Is there a kit so a guy can lock up his front diff on a '97 454, or do you have to get a whole new diff, or can anything be done at all? It sure would make my hunting trips easier when your 4x4 means 4 tires are all digging.

 

rooch,


I am unaware of any way to lock your type of diff. So you would need to replace it with a suzuki/arctic cat locking diff. I just got done doing this to my 98 and it is a bolt in mod.

I purchased a diff from a 91 suzuki king quad, shortened left axle, shift arm for a 250/300 A/C and made my own shift rod. Also due to the ratio difference, I run 1 size smaller tires in the front than the back. There are a couple of us on this forum that are trying to find the right ring gear for the suzuki diff so the ratios are the same front/back.

 

Well there ya go! Things are happenning so fast anymore that it is hard to keep up! My last statment was WRONG! Seems there is a person with a 2000 A/C 500 that has locked his front diff with 6 set screws. I am trying to find out how it was done.

 

Tri, I will try to explain it better now that I have more time, the 2000 cats do not have spider gears like most diffs. the diff is a sealed unit, kinda like an Auburn limited slip unit. It is used in European tractors i was told. there are six holes on the outside of it, these hole are tapped out to a 10-32 thread pattern, I installed the 6 3/4" set screws and they inturn pressed an outer plate in to the brarring, hence tricking the diff into thinking both tires are under pressure. I have not rode it hard yet. But bench tests show it work, A long time ago on this forum Nightowl found this out, after getting back into Atving I decided that I needed to try to do it, However he has fallen off the face of the earth. so I emailed Boner and he was thinking that the Idea would work. I called Arctic Cat and talked to a guy named Bruce, He said it should also work. i reinstalled the diff with lucas and so far so good. The hardest part was getting the diff housing out of the cat.. hope this helps, Oh yea you will have to go to a bolt store to get the set screws, Home depot/Lowes/Napa did not have them

 

I definitely know what you have for a front diff, I think I have all the diffs A/C uses burned in my head! I have spent lots of time looking at break downs, reading forums and asking questions wile I was working on my diff swap. I will also agree with you on "GETTING THE DIFF IN/OUT" About the time I was going to give up and start removing the steering, it fell into place! I can't tell anybody how to hold your face, the diff and what words to use, but I do know it will go in!

After your post in the other forum I pulled my old diff from the shelf and looked at it. I see what you have done and makes since to me now. Since I have put in a KQ diff I don't need to do anything with my old diff, Just had to re-do my first WRONG post to this forum. Plus the knowledge of all the different way to upgrade diffs is fun for me.
Thanks for the GREAT info BigCatDriver!

 

No problem, I am also planning on haveing a few more intresting mods planed for this winter, but due to time constraints I can't get them done untill after HighLifters Mudnationals, they will include massive motor work ie Piston/Cam. Carb work. ported/polislhed head. Also I my fab man has built custom pipes for motorcycles for years. He wants to build a matched head pipe to the motor work. I have a new lift going on now that looks to raise the GC to about 16-16.5 inches, it is all billet Al. he has also made me some 2.5" and 1.5" wheel spacers out of the same billet Al. Since the after market is unwilling to help us cat owners i have had to have the parts custom made.

later

 

I thought on the old machines it was the suzuki diff, without the lever position for lock. Just make the lever go further. I might be wrong though.

 

1wook, This is true but only on the 250/300 4X4. The larger units were full time 4X4.