Metal Carnage - Differential
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,737
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From: Westfield, Indiana
Metal Carnage - Differential
While diagnosing an issue with my ebrakes I found the drivers rear axle seal was leaking coating the ebrakes in gear oil, replaced the seal. Decided to pull the differential fill plug and check to make sure it was full - drained a good bit out pulling the hub to replace the seal. To my horror this is what I find when I pull the plug. First photo is as it came out on the magnet - second is after a clean up. What is it? Any ideas? I am almost afraid to drop the cover....
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Westfield, Indiana
Yep. Noticed a "whiring sound" this week, parked it - but honestly thought I had a door seal loose. Didn't sound like a whine more like a wind noise, went to dig into my ebrake issue and stumbled across this - puts the "whirring wind noise" in an entirely new perspective. I know I need to drop the cover at this point...just wondered if anyone who knows gear could tell by the pictures what metal part that was?
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Fraser Valley
you have some bad luck at times... thats horrible. it looks kinda like part of a bearing race but until you pull the cover you cant be certain. either way that wont be the last of the debris floating around causing chaos in there.
bearing failure could ruin the axle seal and cause your original problem.
bearing failure could ruin the axle seal and cause your original problem.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
Do NOT drive it until you take the cover off or more damage could result. Look on the bright side Christina, I'm sure your gears don't look as bad as mine did last November!
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
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From: Mt. Shasta California
It's hard to say exactly what it is since it went through the wringer at one time but it's not teeth and it's probably remnants left from a former rear end catastrophe. They would have stayed on the bottom even without the magnet. I wouldn't worry about it. Rear ends make a whine/howl sound when there is a tooth problem and a constant grumbling sound with a bearing problem. It could even be from a former wheel bearing part.
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Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2012
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From: Westfield, Indiana
Yeah, that's my best guess at this point. Seems like, at least on semi-floating axles, the number one cause of seal failure is a bearing going bad. I remember she replaced those about a year ago, right? Perhaps it was a defective part or something got buggered up on the install.
Do NOT drive it until you take the cover off or more damage could result. Look on the bright side Christina, I'm sure your gears don't look as bad as mine did last November!
Do NOT drive it until you take the cover off or more damage could result. Look on the bright side Christina, I'm sure your gears don't look as bad as mine did last November!
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Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2011
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From: Fraser Valley
i hate the smell of old gear oil, and i deal with it all the time
hopefully it didnt cause too much damage.
hopefully it didnt cause too much damage.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: AL, Reform
looks like a shim.
pull the drive shaft and see if the pinion moves.
if had to say you better bet on spending $200 up to fix it. as you will need new bearings, shims, seals. if it is not be run long the gears may be fine, it takes a lot to trash them with out them making a ton of noise.
pull the drive shaft and see if the pinion moves.
if had to say you better bet on spending $200 up to fix it. as you will need new bearings, shims, seals. if it is not be run long the gears may be fine, it takes a lot to trash them with out them making a ton of noise.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
Yours doesn't even have one tooth missing. When and if you remove the cover take some pics of both sides of any more debris including those 2 pieces on both sides so we can identify it.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
looks like a shim.
pull the drive shaft and see if the pinion moves.
if had to say you better bet on spending $200 up to fix it. as you will need new bearings, shims, seals. if it is not be run long the gears may be fine, it takes a lot to trash them with out them making a ton of noise.
pull the drive shaft and see if the pinion moves.
if had to say you better bet on spending $200 up to fix it. as you will need new bearings, shims, seals. if it is not be run long the gears may be fine, it takes a lot to trash them with out them making a ton of noise.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 11,798
Likes: 14
From: Mt. Shasta California
That's extremely rare and the pinion bearing must have locked up and spun for that to happen.