Confounded
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Confounded
While I had the rear end of my '74 Ford F100 off the ground replacing the rear brake shoes, I noticed that both rear axles turned freely with the tranny in park. The drive shaft did not turn cause the tranny was in park but why did the axles turn? Does my truck have a faulty rear end?
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 6,948
Likes: 44
Welcome:
It is alright. You simply have an open carrier and one wheel turned one direction while the other one turned the opposite direction. Normal for an open differential.
If you place one tire on the ground and try it again, you may would not be able to turn the wheel.
If it was broken then the truck would not move without making a bunch of noise.
It is alright. You simply have an open carrier and one wheel turned one direction while the other one turned the opposite direction. Normal for an open differential.
If you place one tire on the ground and try it again, you may would not be able to turn the wheel.
If it was broken then the truck would not move without making a bunch of noise.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,628
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Nebraska
Thats all normal. If one tire is on pure ice on a hill and the other is on dry pavement one tire will rotate forward and the other will go backwards. Thats one of the reasons why they invented the parking brake and you should use it.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
That's a new one. One spider gear or the other in the differential is always touching the ring gear, thus it should lock up...?
Trending Topics
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,393
Likes: 5
From: MA
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026
Brett Foote
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time
Joe Kucinski
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,833
Likes: 0
From: Honkytonkville
psquare is right. That's the purpose of the spiders, so that the axles can move at a different rate than the ring gear. And spider gears should never be touching the ring gear. If that's the case you might have a problem.