Thread: Diff gone bang?!?

More than likely NOT a diff, an axle or a flange is the culprit Easy peasy and pretty much quite possible at those K's

JC

Yeah likely be an axle or flange, check the short side axle first, it usually fails before the long side.

Putting a Detroit locker won't cost much more but its best to upgrade axles/flanges at the same time, so the cost does go up.

Originally Posted by eeyore

Hi everyone,

So, I'm pulling away from the traffic lights in my '85 120 (with a youthful 492K klms ) when there is an expensively loud bang and the ute fails to proceed. Check the speedo; yep definately not accelerating - hard to tell with the 4bd1 sometimes . Roll to side of road, check underneath and see no obvious sign of mechanical carnage so lock centre diff and discover I can limp home.

A bit of investigation at home has revealed that drive to the front wheels is fine, and that with the centre diff unlocked, the rear propshaft is turning but the rear wheels aren't. I guess this rules out the gearbox as the culprit. I've removed the rear drive flanges and axles and they all seem fine. So I assume this means the famously tough Salisbury diff has failed?

Diff rebuilds are well beyond my capabilities so should I take to a local diff specialist? Are there any upgraded components I should have them installduring the rebuild? Also, I have a vague recollection of reading somewhere that adding a rear locker during a rebuild of a diff doesn't increase the cost substantially as you are replacing many of the same components in any case?

Any and all advice would be much appreciated...

Originally Posted by justinc

More than likely NOT a diff, an axle or a flange is the culprit Easy peasy and pretty much quite possible at those K's

JC

Originally Posted by isuzutoo-eh

Yeah likely be an axle or flange, check the short side axle first, it usually fails before the long side.

Putting a Detroit locker won't cost much more but its best to upgrade axles/flanges at the same time, so the cost does go up.

Are we all talking about the same axles and flanges??

If so then I suspect that you need to pull the back cover of the Sals or at least drain the oil to see if you get any metal coming out with the oil. If you find metal then the center will have to come out. You may have to spread the case to get the center out. If this all sounds a bit of a challenge you may need to see a diff specialist or hope that you are talking about different axles and flanges than JC and suzutoo-eh.

Maybe I should learn to read THE WHOLE post first then hey Slug!

Ooooops


JC

Good point Sluggy, JC and I can't read too well it seems, chunky oil will be the best check, though taking the tin-plate cover off is easy, just be careful you don't bend the cover like I did when taking mine off.

Originally Posted by isuzutoo-eh

Good point Sluggy, JC and I can't read too well it seems, chunky oil will be the best check, though taking the tin-plate cover off is easy, just be careful you don't bend the cover like I did when taking mine off.

I'm blaming my youthful enthusiasm, and mr johnny walker.....


jc

That don't sound right as id be more than likely saying you have stripped out the spline inside one of the front drive flanges .

Or maby one of the rear flanges best test is to unlock the center diff and get a helper to try and drive off and you pin point were the noise comes from if any

Be very careful getting under a car checking for tailshafts turning,if something grabs you could run over yourself.

Re upgrades,how much time have you got and how much money do you want to spend?

If you are 100% that the axles and flanges are good do as isuzutoo-eh said remove rear plate and have a look inside, wave a magnet around in the oil in the diff and look for broken bits.


Jim.