Broken rear diff... PLEASE HELP! (Frontier 280DT)

[Hyades]

Hey There!

My rear diff broke! (Frontier 280DT) Just got towed back to my house (eina) by a FORD (GROOT EINA)

Been chatting to my mechanic mate, he reckons, don't fix the DIFF, get a new (another) one.

Can ANYone please point me in the right direction? I need a new DIFF.

Very sad about the demise of my Frontier....


Groot trane word gehuil!

[Christo Davids]

Scrapyards stock these - the same diff is used on the 2.5 TD ford ranger, toyota hilux 4x2 (up to 2005 models), etc. You are looking for a 4.56 ratio, this was standard in the frontier and 2.7 Hilux - might be worthwhile to open your broken diff and see what exactly is broken...
If you want a diff that you won't break ever again, buy the Gearmax M89 found in the Isuzu D-Tec - you will have to change the ratio to 4.56 and this diff is much more expensive, but you won't break it ever again...

[Haydn]

Its a common problem on these Gearmax Diffs, most of them fail in the region of 200 000km or there abouts.

I put it down to the lack of oil changes. These diffs have no drain plug and require a special oil.

So all sorts of mixed oil gets shoved in there and I've found when we strip these diffs they absolutely "black" inside. This is due to lack of or no oil change.

However they are a good diff, with a very good difflock mechanism.

Bonus is, they quite cheap to repair. If you take it in to your local Gearmax Branch, they'll strip and completely overhaul it for under R5000. All new parts fitted and it takes a morning of your time.

[Hyades]

Dankie Christo!


Jy weet dis net "joke joke" die FORD deel! My tjommie het n 2.5 Ford wat hy my mee gesleep het!

Dankie vir die POST. Ek sal gaan soek...


As iemand anders dalk iets hoor oor n DIFF, laat my GROOT ASB weet!!!

My trokkie kannie so staan nie!

[Alf]

Its a common problem on these Gearmax Diffs, most of them fail in the region of 200 000km or there abouts.
I put it down to the lack of oil changes. These diffs have no drain plug and require a special oil.
.

Haydn, which is the right type of oil for the G-Max diffs?

Duarte

[Christo Davids]

Haydn, which is the right type of oil for the G-Max diffs?
Duarte

85W140 works very well, never had any issues

[Haydn]

CASTROL MULTITRAX GM SAE 140

See attached description.


GM has been specifically developed to satisfy the requirements of Gearmax rear axles.

Castrol Multitrax GM is approved to the
Gearmax 5-SM-7 Specification.

Just like Ford, they use a "fill for life" oil that is used in the diffs and some go as far as doing this to their gearboxes as well. Unfortunately through bad practices and ignorance in the trade, these oils are just mixed and matched and topped up in the workshops without really finding out what each specific vehicle requires.
Some manufacturers have gone an additional step by removing the drain plugs etc in order to prevent this.
Unfortunately it causes other problems too.

Like they want you to keep coming back to them!!! But this rarely happens.

I've rarely seen on of these diffs going much further than 200 000km.

So what I do is, I remove the aluminium plate and drain the diff properly. Then fill it up with the correct oil. To prove this needs to be done, my dad's 280Dt has been around since 1996 with well over 400 000km without any diff issues.

Do you know that wrong oil been filled in some vehicles was such a problem? For example, In the late '80's and early 90's, Isuzu was going through a bad time with their new five speed boxes. They were literally lasting 60-80 000km.
We did hundreds of them. Test were done and it was found that this would happen shortly after the "major" or 40 000km service.(This was when all the fluids were drained). Further tests showed that the gearbox smelt of gearbox oil and did indeed have gear oil in them. Lots of garages were just putting in "Gearbox" oil.

To overcome this problem, the factory actually stamped "ENGINE OIL" on the filler plug of the gearbox. That's right, get underneath and have a look!!!!

Isuzu specify a SAE 30 or SAE 40 oil for their boxes. NOT an "EP" or "Extreme Pressure" oil like most gearboxes will take.

Now there is a specially developed oil for Isuzu and Opel. Its called BOT 402 or long time ago, MTF 1067. It is specially formulated to the requirements of these gearboxes. It is a 75W oil, and its fully synthetic. It is as thin as SAE 30 at warm up and has the "EP" properties that a gearbox should need.

Just some interesting facts I think you should know if you want your vehicle to last. Then use the right oil

[Hyades]

Thanks for all the info Haydn!

[Hyades]

Does anyone know if the DIFF from the 2x4 is the same as the DIFF from the 4x4?

I might be-able to get a second hand 2x4 DIFF for a good deal?

[open road]

I think there is a difference in the ratios and the 4x4 diff is a stronger diff. Phone Hayes Motors here in Cape Town for good advice. There is also Isuzu off-road club.

[Hyades]

I just checked under the car.

The DIFF is a GEARMAX M77, and the ratio is 4.55

(Checked the stamp on the DIFF)

[Sakkie]

Phone A1 bakkie spares in Pretoria. Ask for a 4.55 ratio rear diff. You'll probably get the M83. Perfect.

