Front Diff explosion? (1 Viewer)

[Das Shtig]

So my front diff is toast. May have run it dry—don’t judge me, I’m sorry! Anywho, the transfer case front output is locked solid — rear spins nice and free. Best course of action?

Can I remove the front driveshaft and drive around w the diff locked? Or is my transfer case toast? If toast, can I drive it around w diff NOT locked, no front driveshaft?

Obviously, optimally, best course of action is install new front diff (and maybe t case??) — so if anyone has one to spare(sell) then please contact me. I’ll buy that shiz

TLR

Front diff = ****ed
Pinion almost certainly sheared off -
Transfer case front output locked solid - rear output spins nice and free - best course of action?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

Remove front ds and drive flanges, lock center. What happened to damage it?

 

[Das Shtig]

If t case is damaged, it’s cool to lock center diff (w no flange and driveshaft)?

I ran it dry. I feel terrible, so don’t flame me too hard...

 

[bentonrover]

Was the seals leaking or just never changed? Good luck man. Lesson learned huh?

 

[roma042987]

I have a good front diff from a 1999 with 214k on it for $200 Plus the ride. Fluid has always been clean and serviced.
romascosyrev@hotmail.com

 

[Das Shtig]

Was the seals leaking or just never changed? Good luck man. Lesson learned huh?

Seal leaking... lesson learned. I am ashamed!

 

[Das Shtig]

Does it sound to you guys like I have Transfer Case damage? If so, is it still ok to lock center diff and drive it?

 

[Trunk Monkey]

If after you remove the front end from the equation you've still got binding or noise, then maybe. Not likely though, usually it's just the front diff that's the issue.

 

[0tterPop]

I have a good front diff from a 1999 with 214k on it for $200 Plus the ride. Fluid has always been clean and serviced.
romascosyrev@hotmail.com

By any chance do you still have this front diff?

 

[Dent42]

I am curious about how this turned out but I guess I will never know.

I just blew up my front diff after getting stuck in the snow, trying to rock the truck like a manual. The casing flexed enough to start leaking. I have disconnected the front DS and the hubs and the truck seems to run fine with the CDL, but if I turn off the CDL it makes a grinding noise like it’s trying to get into gear. Does this indicate transfer case damage? Or is it normal? Thanks for any help!

 

[Trunk Monkey]

With the center unlocked it's sending power to the path of least resistance/traction, which is the front end in your case. So, it's spinning the front drive shaft and grinding the diff.

 

[Ayune]

With the center unlocked it's sending power to the path of least resistance/traction, which is the front end in your case. So, it's spinning the front drive shaft and grinding the diff.

Nah, he sez he disconnected the front DS. What could be grinding now?

@Dent42 You sure the T-case shift lever is firmly in H or L?

 

[SocalLCruiser]

I am curious about how this turned out but I guess I will never know.

I just blew up my front diff after getting stuck in the snow, trying to rock the truck like a manual. The casing flexed enough to start leaking. I have disconnected the front DS and the hubs and the truck seems to run fine with the CDL, but if I turn off the CDL it makes a grinding noise like it’s trying to get into gear. Does this indicate transfer case damage? Or is it normal? Thanks for any help!

Exact same symptom I had last month. I had stripped teeth of the ring gear and broke chunks out of the pinion gear. The pieces ate the spiders! I had the front diff rebuilt and added a locker....so not all was lost!

Good Luck. It wasn't cheap!

 

[SocalLCruiser]

Nah, he sez he disconnected the front DS. What could be grinding now?

@Dent42 You sure the T-case shift lever is firmly in H or L?

Ev

Nah, he sez he disconnected the front DS. What could be grinding now?

@Dent42 You sure the T-case shift lever is firmly in H or L?

Just re-read. You're correct. With the DS removed what would make the noise?

 

[Dent42]

Nah, he sez he disconnected the front DS. What could be grinding now?

@Dent42 You sure the T-case shift lever is firmly in H or L?

Yeah the front diff is completely out of the equation. I would think that with the CDL “off” the truck would just run normally but not move, spinning the the front drive flange as the path of least resistance. My concern is that it’s making a grinding noise (kinda like when you shift wrong in a manual, like it’s trying to get in gear but not fully engaged)

 

[ClrwtrBeachBum]

Exact same symptom I had last month. I had stripped teeth of the ring gear and broke chunks out of the pinion gear. The pieces ate the spiders! I had the front diff rebuilt and added a locker....so not all was lost!

Good Luck. It wasn't cheap!

SocalLCruiser, how much did the front locker cost?

Cheers,

Frank

 

[Dent42]

Exact same symptom I had last month. I had stripped teeth of the ring gear and broke chunks out of the pinion gear. The pieces ate the spiders! I had the front diff rebuilt and added a locker....so not all was lost!

Good Luck. It wasn't cheap!

My plan exactly, but I just am trying to find out if my t-case is forfeit as well.

I will probably go with a diff lock even if I don’t hook it up, from what I have read they are just so much more rigid than the original.

 

[Das Shtig]

I am curious about how this turned out but I guess I will never know.

I just blew up my front diff after getting stuck in the snow, trying to rock the truck like a manual. The casing flexed enough to start leaking. I have disconnected the front DS and the hubs and the truck seems to run fine with the CDL, but if I turn off the CDL it makes a grinding noise like it’s trying to get into gear. Does this indicate transfer case damage? Or is it normal? Thanks for any help!

This turned out great. I bought another diff on here for $500 and installed it in my apartment parking lot! Was quite easy, actually.

Admittedly, I kept my CDL engaged the entire time I had the front driveshaft/axle flanges, for fear of possibly hurting something. I hope your t case is ok. They’re quite robust, so, hopefully. I broke my front diff fairly violently, and I feared my t case may have been damaged too—but it ended up being ok. Best of luck!

 

[Dent42]

This turned out great. I bought another diff on here for $500 and installed it in my apartment parking lot! Was quite easy, actually.

Admittedly, I kept my CDL engaged the entire time I had the front driveshaft/axle flanges, for fear of possibly hurting something. I hope your t case is ok. They’re quite robust, so, hopefully. I broke my front diff fairly violently, and I feared my t case may have been damaged too—but it ended up being ok. Best of luck!

There’s the issue, no one else is dumb like me to try all the options but admittedly I didn’t know what had happened at first so I turned off the CDL when I first got unstuck (diff had blown while stuck in the snow) and the truck would barely move, and it made terrible noises. Didn’t start moving again until I re-engaged the CDL, diff still made terrible noises but it was consistent and the truck moved normally.

I was pretty violent when I broke mine as well, I had that my truck is invincible attitude I had been warned before that the front diff was week but I thought diff damage was only for those with oversized tires.

 

[SocalLCruiser]

SocalLCruiser, how much did the front locker cost?

Cheers,

Frank

For the ARB Air Locker, Compressor, Wiring & Switches, Ring & Pinion, Labor-$2700