 Share Posted March 28, 2016 I don't like the options either (and I'm still eyeballing a more expensive E-Locker ), but I can't see how a rear axle swap is any cheaper after all is said and done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NovaPath Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 I don't like the options either (and I'm still eyeballing a more expensive E-Locker ), but I can't see how a rear axle swap is any cheaper after all is said and done. Right you are. That and the D44 really isn't an upgrade in strength over the H233b. I haven't heard or seen of a single instance of someone snapping a rear driveshaft on one of these rigs, even locked on 35's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
97Pathfinderman Posted March 29, 2016 Author Share Posted March 29, 2016 I don't like the options either (and I'm still eyeballing a more expensive E-Locker ), but I can't see how a rear axle swap is any cheaper after all is said and done. What does the E-Locker run? And your probably right about the swap but I just hate to fork over that kind of money for suck a small component . I had a chance at getting an clean 80 series Land Cruiser for 4 grand. I probably should have bought it but its hard to give up the pathy since I already know how to work on them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted March 29, 2016 Share Posted March 29, 2016 What does the E-Locker run? And your probably right about the swap but I just hate to fork over that kind of money for suck a small component . I had a chance at getting an clean 80 series Land Cruiser for 4 grand. I probably should have bought it but its hard to give up the pathy since I already know how to work on them. Well...it plus shipping probably puts it around the $1200-$1300 mark...on par with ARB + compressor. Personally, I'm just done dealing with air fittings. It's a pricey part for a generally inexpensive vehicle, but also perhaps the most beneficial off-road accessory, in my opinion. Traction's the name of the game, and you gotta pay to play. I'm still wishing we'd get word from Steeevo about a lunchbox locker. Fingers were crossed that last year would be the year (ten years in the making), but here we are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent9571 Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Traction's the name of the game, and you gotta pay to play. Well, you could weld the rear end for next to nothing. Then you've got a free "locker"! Sent from my E6782 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Well, you could weld the rear end for next to nothing. Then you've got a free "locker"! The welder I just bought wasn't free . A spool would make for a lousy DD, though. I can confirm the 3220 definitely won't work for the 33-spline open diffs...the driver gears have too large of a diameter. So, I think the only way to make this work would be to use the 3220 and broach the side gears of a 31-spline 4-pinion open diff to fit 33-spline axle ($$$$$)... ...or... Machine a 33-spline side gear flat to look like the side gear included in the 3210-LR kit...something like this (not exact parts): Can it be done with hardened steel, though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent9571 Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 The welder I just bought wasn't free . A spool would make for a lousy DD, though. I can confirm the 3220 definitely won't work for the 33-spline open diffs...the driver gears have too large of a diameter. So, I think the only way to make this work would be to use the 3220 and broach the side gears of a 31-spline 4-pinion open diff to fit 33-spline axle ($$$$$)... ...or... Machine a 33-spline side gear flat to look like the side gear included in the 3210-LR kit...something like this (not exact parts): Can it be done with hardened steel, though? I'd rather just drill the tcase flange to adapt a 8.8 driveshaft. Copy the mounts on the stock axle and swap it in. Then you can get whatever kinda locker/gears you want. Then if you grenade the r&p or snap a c clip or axle shaft, just swap internals for cheap. As long as the axle housing is good. Either way you'll end up spending a decent amount of money. The only thing you really have to take into consideration is long term/breaking... If you blow up your axle it'll cost a pretty penny. You blow a 8.8 and you can pick up an entire axle at a pull a part jy for $90. Just my $.02 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 Completely agree; seemingly any axle would open up a world of options. A D44 from an Isuzu Amigo/Rodeo, for instance...it even has the same 6x5.5 bolt pattern. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted April 5, 2016 Share Posted April 5, 2016 Long story short, this was "designed" for a 4-pinion open carrier for 31- or 33-spline H233B diffs...problem is this carrier never existed for 33-spline models; they used a 1-piece 2-pinion carrier instead. I may have proof this existed. Stay tuned... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltaR50 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 isnt it the 96-99.5 are 31 spline? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPLORx4 Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 (edited) H233B rear diff on all R50's is 33 spline. This diff is from my '97: https://xplorx4.shutterfly.com/189 Edited April 11, 2016 by XPLORx4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 I may have proof this existed. Stay tuned... Here's what prompted that: some 99-00 Frontiers are listed as having R50 axle shafts and the 4-pinion open carrier from W/D21s. However, it looks like Nissan is providing conflicting information. Basically, early V6 Frontiers had two axle shafts and one axle housing. One of the axle shafts from the R50, the other is only for those specific Frontiers (never used in any other truck/SUV). Both use the R50 bearing cage. If all that holds true, then there's another axle shaft that will fit our truck and it could be either 31- or 33-spline. If it's 33-spline with that carrier by some miracle, that's the Unicorn. However, if it's 31-spline, that could be another solution. There's a Spartan locker for 31-spline H233B front diff found in Patrols, which uses a 1-piece 2-pinion open carrier like the R50. Well, the cross shaft it uses is the same as the R50, and the spider and side gears are the same as older W/D21s that once used the same carrier design. All the thrust washers are the same, too, so this basically should mean that the internals between Y60/Y61, R50, and older W/D21 are dimensionally the same. If there's a 31-spline axle shaft that's the same length as a 33-spline R50, then those and the Spartan locker should work in the R50 without issue. Other potential issues, though: 1. The brake backing plates between Frontier and R50 is different, but probably only by parking brake cable attachment. 2. Not 100% sure, but some H233B axles had ABS tone rings on the diff snout, and not the axle shafts like ours. The Frontier FSM says it has tone rings like ours, so maybe it's the Xterra that had them on the snout. Lastly, the idea of using 31-spline axle shafts isn't new, but I can confirm that older 31-splines are shorter than 33-spline axle shafts. These for the Frontier could be the exception. Others posts have also suggested the 31's are weaker...well, I can tell you that the difference in diameter at any given point is 1-2mm, for a 34-36mm shaft. ARB even lists the splined ends having a difference of 0.05". I won't argue that the 31's are "weaker", but I will argue that it's hardly significant. Next steps: finding a specific era of Frontiers and pulling the axles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawairish Posted July 24, 2016 Share Posted July 24, 2016 (edited) Following up... Left to right: 31-spline WD21 w/ discs 31-spline D22 33-spline R50 D22 shaft is the same height and only 1mm less in shaft diameter. Same bearing cages for all three, which means using it on the R50 only requires swapping the brake backing plates due to differences in the parking brakes. Test fit of Spartan locker for Y60/Y61 Patrol in R50 open carrier. Just needs thinner thrust washers. Lokka is on it's way. Stay tuned for the write-up, which will also include details about the WD21 disc brake swap. Edited June 12, 2018 by hawairish 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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