signs of a bad front diff?

atkonkler

atkonkler

Is this your bush?
I dont have access to a hoist right now but does anyone know the signs of a failing or failed front diff in a ty? Im getting a vibration when driving! Is there anything i should look for? im lost and need to see the light! had front propshaft rebuilt 2 years ago! possibility of vibration?



If anyone has any ideas let me know!

Thanks Aaron
 
ziembic

ziembic

Donating Member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

What are the wheels and tires like? Can you feel the vibration in the wheel or is it in the floor?
 
RealFastV6

RealFastV6

@jb_and_his_coffee
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

It could be any number of things. Randomly throwing parts at it in this case is probably the most expensive way to do it.

The first thing I'd verify is that your wheels \ tires are balanced.

The next thing I'd verify is that you don't have a bad CV front axle.

The next thing I'd verify is that you don't have a bad propshaft.

Unless you have another reason to suspect it's the diff; it's probably not the diff.

Good luck. :tup:
 
alwayscode390

alwayscode390

pppssssshhhhhtttttttttttt
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

I blew my front diff last year.

Heard a lot of clunking for a long time ... thought it was the propshaft joints.

Put in a new propshaft, cv axles, and hubs ... and it still had the noise.

I could tell I was losing my AWD ... the rear was braking loose at aggressive launches.

Started shaking violently at 60 mph (I thought it was my dryrotted tires) then spit fluid out and locked up LOL ---
 
Throws

Throws

Active member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

alwayscode390 said:
I blew my front diff last year.

Heard a lot of clunking for a long time ... thought it was the propshaft joints.

Put in a new propshaft, cv axles, and hubs ... and it still had the noise.

I could tell I was losing my AWD ... the rear was braking loose at aggressive launches.

Started shaking violently at 60 mph (I thought it was my dryrotted tires) then spit fluid out and locked up LOL ---
Click to expand...

Locking up is always a good indicator. ;)

-P
 
alwayscode390

alwayscode390

pppssssshhhhhtttttttttttt
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

LOL ... I still wonder how much life it took out of my transmission :( ... OUCH!!! ---
 
M

MIXEDBREED

New member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

atkonkler said:
I dont have access to a hoist right now but does anyone know the signs of a failing or failed front diff in a ty? Im getting a vibration when driving! Is there anything i should look for? im lost and need to see the light! had front propshaft rebuilt 2 years ago! possibility of vibration?



If anyone has any ideas let me know!

Thanks Aaron
Click to expand...

The best signs on a failed diff is no more awd lol. Mine was going out when I bought the truck it was clunking for a few days then it was just rwd. Would spin the back tires all day long lol. It did run a 13.4 with the broke front diff. I just through on a set of wheels with dr's on the back and ran it haha. That was when the truck was stock.
 
atkonkler

atkonkler

Is this your bush?
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

Ok i changed the fluid last year 2 years ago and had the front drive shaft rebuilt also with the same time frame. It seems to vibrate on accelleration above 60-65 the worst. What fluid does everyone run in the diff i put in 75w140 shoyld i be running 80-w90 or 75 -90? I also has to grind down the nose on the cv axles to fit my c-5 wagon wheel caps. I want a hoist so bad like no other right now! i wish i could get a second opinion from another person in mn! i think im gonna see if i remove the drive shaft it will go away or not then go from there! Any help is appreciated!:D tires are brand new and balanced!


Aaron
 
DaveP

DaveP

Active member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

atkonkler said:
i think im gonna see if i remove the drive shaft it will go away or not then go from there!
Click to expand...

That's the place to begin, IMO. Another peep above put the prop-shaft further down his list. I place it at the top, based on my experience.

Regarding vibration diagnosis. There are two speeds involved with front diff and axle: Tire, half shaft, and carrier speed, and prop-shaft and pinion speed. The prop shaft and pinion rotate 3.42 times faster than the wheels and axle shafts.

Tire speed is ~11hz at 60MPH. A single-order prop-shaft vibration is ~40hz at the same speed. It's a big enough difference that an experienced tech should be able to easily discern the difference in frequency, and therefore the source.
 
