Fuso Diff breather extensions.

[kanga1]

Hi guys, I have rang and emailed ATW about this issue but unfortunately they haven't returned my call or emails about this as yet.
ATW have available to buy a breather extension kit for Diffs Trans Case G/box and fuel tanks.
First question that I'm waiting to hear back about is the Diff breathers on my 2012 Fuso are both push in rubbery/plastic afterthoughts that just sit on top of the axle housing fitted by the factory, there doesn't appear to be any thread in there. So I asked ATW how the kit parts fit into the axle housings and positively stay there, obviously making the join water tight. Does anyone here have a solution for this?

Also the Fuso/Canter (2012 4X4 Hi range) is fitted with the ATW 19.5" wheels 16 ply Kumho tyres and parabolic springs with Power Down shocks (I think) everything has been painted black underneath, the shocks don't cope with the spring rebound very well at all, does anyone have a shock fitted that does handle the rebound that the Parabolic springs have after a sudden compression??

We only have a short window of time to get the vehicle ready to use for a trip this year to the Big Red Bash at Birdsville ( dust ) and then on into the Kimberley ( more dust with river crossings. ).
I have checked on google and youtube regarding these issues with no real results.
Cheers, Kanga. :smiley_drive:

 

[SkiFreak]

Modifying the diff breathers is not a complicated task (unless you are like me) and is fairly straight forward. Don't be fooled into thinking that you cannot do this easily yourself with stuff available online.

I believe that your concerns about the push on fittings on the diffs is unwarranted, as a good quality length of fuel hose and a hose clamp will work perfectly. If the fittings on your gearbox and transfer case are similar to the FG84 (8mm) then this too is a simple task of just using a suitable size fuel hose. I say to use fuel hose, as this is normally stronger than other types of hoses, but you could use any hose that fits.
All you need then is a manifold to connect all of the hoses to that has a decent filter. Some use individual filters for each breather line, which will also work fine, bit it's overkill in my opinion.
Many breather setups use a sintered composite or bronze filter, as these are small and efficient and work very well for this task. There are numerous types of these manifolds and filters available on eBay; you just have to find ones that are suitable for your installation.

Personally, I did not find exactly what I wanted online, so I made my own manifolds. I also replaced the OEM breather fittings in the gearbox and transfer case for ones that were more robust, but that is a much bigger job and only required by A Type personalities like myself.
If you need an example of a custom Fuso breather setup, have a look at the article I wrote on my installation.

I should add... if you intend to include a breather for your fuel tank/s, that line should have it's own filter and not be common to the other breather lines.

 

[kanga1]

Hi Skifreak, I did have a good read of your description on how you had done yours, do you actually retain the rubber/plastic standard fitting and modify it in some way to accept the brass fittings and fuel line that you have on yours??? I am assuming that the centre of the standard diff breather needs to be cut out for the brass barbed fitting to be squashed into it in order to made a robust and water tight join?/ I'm thinking the existing breathers for the Gear box, Transfer case and fuel tank are probably high enough already ( I haven't gone looking for them as yet, so correct me if wrong by all means.) Good read by the way, you must have some good kit in your shed!!!! Cheers, Kanga.



Just heard back from ATW, they have some good guys working for them very knowledgable.

 

[SkiFreak]

Firstly, there's no brass barbs in my breather setup.
I made no changes at all to the steel OEM breather pipes that come out of the diffs. There's no need... the OEM ones work just fine!
I used 1/4" fuel hose from the diff spigot to a custom made stainless barbed fitting in my custom made manifolds. On the other side of the manifolds I used 8mm push-lock fittings and nylon air line up to the filter manifold, but there's no reason you can't just run the fuel hose right up to the air filter.

As I mentioned, you do not need to worry about the diff fitting leaking. Even without a hose clamp it is a nice tight fit. We are not talking about a high pressure setup here, just atmospheric pressure that's balanced on both sides, so pretty much zero pressure.

 

[SkiFreak]

That's a definite possibility, even though I have not seen that setup on any of the Canters I have looked at.
I hate that rubber grommet design. That is what was on my gearbox and transfer case and both of them were cracked through the grommet. I replaced the grommet style breathers with push-lock fittings, which I am much happier with.

