Fuso Diff breather extensions.

[Karl of Oz]

Don't know how you ended up going with shocks, but I got Brad Zacca (now retired from Kings but still about) to build and fit some Kings shocks front and rear to my FGB-71 and fitted a Timbren bump stop kit that allows about a 2" air gap so the shocks can do their thing at the front. I had to get the rebound increased (adjusted by use of shims) a couple of times at Kings and ended up with heaps of rebound in order to control the parabolics. While not prefect (note that the FGB-71's have shorter springs than the older models so there are limitations...why did they do that?) it is better, but the biggest difference I found was in reducing tyre pressure, although the tyres wear quicker. It still bounces around on the tar but is very good on the dirt, normal dirt roads are far more comfortable than lumpy tar roads and with air pressure reduced, corrugations are reasonably bearable. I'm a novice so all you brainy experienced people can certainly add to this. All Terrain Warriors are currently working with a local supplier for remote reservoir shock absorbers so worth talking to them as they have good operational knowledge.

 

[gait]

at third attempt for shock absorbers with parabolics I found Koni (another iteration of ATW advice) on FG649 with soft bump and adjustable rebound gave a result similar to your description. Including tyre pressure effect and normal dirt roads more comfortable than seal.

 

[GrantBerry]

Thanks @Spanna 53 and @SkiFreak . To clarify, I have photos. What @kanga1 and I are up against is this new "rubber-plug". Feeling brave this morning, I thought I'd try give it a tug ... was worried that I might break or tear it - but, as you can see, it came out cleanly, leaving a hole - a clean, unthreaded hole. So my challenge is - How do I connect to that ?
I guess I could tap a thread in there, but the last thing I want to do is have bits of debris falling into the diff ! Otherwise, maybe I chop the rubber bung and push a barbed-ended fitting into the rubber? (and hope it holds!)
What are your thoughts ? Any ideas, anyone?

 

[gait]

this is a half inch blind tank fitting, I wonder if there is something the right size for the diff.

smallest size from this manufacturer seems to be 7/16" with 3/8" npt thread. I don't know the hole size in the diff.

it wouldn't be overly challenging to make similar / smaller.

 

[gait]

another suggestion is insert a rivnut (add some sealant) into the hole and make/find a pipe connector that will screw in.

 

[SkiFreak]

It would appear that Fuso have now decided to take the same approach with the diff breathers as they did with the transfer and gearbox breathers.

Below is an OEM Fuso gearbox breather from a FG84. The dealer wanted $115 for a new one, which is why I replaced these breathers with pushlock fittings.


One solution could be to make something like the blind tank fitting that Gait highlighted, but I am a fitter/machinist, so I would think that.

If by some chance the existing hole in the diff matched the tapping hole size, it would be fairly easy to tap the hole and not get swarf inside the diff.
You would use a spiral fluted machine tap, which is designed to remove swarf in one piece.

The suggestion to use a rivnut is sound, but you would probably need to source a long series rivnut, as you would need a longer grip range than a standard rivnut. These can be difficult to source, but they do exist (I have some).
The other problem is that you would likely have to manufacture/modify a suitable fitting, as I have never seen a rivnut that has a pipe thread, which is what hosetails or pushlock fittings normally have.

 

[Spanna 53]

You can tap a thread in the hole by putting a liberal amount of grease on the flutes of the tap and swarf clings to the grease use that method regularly when cleaning spark plug holes or vacuum takeoff in a inlet manifold

 

[gait]

something like this could probably be modified - a tyre valve stem that can be installed from outside, same principle as the blind tank connection but smaller diameter.

Colby Valves

www.colbyvalve.com

 

[GrantBerry]

@gait Wow - not just one, but THREE very feasible solutions ! When we meet, the beer is on me! I've had a look at each, the first (blind tank fitting) the simplest, and most easily reversible. ( For me, an 'undo' ctrl-Z is important) - but they don't make them for hole diameters less than an inch :-( The next - the RivNut/Nutsert would probably work well, but presents the challenge of the internal thread and adapting that to a hose-fitting of some sort. Plus, to 'undo' one would need to open the diff to clean out debris after drilling it out.
But your third option - now THAT is elegant ! Those Colby valves look perfect! - Right size (5/8th" = 16mm hole diameter), easy install, and easy backtrack if I need to. I see their on-line store ships to USA only, but they have ONE distie here down in Vic. I shall give them a call in the morning - this looks perfect

 

[gait]

ta, let me know how it goes please - it does look very promising ..... somewhere along a track recently my rear diff breather "fell off". I'm not in a hurry - got diverted into house painting during lock down and there's a lot of painting.

 

[GrantBerry]

You can tap a thread in the hole by putting a liberal amount of grease on the flutes of the tap and swarf clings to the grease use that method regularly when cleaning spark plug holes or vacuum takeoff in a inlet manifold

I could, @Spanna 53 , if I had your level of skill ... I'm not that confident that I wouldn't mess it up :-(

 

[GrantBerry]

ta, let me know how it goes please - it does look very promising ..... somewhere along a track recently my rear diff breather "fell off". I'm not in a hurry - got diverted into house painting during lock down and there's a lot of painting.

Will do. Spoke to the sole Aussie distributor (RoadrunnerOffroad) this morning - they havn't got any 5/8th" (16mm dia) ones in stock - but they will add some to their next shipment order in a week or two. Shipping is taking a bit longer at the moment, but they'll call me when they arrive. I've given him the heads-up as to what its for, and suggested that he brings in a reasonable quantity, as the demand will be there when other post-2017 Canter owners go looking for diff-breather fittings. I'll let you know when I get them (price unknown yet), and will post pics of the installation.

 

[morats]

Anyone followed through on any of the suggestions? Did you get a chance to try GrantBerry?

Concerns about the Colby Valve's holding up when in contact with oil / lubricants?

 

[SkiFreak]

Concerns about the Colby Valve's holding up when in contact with oil / lubricants?

Why?
Pretty much every variety of rubber should be resistant to oil, which is all it has to deal with if used in a diff breather scenario.
Also, the breather port is not submersed in oil.