Blown up front diff

[owenjan11]

I was out the other day on moderate trails and on the way back there was a loud knocking in the front end that I could feel through the wheel and the floor. when I got home I jacked up the front end and I spun each wheel separately, they spun freely for almost a full rotation and then would completely lock up. When it would lock up the knuckle coming from the diff to the driveshaft would move left to right and make a knocking sound. when turning there is a large bang and it doesn’t want to move.

new diffs are expensive. Could I take the diff out and run it with only 2wd?

thanks

 

[P man]

I was out the other day on moderate trails and on the way back there was a loud knocking in the front end that I could feel through the wheel and the floor. when I got home I jacked up the front end and I spun each wheel separately, they spun freely for almost a full rotation and then would completely lock up. When it would lock up the knuckle coming from the diff to the driveshaft would move left to right and make a knocking sound. when turning there is a large bang and it doesn’t want to move.

new diffs are expensive. Could I take the diff out and run it with only 2wd?

thanks

When you say "take the diff out" do you mean remove the carrier and gears and just run an empty housing? Or do you mean remove the whole assembly and replace with a solid beam from a cherokee?

 

[owenjan11]

When you say "take the diff out" do you mean remove the carrier and gears and just run an empty housing? Or do you mean remove the whole assembly and replace with a solid beam from a cherokee?

run an empty housing

 

[P man]

run an empty housing

I guess I can't see where it would hurt anything but wouldn't you rather just fix it? Have you checked pricing on used assemblies?

 

[Duck Doctor]

Rebuilding the front diff should only cost about $1,000. Shop will have it done in one day.

 

[AMS417]

run an empty housing

You would need to be sure to run a stub shaft and nut in each unit bearing. Not doing so will cause the bearing to fail and a wheel to come off. People have died from this, no joke. If you do that, you can safely run an empty housing and be ok for 2wd.

 

[tworley]

You're also going to need gear oil to keep your pinion and carrier bearings lubed.

 

[AMS417]

You're also going to need gear oil to keep your pinion and carrier bearings lubed.

Pull all that stuff out. Run an empty housing he was asking. I'd at least grease everything up to keep it from rusting.

 

[owenjan11]

You would need to be sure to run a stub shaft and nut in each unit bearing. Not doing so will cause the bearing to fail and a wheel to come off. People have died from this, no joke. If you do that, you can safely run an empty housing and be ok for 2wd.

Pull all that stuff out. Run an empty housing he was asking. I'd at least grease everything up to keep it from rusting.

thank you man much appreciated

 

[tworley]

Pull all that stuff out. Run an empty housing he was asking. I'd at least grease everything up to keep it from rusting.

Not the way I'd do it but to each their own I guess. Agree on keeping the stub shafts in place then.

 

[TheBoogieman]

A 2WD Jeep is like having a hot GF that hates sex. Complete Dana 30 used axles only run $200-300 where I live. Search your local craigslist, Facebook marketplace or salvage yards.

 

[AMS417]

Not the way I'd do it but to each their own I guess. Agree on keeping the stub shafts in place then.

Me either but it will get him by as a temp fix. I would just fix it, but not in the cards sometimes.

 

[Kerndone]

You would need to be sure to run a stub shaft and nut in each unit bearing. Not doing so will cause the bearing to fail and a wheel to come off. People have died from this, no joke. If you do that, you can safely run an empty housing and be ok for 2wd.

^This, absolutely. Lost an off-road club member and his dad many years ago after he pulled his short side when it broke on the trail. Got into a bad wreck on the interstate on the way home. One of those things where you wonder if you went that day, you would have been there to stop him from doing that.

 

[srimes]

A 2WD Jeep is like having a hot GF that hates sex. Complete Dana 30 used axles only run $200-300 where I live. Search your local craigslist, Facebook marketplace or salvage yards.

And then you have full access and as much time as you need to fix the broken one.

 

[mrblaine]

^This, absolutely. Lost an off-road club member and his dad many years ago after he pulled his short side when it broke on the trail. Got into a bad wreck on the interstate on the way home. One of those things where you wonder if you went that day, you would have been there to stop him from doing that.

We used to help a local gent with some maintenance and minor repairs on his rig. I finally had to tell him I was no longer interested since I can only handle being made a fool of by a rig so many times.

Comes in with a stub twisted off at the splines in the unit bearing. I explain that is caused by improper install or crap parts. I install one from Revolution, new u-joint, inner shaft, unit bearing and send him on his way. About 6 months later way past any particular details I would recall about his rig, we get another call, same problem, he gets the same spiel, and then tells me that is exactly what I said the last time. Get him in, warn him not to drive it with a broken stub since I can clearly see it missing. You'll die. How far can I drive it before that happens he asks?
Why?
I finished the trail in 3 wheel drive and then drove the twisty mountain road home about 10 miles on this and it's still together.

Ok, we are done after I get this one fixed up again. Your rig doesn't like me and I'm not going to let it do this any more.

 

[Jerry Bransford]

We used to help a local gent with some maintenance and minor repairs on his rig. I finally had to tell him I was no longer interested since I can only handle being made a fool of by a rig so many times.

Comes in with a stub twisted off at the splines in the unit bearing. I explain that is caused by improper install or crap parts. I install one from Revolution, new u-joint, inner shaft, unit bearing and send him on his way. About 6 months later way past any particular details I would recall about his rig, we get another call, same problem, he gets the same spiel, and then tells me that is exactly what I said the last time. Get him in, warn him not to drive it with a broken stub since I can clearly see it missing. You'll die. How far can I drive it before that happens he asks?
Why?
I finished the trail in 3 wheel drive and then drove the twisty mountain road home about 10 miles on this and it's still together.

A fellow 4x4 club member I used to wheel with died on 395 on the way back down to San Diego when his unit bearing hub came apart after having removed the stub shaft to drive home. The wheel came off and he slid into oncoming traffic at 70 mph.

 

[mrblaine]

A fellow 4x4 club member I used to wheel with died on 395 on the way back down to San Diego when his unit bearing hub came apart after having removed the stub shaft to drive home. The wheel came off and he skidded into oncoming traffic at 70 mph.

I'm well aware, I know of several. That's why I warned him enthusiastically. Rig didn't care.

 

[NskLJ]

Pull all that stuff out. Run an empty housing he was asking. I'd at least grease everything up to keep it from rusting.

How would he keep the oil in the diff?

 

[NskLJ]

A fellow 4x4 club member I used to wheel with died on 395 on the way back down to San Diego when his unit bearing hub came apart after having removed the stub shaft to drive home. The wheel came off and he slid into oncoming traffic at 70 mph.

That’s a sad story. I wouldn’t think you could make it very far on just a unit bearing.

 

[tworley]

How would he keep the oil in the diff?

Lots of rags and other garbage shoved into the axle tube.