Grenaded Diff? and stolen Cat (2 Viewers)

[sunnyjayS]

I have a 2000 LC with 183k. Been baselining for the past 10 months (axles, tie rods, ball joints, u-joints, wheel bearings, radiator, etc). Was driving on a small town highway last night going 55 and hear a terrible noise from my front end. As I'm slowing down, starts "braking" on its own, rubber burning, very glad my girlfriend and I were wearing seatbelts. Seems like my front diff absolutely shredded and locked up from some of the shards. Threw no codes, haven't had any noticeable warning signs, I also thought the front diff on the 2000 was the improved (4-pinion?) one. Tow truck just picked it up and in neutral the front wheels won't even roll. Dragged it up the tow bed. Left it overnight before it got towed this morning (hard storming all night) and someone stole my catalytic converter as well. Feel like I'm getting shafted on my bulletproof toyota... need advice about the front diff. I don't wheel much, just go off-road to get to lakes, camping spots, etc., definitely has not been abused. PO was an elderly woman and I'm the second owner. I'm a college student, cruiser is the first vehicle I purchased myself, just looking for what I need to do to get back on the road. Don't know a ton but I'm learning -- what's the best way to go about getting the diff rebuilt/replaced?

also I just put 285 75 16 ko2s on last week, not sure if that puts any more pressure on the diff but just mentioning it. suspension is stock.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

I'd do more inspection before you point at the diff. Stripped flanges/missing c-clip are way more common, but you'd still be able to roll the vehicle. Possible that the bearings in one of the hubs gave out and welded together on the spindle. Brake caliper bolt coming off will lock up a wheel too.

 

[sunnyjayS]

I'd do more inspection before you point at the diff. Stripped flanges/missing c-clip are way more common, but you'd still be able to roll the vehicle. Possible that the bearings in one of the hubs gave out and welded together on the spindle. Brake caliper bolt coming off will lock up a wheel too.

Just replaced bearings, the noise I’m almost certain is coming from the diff and is an awful grinding/clunking

 

[DesertLCruiser]

Clunking when you shift gears?

 

[sunnyjayS]

Clunking when you shift gears?

No, when it's moving. Just letting off the brake letting it barely move. It's a horrific clunking and grinding -- not like the drivleline clunk (which it also has)

 

[DesertLCruiser]

No, when it's moving. Just letting off the brake letting it barely move. It's a horrific clunking and grinding -- not like the drivleline clunk (which it also has)

I have a TC issue too. Clunks/thuds when starting to accelerate and sometimes when it shifts at certain rpms.

 

[DesertLCruiser]

No, when it's moving. Just letting off the brake letting it barely move. It's a horrific clunking and grinding -- not like the drivleline clunk (which it also has)

Mine also had the grinding thing once or twice on sleet/ice. It had a trouble in traction.

 

[ClassyJalopy]

Draining the front diff will make it clear if it is indeed kaput

 

[DesertLCruiser]

Draining the front diff will make it clear if it is indeed kaput

Did that. Still continues.

 

[Patassa]

Did that. Still continues.

I think he means if you drain it now and check the magnet on the plug, that will tell you if your diff grenaded (which seems odd to happen just normal driving) bc you'll see chunks of metal on it.

 

[sunnyjayS]

(which seems odd to happen just normal driving)

That's what I thought too. It's with my mechanic currently so I'll know soon if it's the diff or not.

 

[squeezer]

Just replaced bearings, the noise I’m almost certain is coming from the diff and is an awful grinding/clunking

Hate to say it but the chances of something not going back together properly during the front end work is much greater than a diff failure during normal driving...

 

[2001LC]

Assemble of front end during servicing, mainly wheel bearings. Is more likely the issue, than a properly topped front diff just "gernaded' cruising the HWY..

Ask shop to check diff gear lube level. If shop says it's the diff. Have then text pictures of the chunks of metal on drain plug magnet. Post them up here, for all to see. As some metal is normal on plug.

Look on the bright side, if you good insurance. You'll get a check for CAT around 4k. Have aftermarket CAT install for less than $1K with new o2 sensors. Heck you may even be able to claim front end works as an accident due to mistakes during assemble.

 

[DTCsk8er]

If it was a hub issue (one, not both, since it'd be pretty rare to have both lock up to the spindle), the only way it could completely lock the front end is if the diff is locked. If the diff wasn't grenaded, one side would still be able to move.

I'm leaning towards the front end worked itself wrong.. uncommon as it may be, I'd bet it was low oil, or possibly previous work that wasn't done correctly. In either case, most of the time diffs start to go, they make quite a bit of racket leading to the catastrophic failure.

I'm with @2001LC , get some photos and post them here!

 

[sunnyjayS]

In either case, most of the time diffs start to go, they make quite a bit of racket leading to the catastrophic failure.

How long before? Mine definitely made a racket, but only ~30s before locking.

Have then text pictures of the chunks of metal on drain plug magnet.

I called them and they said they're certain it's the front diff as well. Said they jacked it up and tried working it to free it up inside and said it would get free and then lock up again. He's going to text me photos of the drain magnet when they pull it. Based on my experience when this all happened, with both wheels locking, the noises, etc., I really don't see how it couldn't be the diff. I hope it's not, but in the case that it is: what are my options? Is a used/new front diff a better route than a rebuilt? Don't really know where to go from here.

 

[sunnyjayS]

Assemble of front end during servicing, mainly wheel bearings. Is more likely the issue, than a properly topped front diff just "gernaded' cruising the HWY..

they replaced bearings and axles, is there anything they could have done wrong when swapping axles that could have caused failure?

 

[2001LC]

they replaced bearings and axles, is there anything they could have done wrong when swapping axles that could have caused failure?

When front drive shafts (AKA FDS, AKA axle, AKA CV) replaced. We pull them from front differential, which some gear lube is lost. So gear lube must be filled/topped off, at a minimum. I always replace the side diff. seals, that seal FDS in the diff. Otherwise they may leak. I also drain and fill the diff.

Front differential only holds 1.8 qts. So any loss of gear lube, is of concern. Also what gear lube filled with, is of concern.

 

[Patassa]

I need to understand how a front diff just s***s the bed like this. No fluid in the diff is the next guess.

 

[sunnyjayS]

I need to understand how a front diff just s***s the bed like this. No fluid in the diff is the next guess.

I had the diff fluid checked a couple months ago, that was before the axle swap though. There was no leak. I guess I'll know whenever they check the plug if the fluid was low. I heard that the 98-99 LC had weaker front diffs... is it possible that mine was built early enough to have the weaker diff? And if so that it would fail during normal use assuming the fluid was topped?

 

[Patassa]

I had the diff fluid checked a couple months ago, that was before the axle swap though. There was no leak. I guess I'll know whenever they check the plug if the fluid was low. I heard that the 98-99 LC had weaker front diffs... is it possible that mine was built early enough to have the weaker diff? And if so that it would fail during normal use assuming the fluid was topped?

Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought most of those early 100 series diff failures happened on the trial, particularly while bouncing the front end up and down on/over an obstacle.