I read somewhere a while back that breathers are sometimes bad for the differential, or decreases the life of them or something like that. is there a certain type that is bad? just wondering if this is true, because i'm planning on putting breathers on both front and back diffs on my runner. i use my runner for traveling more than wheeling, but just incase i get to a deep puddle while i'm wheeling, i want to be prepared. i'm looking into that arctic cat mod http://www.ttora.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49380, do you guys recommend this, or just go with the old fashioned tubes all over? thanks everyone

 

technically the only thing you are doing is raising the breather, so no, just make sure it can get air and have a filter or something to prevnet dust and whatnot from damaging you ลลลล. artic cat mod is cool, but the simple tube works great.

 

I think this is a much easier setup than the other mods and much cheaper, shouldnt cost more than 5 bucks.

The old mod involved a couple union fittings, some hose clamps and a long fuel or vacuum line that had to be routed. This set up involved maybe 5 minutes of time and very few parts, everything but the artic cat piece can be bought at a hardware store or home center.

In theory I think it will work, your diff needs room to breath and the old breather let air in and out. When you put on the old diff breather system (running a line to the highest point) it sill breathes using the same breather fitting-its just higher. You go higher than its mounted and oh boy you may have troubles.

The artic cat diff breather lets air in and out by being a plastic type accordian. It lets the air expand it and lets the air contract it.

I was going to do the oldmod but I think I will do this one, its simpler, less of a pain in the butt and cheaper.

 

K.I.S.S. is definitely the R.O.T. here. No need to make this a complicated mod...some fittings, hose clamps, hose and breathers and you are good. The key is not having any traps in your hose for the fluid to collect if the diff needs to breathe, as this will cause problems. Other than that...nothing to the mod, cheap insurance. I routed both of my diff breather extensions into the engine bay with little effort.

There are also many articles on this mod all over many websites and forums, so you might try searching some more and using to find some more information.

Good luck.

 

I Second that Wabbit;

I did the same, took the diff breathers out, threaded in the nipple, clamped the hose, run them to the engine bay along my firewall, and I even used the original breather caps that I removed at the ends of the tubes..

 

if you cap off the tube, won't that stop the differential from breathing, causing it to overheat? or will it use the air that is already in there? thats something I don't quite get.

 

But your not capping off the tube as the little artic cat breather allows expansion with the accordian style breather.

 

I'm talking about the Original Breather Caps that are on the diff to begin with...
Another option is the use Air Tool Filters (Used those on my 1st Gen)

Here's a file of what those Breather Caps look like and The other types you could use to attach a tube.
http://sonoransteel.com/Diff_Breather_Parts.pdf

I can probably get a pic of my setup if your would like??

 

yea, that'd be great. i'm still trying to decide wether to go with that or the arctic cat one. if the arctic cat one is safe for the dif. then i'll just go with that.

 

The Nissan breather bolt has a nice long barb to attach a hose to.

Nissan part number is 38323-C6010.

Article on how to:
http://www.off-road.com/toyota/cheaptricks/breathers/

There is a pic of this Nissan part installed. Works very well and is very simple.

 

You need to think about moisture in your diff also. The breather lets the water vapor out when the diff gets up to temperature. Where the Artic Cat mod will not.