put a torsen diff in my 99

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ON THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT OR AXLE, IT GOES HERE.
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Captn. Crunch
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put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Captn. Crunch »

I never liked having an AWD badge on the side of my Safari knowing what they really meant is mostly one wheel drive and sometimes two. I picked up a torsen carrier last week and plugged it in this weekend. I pulled the wheels and drums while the pumpkin was draining. Took off the cover and slid out the center pin. Everything was in great shape with 155,000 on the open diff. Clips and axles came right out. I marked my bearing caps and set the shims to the side they came from. Pressed new bearings on the carrier swapped the 3.73 ring gear and re-assembled. There wasn't enough room for all of the shims to go back in so I left 1 thin one out. This allowed the last heavy shim to be tapped in setting the pre-load on the bearings. Tightened everthing down and set up a dial indicator on a tooth on the ring gear. backlash should be between .004 and .009. The inital read was .016. Took in back apart and moved two shims from the right side to the left to set the ring gear deeper into the pinion. Re-assembled and re-checked backlash. This reading was .004. New axle seals, new cover gasket, two qts. of 80/90 gear lube and it was time for a test drive. Perfect! No whining or thumping or any other noise that would suggest a problem. Checked the diff temp with my hand after a 15 minute drive and no heat. Sorry for not taking picture but it took three hands as it was and I was alone. Now I feel a little better about calling this thing AWD. I will let you know about traction improvements as soon as I can find the time to go find something slippery!
Captn. Crunch
"I don't beat my rig-I use it to it's maximum potential"
1994 Safari conversion (sold) and miss'n it!
1999 Safari SLE AWD junked
2003 GMC Safari AWD SLT
cast iron Torsen equipped front diff
S-10 leafs-G80 rear w/3.73’s
2” body lift w/Falken Wildpeak AT’s

LiftedAWDAstro
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

Excellent! Show us some posi spin marks!
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy

Topic author
Captn. Crunch
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Captn. Crunch »

This is an update to the Torsen install. I couldn't find anything slippery so I went and found something steep! There are some very large dirt piles nearby so I headed up one to see how far I could make it. All was going well until I really started to dig in and load up then something started slipping. Definitely mechanical, not sure if it was transfer case chain, front diff axle splines or something in the tranny but something went GRRRRRRRRR!. I'll put it back up in the air and check fluids for metal, but whatever it is - can you say "upgrade?" I will let you know what I find.
Captn. Crunch
"I don't beat my rig-I use it to it's maximum potential"
1994 Safari conversion (sold) and miss'n it!
1999 Safari SLE AWD junked
2003 GMC Safari AWD SLT
cast iron Torsen equipped front diff
S-10 leafs-G80 rear w/3.73’s
2” body lift w/Falken Wildpeak AT’s
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MountainManJoe
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by MountainManJoe »

This happened to me too. Watching this topic ...

:peep:

Topic author
Captn. Crunch
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Captn. Crunch »

To those who are watching this thread, my apologies for not moving on this yet but I do have a plan. My mechanic has microphones that attach to things you suspect are making noise. We will be miking up the suspected portions of my drivetrain in the next week or so and try to reproduce the event. Stay tuned...
Captn. Crunch
"I don't beat my rig-I use it to it's maximum potential"
1994 Safari conversion (sold) and miss'n it!
1999 Safari SLE AWD junked
2003 GMC Safari AWD SLT
cast iron Torsen equipped front diff
S-10 leafs-G80 rear w/3.73’s
2” body lift w/Falken Wildpeak AT’s

Cobra
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Cobra »

mics eh... that's a good idea where do i get me some of these
1998 GMC Safari AWD, BFGoodrich AllTerrain T/A
Jet performance tuner 91 octane preset, Jet under-drive pulleys
Rancho 999000 series shock, on-board controller to be installed later
DHC rock rails and skid plate Add-A-Leaf
G3500 front calipers
Zexel Torsen Diff
11" drums
180 amp Alternator
Long tru-cool 4590 trans cooler

1997 gone

Topic author
Captn. Crunch
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Captn. Crunch »

Yeah microphone's! I will post all the info on the equipment I use as soon as get a chance to use it. On a side note, I drove my van four hundred highway miles this weekend. I had set the backlash at the low end of the spec and it got hot. When I got home I felt it grabbing when in reverse, so I jacked it up and swapped one of the shims from the left side to the right to gain a little more lash. I mic'd out all the shims and they where all the same which limited my options. Lash is now at the high end of the specs but there are no bad noises so I will run it. The gear lube was not burnt and there was just a suggestion of metal on the magnet so it looks like I dodged a bullet!
For those of you looking for posi burnout marks-let me tell you what! I took the van out into a field, got rolling in reverse, dropped it into low and stomped on it. My head almost came off my shoulders this thing launched so hard! I went back to look and there where three spots on the grass where the tires started to spin and then nothing. " Clawing like a wet cat" comes to mind. I don't remember who said it but I'll use it here!
Captn. Crunch
"I don't beat my rig-I use it to it's maximum potential"
1994 Safari conversion (sold) and miss'n it!
1999 Safari SLE AWD junked
2003 GMC Safari AWD SLT
cast iron Torsen equipped front diff
S-10 leafs-G80 rear w/3.73’s
2” body lift w/Falken Wildpeak AT’s

Topic author
Captn. Crunch
I sleep in my van
Posts: 557
Joined: Wed Feb 01, 2012 12:10 pm
Location: southeastern ct
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by Captn. Crunch »

OK I fixed it. It only too the better part of a year but I got it done. Actually what happened is that if you took it easy it stopped making the noise and that was cheaper and easier than fix ing anything. But if something is a little broke and you leave it alone long enough it will become majorly broke. The noise became more and more frequent and with some help I was able to get the van to make the noise sitting still and found the center link flexing upward into the harmonic balancer. Two new Moog idler arms fixed everything. Sure glad there is nothing wrong with my AWD! That noise really had me fooled. I was sure it was in the driveline. It only happened when you stomped on it and the front drive kicked in. It changed with RPM and when you turned the steering wheel. Live and learn :butthead:
Captn. Crunch
"I don't beat my rig-I use it to it's maximum potential"
1994 Safari conversion (sold) and miss'n it!
1999 Safari SLE AWD junked
2003 GMC Safari AWD SLT
cast iron Torsen equipped front diff
S-10 leafs-G80 rear w/3.73’s
2” body lift w/Falken Wildpeak AT’s

dvil
I am merely driving my van
I am merely driving my van
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by dvil »

That's a new one. Glad you found it. Thanks for the update. =D>
1989 parts car
1989 V8 TPI project
1993 AWD parts car
1995 AWD W-engine G80 diff daily driver. For sale
2004 LT AWD LPG

LiftedAWDAstro
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Re: put a torsen diff in my 99

Post by LiftedAWDAstro »

The center link on the SPB was cut all up from the crank pulley…used to watch the sparks fly when all twisted up wheeling! :muhaha:
Current rides:
2013 Toyota Tundra DC 4x4
2008 Dodge Nitro 4x4
2005 Nissan Sentra 1.8S Special Edition

Mileage spreadsheet

Vans owned:
1986 Safari 2.5L 4 speed manual - scrapped
1995 Astro 2WD conversion 4.11 posi, shift kit, DHC rock rails - sold to Skippy
1998 Astro 4x4 D44, D60, NP231, full hydraulic system with 9k# Milemarker winch and snow plow - sold to Lockdoc
2003 Astro AWD all stock - traded for a 3/4 ton truck
2005 AWD, 4.10's - sold to skippy
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