Diff specialists for Christchurch and Canterbury
Canterbury is home. The workshop is at 104 Byron Street in Sydenham, and it is the only thing we do: differentials, for cars, utes, vans and 4WDs, from Christchurch and across the region. Around 120 rebuilt exchange diffs sit on the shelf covering 30 plus makes and models, and the same team strips, inspects and rebuilds customer units in the workshop every day.
Being local changes what is on offer. An exchange diff can be fitted here in Sydenham, booked in with the team so the vehicle is in and out in a few hours. Repairs to your own unit happen on the bench a few metres from the front counter, so you can bring the whole vehicle or just the diff. And parts, oils, LSD units and bearing kits can be collected rather than couriered.
For the rest of Canterbury, from Kaikoura to Timaru and inland to the lakes, the courier does the work. A unit dispatched from Sydenham typically arrives the same or next working day across the Christchurch metro area and the next working day across the wider region, freight free in both directions. Rural delivery addresses on the plains and in the hills should allow an extra day.
How it works from Canterbury
Four steps. Freight is on us in both directions.Next working day, typically
Overnight courier from the Sydenham workshop covers most Canterbury addresses, with the odd same day delivery when the run lines up.
Indicative only. Transit depends on the courier network and the time of day the order is placed. Tracking is emailed when the unit leaves the workshop.
- Rural delivery addresses: allow an extra working day each way.
- Oversize or heavy items such as complete beam axles travel with Move Logistics and are quoted by phone before anything is charged.
- Freight on exchange diffs is free in both directions. The return label for your old unit is in the box.
Vehicles we see a lot from Canterbury
Everything from Colorado and Ranger utes to Commodore rear ends and Land Cruiser front diffs. The units Canterbury drivers ask for most.
In stock · 5 units Holden Colorado RG Rebuilt Exchange Diff Holden $2,095 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Choose options 
In stock · 3 units Ford Ranger PK / PJ Rebuilt Exchange Rear Diff Ford $2,765 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Add to cart 
In stock · 5 units Toyota Hilux Rebuilt Exchange Diff Toyota From $1,795 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Choose options 
In stock · 5 units Isuzu Dmax Rebuilt Exchange diff Isuzu From $2,495 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Choose options 
Made to order Holden Commodore VT-VZ Diff Rebuilt Exchange 3.73 M80 LSD Holden $2,495 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Add to cart 
In stock · 5 units Ford Falcon BA BF Rebuilt LSD Exchange Diff Ute Ford From $3,195 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Choose options 
In stock · 3 units Toyota Land Cruiser 80 Series LSD 4.1 Ratio Rebuilt Exchange Diff Toyota $2,395 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Add to cart 
Low stock · 1 left Nissan Navara D40 Rebuilt Exchange Diff 3.69 ratio Nissan $2,995 incl GST and $250 refundable core charge Add to cart Not seeing your vehicle? Around 120 units are on the shelf and not all are online yet. Send your rego and the team will check.
Fitting it in Christchurch, or near you
In Christchurch the simplest answer is to have the team fit it. Bring the vehicle to Byron Street, the exchange unit comes off the shelf, and the swap is done in the workshop with the oil filled to spec. Want us to fit it too? Book in with the team and we'll see when we can fit you in. It takes a few hours depending on the vehicle, so it is a booked job rather than a wait around one.
Outside the city, any mechanic in Rangiora, Ashburton, Timaru or the smaller towns can fit an exchange head, and the unit arrives with fitting notes and the oil spec. The team is on the phone to them if anything comes up. For a repair rather than an exchange, your diff can travel to Sydenham on the courier and back again, freight free, while the vehicle stays with your local workshop.
Guides worth reading before you order
All articles
Troubleshooting Differential Repair Christchurch Noisy or leaking differential? Here's how to tell if you need a differential repair Christchurch drivers can trust, and what it involves. 
Troubleshooting Repair or Exchange Diff: Which One Do You Need? Repair or exchange diff - which is right for your vehicle? NZ-wide free freight, 80+ models in stock, and core charge pricing explained. 
Troubleshooting How Much Does a Diff Rebuild Cost in New Zealand? Find out what parts go into a professional diff rebuild and why no two rebuilds cost the same. Expert insight from Gearhead Diffs. Ordering from Canterbury: common questions
Do I have to send my old diff before you ship?
You do not. The rebuilt diff goes out first, you fit it, then the old one goes back in the same box. The core charge built into the price is the only security held, and it comes back to you once the old gears have been checked and found fit to rebuild.
What happens with the core charge?
It is built into the price, not added later. You pay once, fit the exchange unit, and send the old one back on the prepaid label. The refund is processed once the old crownwheel and pinion have been inspected and found reusable. Badly damaged gears mean the core charge is kept, and that is the end of it. No surprise invoice.
Is this a job I can do in my own shed?
Yes, if you are comfortable with it. A diff head swap on a live axle ute is within reach of a careful home mechanic. Follow the fitting notes that come with the unit, use the specified Redline oil, torque everything properly, and the 12 month or 20,000 km warranty stands. If you are unsure, any local mechanic can do it and the team will talk them through anything model specific.
What if it turns out to be the wrong one?
Send your rego when you order and the team checks the fitment before anything leaves Christchurch, so this is rare. If a unit arrives and does not match, call before fitting anything. The right one will be sorted and the freight on the wrong one arranged. The key thing is not to fit or fill a unit you are not sure about.