Frontier front diff conversion.

[Nullifier]

So ARB says that they will have a rear locker out for the Fronty the forst quarter next year. THey have no interest in a front locker because the U.S. spec truck uses a weaker 180mm diff as opposed to the 200mm diff in the Austalia spec truck. I think it is interesting that Nissan is using 2 different diffs up front on the same truck.

Anyone been upclose and know what would be involved in swaping in a Aus spec front diff?

 

[hattrik21]

I'd love to find this out to and the front diff's seem to be a weak spot in the 05+ Xterra's as well.

 

[GaryMc]

C'mon ARB! I love my X, but the front diff problems make me a little paranoid to sink money into it until there is a strong fix.
I'd be interested in the Aussie conversion as well.

 

[articulate]

www.arctictrucks.com/
Arctic Trucks has been swapping in a D44 on the front, but I think they are using the European Navara, which could also be the same as the Aussie version.

I also read about some guy at clubfrontier.org who was trying to put together a group deal to get d44 or 9" diffs made, and then get custom shafts made. The shafts are what put a stop to the project; name a company that will make just two custom CV shafts for you for a reasonable cost . . . (here's the thread)

Of course, this is a story that I read on the internet at a discussion forum. What's that worth?

Question: What's your knowledge about ARB offering an air locker as of the first quarter? A lot of dudes have been quizzing ARB USA for that info with no luck.

 

[Nullifier]

Question: What's your knowledge about ARB offering an air locker as of the first quarter? A lot of dudes have been quizzing ARB USA for that info with no luck.

THis is from my email to them yesterday

Brian,
the Nissan diff is a version of the Dana 44, though not the same as those used in domestic brand vehicles. Currently we do not have a diff for the rear of the truck, but it is high on the development list and should be available early next year. As for the front, the US spec frontier uses a small 180mm differential (vs. 200mm for the Aussie truck) and at present we do not have plans to build a locker for the front end simply based on durability concerns of the ancillary components (halfshafts, ring and pinion, diff housing, etc).



Best Regards,

Marc Bowers
Tech Supervisor
Air Locker, Inc.
425-264-1391
720 SW 34th St.
Renton, WA 98057
Marc@arbusa.com
Please Note: This e-mail is intended only for the use of the individual or the entity named above and may contain information that is confidential and privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error, please notify immediately by return e-mail and destroy all copies of this message. Thank you.









--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Brian Faulk [mailto:nullifierx@yahoo.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2007 1:29 PM
To: Front Desk
Subject: Lockers


I am trying to decide between 2 trucks and lockers are apart of this decision. I am looking at the 2008 nissan frontier 4wd longbed. ARB does not list a locker for it on the site but it has a Dana 44 housing in the rear. Some people say it is not a standard Dana 44 housing though so can you confirm a fit for this truck. I really do not want to waste money on a Nismo package since all the suspension and factory skid plating is crap and will be gone in the first Month I own it. Also what about the front axle availability?

Is ARB planning a OME suspension for it any time soon?

I think this truck is the same as the Navarro in Australia.

Thanks
Brian

 

[hattrik21]

I got the same type of response from Marc on a front bumper for the 05+ Xterra's and Fronty's and its now been over a year since he told me it was high on the list to R&D.

Does anyone know anyone at ARB that can get a valid answer as far as a timeline for some new Nissan products such as lockers and bumpers for the Xterra's and Fronty's?

 

[Nullifier]

I have another contact direct at ARB I will try and call him to see what's up.

 

[system-f]

(some people maybe confused as there are two 180mm front difffs)

What year frontier are we talking about? To my knowledge the overseas junk is still based on the D22 chassis which has the old school and super awesome R200 low pinion steel cased diff. The earlier 4cyl D22 frontier came with a
R180 steel cased front diff that had no locker made for it but is different and stronger than the 180mm version in the 05 and up xterra/frontiers. It used to be that in 2004 and earlier frontiers with the 4cyl all you had to do was get the lowing bushings to swap an R200 in place of an R180, but with the newer 05 and ups this is not an option as it is a completely different diff. Unless you plan on swapping a solid axle the front diff in 05 nissans and up is reason enough not to buy one regardless of the power increase.

 

[Nullifier]

This is about the current generation of Fronty models

 

[LRNAD90]

(some people maybe confused as there are two 180mm front difffs)

What year frontier are we talking about? To my knowledge the overseas junk is still based on the D22 chassis which has the old school and super awesome R200 low pinion steel cased diff. The earlier 4cyl D22 frontier came with a
R180 steel cased front diff that had no locker made for it but is different and stronger than the 180mm version in the 05 and up xterra/frontiers. It used to be that in 2004 and earlier frontiers with the 4cyl all you had to do was get the lowing bushings to swap an R200 in place of an R180, but with the newer 05 and ups this is not an option as it is a completely different diff. Unless you plan on swapping a solid axle the front diff in 05 nissans and up is reason enough not to buy one regardless of the power increase.

Wow, thanks for the education on the front diffs. That is pretty disappointing though, I must say. My 1989 Pathfinder (with all of 166 lbs-ft or torque) had an R200A steel case front diff, and a practically indestructible H233b rear. It is very disappointing to know that Nissan is using a weaker R180 diff in the front of the Xterra and Frontier with an engine that produces over 100 lb-ft more torque. They using similarly weak diffs in the Pathfinder/Armada and Titan too these days? Of course, I'd have though that they could have offered a fulltime 4wd t-case in the Xterra as well, but..

Pics of the Old Pathfinder, locked Front & Rear..

 

[IceCap4runnerORP]

Nissan is using a weaker R180 diff in the front of the Xterra and Frontier with an engine that produces over 100 lb-ft more torque.

This is one of the primary reasons why I have the stock 32" tire on my Xterra, if the front diff blows while still under warranty I should be fine getting it fixed. Once the warranty expires I am hoping there will be some type of upgrade available to purchase then I can relax a bit more with 33's.

 

[dennisuello]

I think, Titan has a larger (200mm ?) front diff.

 

[stevet47]

I think, Titan has a larger (200mm ?) front diff.

It does, and a few people have already swapped it in. It is still an aluminum case unit, so its not bulletproof, but it does have a larger ring/pinion, so it is stronger. The diff itself it a direct bolt-in to the 05+ frontier/xterra/pathfinder, but the CV shafts are not a direct swap. Previsouly, the only options were to do a complete titan swap with titan steering knuckles, control arms, breaks, wheels, etc etc etc, OR to get custom CV shafts made.

BUT.... now that the 08+ Pathfinder has the V8 option, Nissan made this easy on us. All you need is the CV shafts from the V8 Pathfinder to make the swap complete. They will not only mate up to the Titan diff, but also the Frontier/Xterra hubs/steering knuckles, so they make everything work without having to swap over to a complete titan suspension.

1 Frontier/Xterra
1 Titan front diff.
2 V8 Pathfinder CV shafts
Thats all you need.

 

[dennisuello]

1 Frontier/Xterra
1 Titan front diff.
2 V8 Pathfinder CV shafts
Thats all you need.

Nice, I would have done it to my 06 Frontier, but I "upgraded" the rest of the truck to a Titan.

 

[madizell]

Has anyone here actually blown up a Frontier front diff?