Front Differential Explosion

[Campfire]

Has anyone directly swapped the 2000 & up four pinion front diff into a 98 or 99?
I was in the Sierra's yesterday skiing, and decided to give the LC a shake down on a snow covered road. Four to six inches of snow, flat, three people in the truck, rear locker engaged, center locker engaged, and it sunk. This is a stock rig as of the moment, and I had the kids get out and start rocking it back and forth. Just started to get it moving, and tick,tick, tick, clunk clunk, BAM! I had my son drive so I could push, and then I noticed the oil puddle in the snow. After digging out some ruts, we got it back about 5 feet and there was gear oil and aluminum shavings in the snow. I'm on my way back today with a car trailer to get it.
I need to know if it's a straight swap, or do I need to change the axles also.
I'll post pictures later after I get it home and drop the skid plate. After a six hour ordeal getting home, the LC is beefed up.
Thanks in advance of any help or info.

 

[hoser]

Sounds liike an opportune time to get an ARB locker in the front.

 

[cruiser4life]

I've read at length about the improved 4 pinion over the 2 pinion front diff in the 98 and 99 100's.

I would hope there's more to this than locked center and rear, six inches of snow and a little rocking...

I've had my 98 in some stressful (on the diff) situations and no problems. Maybe I've just been lucky but I would hope not.

Also, I know this is a long running debate, but depending on your speed, I've had the 100 completely unlocked in that amount of snow and no problems at all...

That's a seriously expensive repair resulting from a seemingly common scenario, no?

 

[e9999]

what kind of rocking back and forth was that? how violent?

 

[uzj100]

When my front diff broke, there was no explosion. That seems really strange. 4 to 6 inches of snow is not much at all.

There seems to be something weird going on with your LC. Did you lift a wheel and then set back down as the wheel was still spinning?

uzj100

 

[spressomon]

And what type of tires and tread?

 

[NMuzj100]

I could see this happening especially on pavement. If one wheel dug down into a curb or dry pavement at a high RPM. It would be a lot like dropping a spinning wheel.

I was in a similar situation when I was snow wheeling (Avatar pic). Very easy to get way to much wheel spin with the V8. A good time to use the second gear start if you are searching for traction or a shovel if you want to cut to solid earth. I now have four chains after that near stuck, alone, sun setting at 12,000 ft.

 

[ShottsUZJ100]

Sounds liike an opportune time to get an ARB locker in the front.

I screwed up a 4-pinion in my 2001. Now have ARB. ARB is far your best option. You then have a triple-locked rig AND a strong diff.

 

[Greg B]

It sounds to me like you got more problems than a busted diff if you have a pool of gear oil on the ground. Either a pinion seal blew out or you now have a hole in your housing. Hopefully its just a seal. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

 

[SWUtah]

It sounds to me like you got more problems than a busted diff if you have a pool of gear oil on the ground. Either a pinion seal blew out or you now have a hole in your housing. Hopefully its just a seal. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Sounds like a hole, maybe hit something that busted the diff.

 

[Campfire]

It's home! Another seven hours on the road and now I can see. And so can you.
this is where it happened, and the stock Michelins didn't help. My Pathfinder never had problems like this.

The holes from which oil flowed. Notice the lower hole, that's the pinion shaft (or what's left of it) showing through.

and the pan with "spare parts"

I have to go to work tomorrow, and won't have a chance to tear the diff out till Friday. I still didn't hear the answer to my question, has anyone swapped a four pinion diff assembly into a 98 or 99? I'm going to start calling salvage yards tomorrow. And yes, while it's out, the ARB is coming.

 

[LandCruiserPhil]

It's home! Another seven hours on the road and now I can see. And so can you.
this is where it happened, and the stock Michelins didn't help. My Pathfinder never had problems like this.

The holes from which oil flowed. Notice the lower hole, that's the pinion shaft (or what's left of it) showing through.

and the pan with "spare parts"

I have to go to work tomorrow, and won't have a chance to tear the diff out till Friday. I still didn't hear the answer to my question, has anyone swapped a four pinion diff assembly into a 98 or 99? I'm going to start calling salvage yards tomorrow. And yes, while it's out, the ARB is coming.

I was searching for a 98-99 but now it looks like a 00+

Sorry to see this happen to you under such mild conditions

 

[dfmorse]

Wow; this is amazing, we really need to know more. No way u can break something on flat snow covered ground!

Keep us up to date.

...

 

[uzj100]

I believe there was an issue prior to this outing. It seems a honda accord could have made it down that path.

uzj100

 

[100 TD]

.............rear locker engaged, center locker engaged, and it sunk. ............and start rocking it back and forth. Just started to get it moving, and tick,tick, tick, clunk clunk, BAM!

Scary stuff, I was in a similar situation in a car park at a ski resort and was backing out slipping all over the place but fortunately nothing went bang!

With the centre and rear locked, both rear wheels must have been turning, as well as a front and maybe the front took the load as the rear let go and bang; will be interesting to find out what let go in the diff first.

 

[Campfire]

I could see this happening especially on pavement. If one wheel dug down into a curb or dry pavement at a high RPM. It would be a lot like dropping a spinning wheel.

I was in a similar situation when I was snow wheeling (Avatar pic). Very easy to get way to much wheel spin with the V8. A good time to use the second gear start if you are searching for traction or a shovel if you want to cut to solid earth. I now have four chains after that near stuck, alone, sun setting at 12,000 ft.

I did dig down and found ice about 1/2 to 1/4 inch thick. Had I had chains, I could have gotten out. But, even with street tires, I expected more.
After going out to dinner and relaxing a bit, I've edited out my sarcastic coments and my Pathfinder pics. I've just decided that aggressive tread, 4 pinion with ARB, and a lift will begin to get this rig trail ready. This is a used LC I bought from the original owner who had it serviced all the time. But it did spend it's life in snow country so wheel spin on ice and then hitting pavement is surely in it's past. I'll build this thing the way I want it and then know what's in it.

 

[MoJ]

This sounds more like an H2 story than an LC story. There's got to be more to it.

 

[Jim_Chow]

I believe there was an issue prior to this outing. It seems a honda accord could have made it down that path.

uzj100

Agreed. Hate to say this, but my XC ski buddy and I have driven on roads like this w/ 3 adults plus gear inside a subaru justy w/ M+S tires in Upstate NY (also wet, heavy snow like Sierra snow).

Wasn't there someone on this board w/ a '99 ish LX who had his 2-pinion diff replaced after wheeling in mud w/ a 4-pinion, then the 4-pinion replaced at least once more?

 

[tabraha]

Agreed. Hate to say this, but my XC ski buddy and I have driven on roads like this w/ 3 adults plus gear inside a subaru justy w/ M+S tires in Upstate NY (also wet, heavy snow like Sierra snow).

Wasn't there someone on this board w/ a '99 ish LX who had his 2-pinion diff replaced after wheeling in mud w/ a 4-pinion, then the 4-pinion replaced at least once more?

Yes, that same person had been through 3 diffs, 2 of which were the 4-pinions I believe. There is no doubt in my mind that I would go ARB at this point if I were in this position. I also agree that there was something wrong before it ever got to that spot in the snow. That is definitely nothing that should have phased the cruiser. Campfire you are correct to have expected more out of the cruiser than that even if it was on those Michelins!

 

[uzj100]

Could locking the center and rear diffs added to the issue?

Also, I am pissed at Toyota for putting these vehicles out with a front diff issue. I know they tested them however something is just not right. What is the first thing you would typically do if you begin to get stuck? Stop and put the bad boy in reverse. Reverse is where a bunch of these diffs broke in Australia.

uzj100