Thread: Help to pinpoint a strange noise.Diff or transfer case?

Just a bit of an update.After draining the oil in the rear diff i noticed a lot of silver particles in it.So after a lot of deliberation i took the rear diff out.And below are the pics of what i found.And im pretty sure this is what was making the sound








This first pic is what i saw when i first took it out and had a look.





The second pic is of the damage it had done.






I could literally move all those smaller gears up and down.I was amazed it didnt smash up the whole diff.Just as well because i was about 200km from home,camping when i heard the sound.There were some small scrape marks on the back of the diff cover as well
There was a little bit of oil left in the housing which i thought i would try to get out as well just so i could remove any metal particles left.Well im glad i did do that This is what i found




















So there you have it.My first stuffed Landrover Diff.

Yeh that is not nice mate. I have done a couple now. I could help you out with a diff center but they are 10 spline so no good for you.

Lucky...

Im about to start stripping a rangie at work that you might be able to get the diff out of.

Thanks for the offers guys but i already found another diff.Ive fitted it up already.I just need to get a new rubber donut coupling and fit up the rear propshaft.Should keep me going for a few more outings.

Confucious say "you are velly lucky man" to not have the shaft catch on the diff housing and destroy everything.
I will probably get flamed for this but the cause is usually excessive wheelspin.
The process is boot in, one wheel spins.
Planetary gears whiz around on shaft. oil thrown out. Gears seize on shaft. Shaft spins at great rate and spits circlip out of its groove.
Shaft backs out and hits diff housing.
Goodbye diff.
I often think that a grub screw into the shaft to hold it in place would help prevent this happening.
Regards Philip A

I agree to a point.. ...The Spider gears cease on shaft......... the shaft then spins in the hemisphere and wears an egg shaped hole. The Spider gears then don't mesh properly and then bang.

If you weld the shaft to the hemisphere this is a better solution IMO.

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Confucious say "you are velly lucky man" to not have the shaft catch on the diff housing and destroy everything.
I will probably get flamed for this but the cause is usually excessive wheelspin.
The process is boot in, one wheel spins.
Planetary gears whiz around on shaft. oil thrown out. Gears seize on shaft. Shaft spins at great rate and spits circlip out of its groove.
Shaft backs out and hits diff housing.
Goodbye diff.
I often think that a grub screw into the shaft to hold it in place would help prevent this happening.
Regards Philip A

Right up till you damage something and some poor mechanic has to try to fix it...

actually in all seriousness.

If you do enough damage in the rover diff to require removal of the cross shaft there is usually enough elongation or damage to the hole for the shaft to warrent a new set of internals.

The biggest difficulty to welding is getting it welded without inclusion, fractures changing the properties of the metal, the dimensions of the metal or without chucking spatter in places you dont want it.