Jimmy

Jimmy

Banned
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

Pull the propshaft,jack it up and spin the tires.

It could be the diff or the rims or the ball joints/ suspension.

If it is the diff,the truck won't move if you try to drive it.
 
alwayscode390

alwayscode390

pppssssshhhhhtttttttttttt
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

I forgot to add that I rebuilt the entire front suspension too.

Will a transfer case lock up ... or did I definately blow my front diff?

I was 1500 miles from home when it happened and a shop rigged it up for me to get back. They pulled the cv shafts and propshaft , then plugged something up front ... I think where the shafts go to hold a bearing load?

They used the words "differential" , but I was in a really small town and wasnt sure if they meant transfer case or not, HAHAH

What are the chances I blew both ... if you blow one can it affect the other? ---
 
Jimmy

Jimmy

Banned
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

I'd pull the propshaft then jack up the rearend and see if the tires can be spun (in N of course)
 
Logan

Logan

Member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

Was there ever resolution to this because I have a non-constant vibration past 60 mph. Seems to go away when I let off of the accelerator.
 
atomicmecha

atomicmecha

I hate rust
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

I too am curious about telling if the front diff is on the way out. Didnt want to start a new thread just for one question.


I'm not sure if mine has been modified to be a limit slip and that is failing or if its been locked up on purpose, or what. But whenever I take a tight turn it chirps the front tires and everything gets into a bind. Going down the road there's no vibrations, but there is a slight noise. Like something is grinding. And for what it's worth my typhoon has different tires front and rear. Don't worry, not different sizes. Just different brands and age. The fronts are sitting on something like 30k miles while the backs are only on about 5k (dude i brought the truck from didn't think it was worth it to get 4 matching tires. :roll:).

Is there any easy way to check if the carrier has been modified/swapped for a full locking or limited slip with out taking it out?
 
alwayscode390

alwayscode390

pppssssshhhhhtttttttttttt
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

I am going to get my front differential fixed this winter ... I will let you know if it was definitely the differential or not in my case once I find out ---
 
jeepruby04

jeepruby04

New member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

atomicmecha said:
I too am curious about telling if the front diff is on the way out. Didnt want to start a new thread just for one question.


I'm not sure if mine has been modified to be a limit slip and that is failing or if its been locked up on purpose, or what. But whenever I take a tight turn it chirps the front tires and everything gets into a bind. Going down the road there's no vibrations, but there is a slight noise. Like something is grinding. And for what it's worth my typhoon has different tires front and rear. Don't worry, not different sizes. Just different brands and age. The fronts are sitting on something like 30k miles while the backs are only on about 5k (dude i brought the truck from didn't think it was worth it to get 4 matching tires. :roll:).

Is there any easy way to check if the carrier has been modified/swapped for a full locking or limited slip with out taking it out?
Click to expand...


Sounds like your transfer case is toast.
 
MICH TY

MICH TY

Donating Member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

atomicmecha said:
I too am curious about telling if the front diff is on the way out. Didnt want to start a new thread just for one question.


I'm not sure if mine has been modified to be a limit slip and that is failing or if its been locked up on purpose, or what. But whenever I take a tight turn it chirps the front tires andeverything gets into a bind. Going down the road there's no vibrations, but there is a slight noise. Like something is grinding. And for what it's worth my typhoon has different tires front and rear. Don't worry, not different sizes. Just different brands and age. The fronts are sitting on something like 30k miles while the backs are only on about 5k (dude i brought the truck from didn't think it was worth it to get 4 matching tires. :roll:).

Is there any easy way to check if the carrier has been modified/swapped for a full locking or limited slip with out taking it out?
Click to expand...

I thought this was a symptom of a bad viscous coupler.
 
S

Snoman002

New member
Re: signs of a bad front diff?

MICH TY said:
I thought this was a symptom of a bad viscous coupler.
Click to expand...

I was going to say the same. The description sounds just like when running a 4wd truck on pavement.

Be careful, right now the T-Case might be jacked up, but that pressure has to go somewhere and the front diff IS the next weakest link.
 
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