The M89 is of course the perfect offroader diff....the 4.55 ratio is rare though. You'll have to buy the C+P and have it fitted.

I can't see why you shouldn't go for a repaired diff, if it's done by gearmax. All that stays is your casing and carrier, everything that can break is replaced.....

[Hyades]

Phone A1 bakkie spares in Pretoria. Ask for a 4.55 ratio rear diff. You'll probably get the M83. Perfect.

The M89 is of course the perfect offroader diff....the 4.55 ratio is rare though. You'll have to buy the C+P and have it fitted.

I can't see why you shouldn't go for a repaired diff, if it's done by gearmax. All that stays is your casing and carrier, everything that can break is replaced.....

Hi Oom,

Hoekom sê Oom die M89 is die perfekte DIFF vir offroading? Wat is die komplikasies nou as ek n M83 of M89 DIFF kry?

Want myne is n M77?

As ek nou die DIFF moet vervang, kan ek dan netsowel die beste ding insit wat ek kan (bekostig) of hoe dan?

Dankie!

[Christo Davids]

M89 is a lot stronger...
Die M89 is used in Ford 4.0 V6, Ford 3.0 TDI, Isuzu D-TEC, etc. It is the biggest and strongest diff on offer from gearmax
You do get a 4.55 ratio for it, but not in any production vehicle, you need to buy these seeprately from gearmax and have the ratio changed - Crown and Pinion Kit for this diff is about R6500... But it will be the last time you replace anything on that diff

[Sakkie]

Soos Christo sê....die M89 se alles is groter en sterker as waarmee jy nou (nie) ry (nie) Koop een by 'n scrapyard, en kry dan die C+P by Gearmax. As hy eers in is, vergeet jy van jou diff vir die res van jou voertuig se lewe.

[Hyades]

Dankie vir al die inligting!

Ek het die DIFF gister uitgehaal, was nogals 'n storie, maar hy is uit, en het hom maar ingevat na Gearmax (in Benrose - JHB)

Dit gaan heelwat goedkoper wees om hom reg te maak as om n ander ene te probeer insit. Sou lekker gewees het om 'n M89 in te kry.

My DIFF...






Kan enige iemand my dalk sê wat die is?
Kom net bo die DIFF vas...

[Hyades]

Nog 'n ding...

My leafs lê baie, en ek is nou nie seker wat om te doen nie. Moet ek hulle vervang met nuwe Frontier leafs, moet ek hulle laat retension, of moet ek bakkie leafs op sit?

Ek het gehoor dat as mens die bakkie leafs opsit dan gaan die Frontier baie harder ry, en ek glo nie ek wil dit hê nie, maar ek wil ook nie hê die gat moet so hang nie?

Ek dink daaraan om 'n 2" Dune lift te doen. Robert (by Dune Offroad) quote my die volgende...

Dune Offroad 2" Suspension kit Isuzu KB
Including:
2 x Rancho RS9000XL 9 way adjustable shock absorbers - front
2 x Rancho RS9000XL 9 way adjustable shock absorbers - rear
2 x 2" heavy duty shackles and HT hardware
Polyurethane shackle bushes
Fitment
Price = R6,600
Die bogenoemde prys was gequote op 2011/08/25

Is die, die "way to go" met my Frontier? Met die 2" kit hier bo genoem, gaan my gat nog lê?

[Sakkie]

Daai bracket op die eerste foto is jou rear brake pressure proportional valve. Hoe swaarder jou voertuig gelaai is, hoe meer hydrolic pressure stuur hy na jou agter wiele.

Wat jou bussie se agterkant aan betref. Die Frontiers is berug daarvoor dat hulle agter vere gaan lê. Die beste manier om daai vere te help, is om agter shocks in the sit wat sy eie veer het, soos Piet Wydeman se Camil shocks. Met hom kan jy haar agterkant stel waar jy hom wil hê. As jy die bakkie vere rigting wil gaan, kyk of jy 'n stel kry wat uit 'n 300 uit kom. BAAAIE oulike balans daar.

Die 2" shackle ding is 'n goeie rigting vir beter wheel travel.

[kippie2]

Just one question. Why did the diff go in the first place?
If you are not sure, make sure the difflock is disengaging. Mine wasn't! It can cost plenty if you break another diff because of this.

[Hyades]

Daai bracket op die eerste foto is jou rear brake pressure proportional valve. Hoe swaarder jou voertuig gelaai is, hoe meer hydrolic pressure stuur hy na jou agter wiele.

Wat jou bussie se agterkant aan betref. Die Frontiers is berug daarvoor dat hulle agter vere gaan lê. Die beste manier om daai vere te help, is om agter shocks in the sit wat sy eie veer het, soos Piet Wydeman se Camil shocks. Met hom kan jy haar agterkant stel waar jy hom wil hê. As jy die bakkie vere rigting wil gaan, kyk of jy 'n stel kry wat uit 'n 300 uit kom. BAAAIE oulike balans daar.

Die 2" shackle ding is 'n goeie rigting vir beter wheel travel.

Dankie Oom, ek sal kyk of ek n stel van die 300 kan kry, en dan sal ek Rancho reg rond-om sit.