Winchin n’ Wheelin in deep snow- who put the grenade in my transfer case? (1 Viewer)

[gatormark91]

Simple test.. pull the front driveshaft. Lock the center and see what happens

 

[AimCOtaco]

Push the center diff lock button, ensure that it's locked and then re-inspect. Sounds more like a front diff to me.

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

Great idea! I will do that and it's an easy out to check.

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

Still, the metal on the drain plug? Would you ignore it? I want to open and inspect the transfer case.

 

[DirtDawg]

Still, the metal on the drain plug? Would you ignore it? I want to open and inspect the transfer case.

Some metal on the plug is normal. Especially the shavings you found. No large chunks are good. I would not worry about the transfer case at all. Fresh fluids and fix the front diff.

Your worrying about the wrong part right now.

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

No I'm on the right parts- the front diff is coming out. I don't want to look back and say man if I just would have....

Metal shavings are normal? In 1500 miles? I just changed all fluids 1500 ago, that is why this metal concerns me.

Thoughts?

 

[DirtDawg]

No I'm on the right parts- the front diff is coming out. I don't want to look back and say man if I just would have....

Metal shavings are normal? In 1500 miles? I just changed all fluids 1500 ago, that is why this metal concerns me.

Thoughts?

I’ve seen it happen after a few days of romping out in sand and rocks. The t case was fine, but this was also on a 4Runner TCase. I expect the LC case is stronger.

Start with the front diff, it’s clearly broken (if you’ve ruled out flanges), but there’s no reason to open the transfer case unless it’s really needed. So you open it up and don’t see any significant damage? What are you going to replace? Just the proper seals to seal the case back up? At that point to me you’ve just added a touch of human error to a part that was probably ok, potentaillly leading to future leaks, issues, etc. But the same could be said for leaving it alone.

How often are your change intervals on your diffs/tcase? Proper fluid?

 

[staggrlee]

Well I cannot say what exactly caused this, when you wheel you break. But for sure saved someone. and I would do it again.

Curious if you were you winching from a stationary point or winching/pulling at the same time? In the shots it looks like you're using a strap as a winchline extension. Did you use a kinetic snatch strap or a tow strap to recover the other vehicle?

 

[Julian Stead]

Easy to check your transfer case, just try and drive it with your center diff locked when you have isolated your front diff from the drivechain, this will prove if your theory on your lose of drive to the rear is correct. If it moves then great, if it doesn’t move but the rear driveshaft spins then check rear diff, if the rear propshaft doesn’t spin then it is in your transfer case.

I think what you experienced is that your open center diff put all the drive to the front after you blew the front diff as this had the least resistance, giving you no drive. Locking the diff allowed you to drive home in rear wheel drive.

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

I’ve seen it happen after a few days of romping out in sand and rocks. The t case was fine, but this was also on a 4Runner TCase. I expect the LC case is stronger.

Start with the front diff, it’s clearly broken (if you’ve ruled out flanges), but there’s no reason to open the transfer case unless it’s really needed. So you open it up and don’t see any significant damage? What are you going to replace? Just the proper seals to seal the case back up? At that point to me you’ve just added a touch of human error to a part that was probably ok, potentaillly leading to future leaks, issues, etc. But the same could be said for leaving it alone.

How often are your change intervals on your diffs/tcase? Proper fluid?

yup starting with diff- I'm looking at one from Just differentials- its an upgrade- with the arb locker

T-case, I will open and inspect the gears; front, center and back taking apart as little as possible. I can properly gasket the thing back together. Best case your right- nothing is wrong. Worse case, I find toothless gears. But I also can service what ever it needs-199k miles
I have been doing a little googling and I think I may put a gear reduction into the transfer case, what say you guys? I have changed enough gear oil in my time to say the shavings I saw warrant it for peace of mind

I change the fluids on schedule and a lot. I don't wait for the 3k/30k- Depending on mileage/Hi-heat wheeling/hard trails/ and of course time. This last fluid change was a big drive from California to Montana, I changed all drive train fluids. Engine oil is royal purple 5W, transfer case 75w & Diff 80w is royal purple GL-4/GL-5 (I checked the FSM for oil viscosity)

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

Curious if you were you winching from a stationary point or winching/pulling at the same time? In the shots it looks like you're using a strap as a winchline extension. Did you use a kinetic snatch strap or a tow strap to recover the other vehicle?

winching/pulling- I actually dug out a lot and then made the two idiots dig even more, then we dug more. I don't like to yank ( I know it works) but I like to be easy on equipment. While backing up I winched in a little, stopped, and dug, and re-positioned and repeat. A couple of times I was spinning the wheels a little, But I really try not to. But I may have been broken before hand in the snow drift, not sure.

Do you guys recommend a different method- I am all ears. I have only winched out a dozen or so people- I am no expert

 

[bwell]

winching/pulling- I actually dug out a lot and then made the two idiots dig even more, then we dug more. I don't like to yank ( I know it works) but I like to be easy on equipment. While backing up I winched in a little, stopped, and dug, and re-positioned and repeat. A couple of times I was spinning the wheels a little, But I really try not to. But I may have been broken before hand in the snow drift, not sure.

Do you guys recommend a different method- I am all ears. I have only winched out a dozen or so people- I am no expert

That's how I blew up my front diff, winching something and reversing at the same time

Live and learn I guess.

 

[thatcabledude]

^Yeah, I was about to ask if you were pulling in reverse. That’s going to be your culprit.

 

[H E A V Y M E T A L]

really!!!

 

[DirtDawg]

Yup, blew the front diff of an old ifs Toyota pickup that way.

If your going to take the tcase apart it’d be worth putting in a reduction gear set or if you want to run part time hubs, a solid carrier.

 

[bwell]

Yes sir, I no longer pull or do anything in reverse in this vehicle. Happened almost two years ago. I cut firewood in old top out areas of BLM managed national forest. Sometimes it is a pain to get sections of tree into a workable area. I had three 8" to 10" 15' to 25' sections of oak hooked up at once, and was doing a pretty long pull, got lazy, said screw it, was in 4lo, and wasnt even really pulling hard, diff didn't like It though. I lost part of three teeth. Mine was drivable for a bit before I actually rebuilt it.

Once you get to it, if you do it yourself, make sure you get a solid front pinion spacer.

Also depending on the year of your truck, and or where you source the new ring and pinion, you might have to upgrade to a higher spline count pinion flange also.

 

[bwell]

Yup, blew the front diff of an old ifs Toyota pickup that way.

If your going to take the tcase apart it’d be worth putting in a reduction gear set or if you want to run part time hubs, a solid carrier.

X2 on this,

HA,while your in there.... 3 to 1 low range kit from marlin crawler and a part time kit from lokka.

 

[abuck99]

Reverse gear pulls/ snatches can be detrimental. Best if you turn around and tug from rear of truck, or use the winch (if you have one) to pull from front.