Thread: 1990 RRC - loss of front drive

Having been where you are I would suspect inner drive shaft, Had the same symptoms on my RRC when I purchased it.

Hmmm, interesting!

Also had someone suggest Drive flanges being stripped?

Either way only option's are this -

Jack it, remove wheel, caliper, outer shaft, and see
Or take it to someone to find out.

Good luck.

Being a 1990 it will probably have the viscous centre diff, which will probably be seized, which will have stressed a front axle to the point of breaking. A seized viscous diff will be like driving a locked LT230 transfer case, and on bitumen there's a lot of load on the drive train.

Always suspect the Viscious Coupling as being part or cause ... unless you're one of the 2% of lucky owners to have one fail in the 'open' position. This will mean your front drivetrain will last 'forever', - but what passes as a centre-diff (gears&cogs) won't be so fortunate...
Paying $quillions for a re-built LT230 is worth every dubloon, as long as you're not too lazy to reach down and push the lever to "Locked" as and when required...

Seriously, use the SEARCH function at the bottom of this page... it seems to work well.

Here's a link to a testing proceedure for the BorgWarner VC, it assumes you have removed the front prop shaft.
(Mine is locked up solid, so for the time being it's a RWD)
Borg Warner centre diff.

Disclaimer: In fairness, the BW box is supposed to have some advantages in certain conditons, and supposedly quieter/smoother. -I hate, loathe and disrespect the decision to use a VC. Nothing to do with mine failing so soon after buying the car......

You don't have to have something broken on both sides for the propshaft not to spin as you described, sounds like you've broken an axle.

Hiya all,

Thanks for the great ideas!

POD you nailed it....

Turned out to be a snapped front axle which then jammed into the front diff; apparently they had to weld a nut to it to extract the snapped piece from the diff!

In the process they noted how loose the pinion was in the rear diff....

So the repair turned into a new front axle and a new rear diff.

All JUST in time for me to pick it up Friday night and head to the AULRO get together in Wombat.

Thanks guys, much appreciated!
Andrew B