 

[SkiFreak]

They are just standard pneumatic push-lock fittings.
You can get them in numerous varieties, including nylon and metal bodies, in both metric and imperial. There are different types of tube materials too, depending on the pressure requirement or application (like food grade).

 

[kanga1]

Thanks for that picture Fender, that is exactly what we have. After speaking with John at ATW this afternoon it sounds as though their extended breather kit for the diffs involves pulling up the centre of the rubbery/plastic grommet and cutting the end off. It is then possible to fit a barbed brass air fitting by pushing it into the grommet while it is fitted in the axle housing, this causes the grommet to expand making a seal. ATW are sending me a couple of these barbed fittings with the front suspension parts that I ordered today. Cheers, Kanga.



((((((((((((((((It was Dave from the Stores at ATW, really knowledgable and helpful bloke, thanks for bringing that to my attention John.))))))))))))))

 

[whatcharterboat]

.......... After speaking with John at ATW this afternoon ............. Cheers, Kanga.

Hi Adriane,

Are you sure it was "John"?

Regards John

 

[Goldanfish]

Kanga , with regard to your Powerdown shocks.
I bought a new set off ATW as that is what they recommended for my Isuzu . I fitted them and did a couple of Outback trips in total 27,000 k's over 15 months and after that both front and rear Powerdown shocks were stuffed, you could push and pull them in and out with 1 finger.
Both ATW and POWERDOWN didn't want to know me, because they were 15 months old....and out of 12 months warranty.
So think about what shocks your fitting. I now use Koni Raids.
John.

 

[kanga1]

Hi John, do you have Raids on the front and back???
After a chat with Dave at ATW he suggested installing heavy duty top shock mounts with a longer travel Powerdown adjustable T shock, for reasonable $, so I'm going to try that set up out for this trip and see how it goes. The truck had Monroe shocks on it I could see when I got the black paint off and they are shot. Haven't got to the rear end at all yet, so apart from the parabolic part I can't tell what the shocks are as yet.

 

[Goldanfish]

Kanga 1
Yep front and rear were the Powerdown Adjustable T's lasted 27,000 k's and I'm not a bull at a gate driver either.
With the Koni Raids I have modified the front shock towers making them a little wider, the rears bolted straight on clearance was fine, but they are working a treat.
We,re off up the Cape this year so time will tell.
John.

 

[kanga1]

Thanks John, the Powerdowns are on the way, so we'll get this trip out of them and see what they are like when we return from the West, from past experience with Konis in different applications I reckon you'll be fine.

 

[GrantBerry]

... it sounds as though their extended breather kit for the diffs involves pulling up the centre of the rubbery/plastic grommet and cutting the end off. It is then possible to fit a barbed brass air fitting by pushing it into the grommet while it is fitted in the axle housing, this causes the grommet to expand making a seal.

So. comparing what @kanga1 is saying compared to what @SkiFreak says; it appears the old FG84 have a very convenient "pipe" protrusion welded into the diff, whereas the newer FGB71's have this completely "rubber-bung" thing that sits in an unthreaded hole in the diff. So, by the sounds of it, with the FG71s you need to mod the existing "rubber bung" thingie, and put a brass fitting into it ? Zat right? Are these "air-fittings" commonly available at eg. repco, supercheap, autobarn etc, or are they a custom thing? Is there a standard size to ask for ? Thanks in advance.

 

[SkiFreak]

Is there a standard size to ask for ?

Probably not.
I have never seen the diff breather setup on a FGB71, so cannot suggest a suitable solution to change it from the OEM setup.

To find similar fittings to those I mentioned previously, search eBay for "pneumatic push in fittings". I should add, those fittings normally need to be screwed in.

BTW... this is a really old post.

 

[Spanna 53]

Grant diff and gearbox /transfer case breathers are available as kits or what I used to do in the workshop because I had the bits on the shelf for other jobs these bits are available from Repco ,Bursons , Supercheap and Autobarn the brass male tailpiece comes in a variety of sizes ie 1/8 and 1/4 BSP thread 1/4,5/16 and 3/8 barbed end for the hose ,a couple of worm drive hose clamps , a 10 meter roll of 1/4 Or 5/16 fuel hose cable ties or P clips and a Z14 or Z15 fuel filter for the top end . I fitted these breathers on all sorts of 4wds over the years and did the same on my Isuzu NPS camper and have done a heap of river crossings, I will try a photo