Thread: Just in the Nick of Time

a locker would of solved that isue lucky very luck could of got alot worse

I feel your pain.

Just as well you checked on it.

I dropped mine off to get new front wheel bearings cos I knew something was up, I thought the right CV has gone and left had a distinct clunk when you pulled the top sideways. Previous to that I was up at a rellies farm over XMas. Driving through a paddock, as you do, we got to a steep bit and just lost traction for a few seconds. Bit of wellie got us over the top but running down the other side was a strange and obvious click click click on the right front wheel. I thought "oh crap don't let it be diff", had a close look and thought it might be CV that's gone. Looked and sounded like it.

Left things until now before getting them seen to, mechanic pulls out the CVs, hmmm nothing wrong there but boy that wheel bearing is frozen in place. Left side wheel bearing definitely been worn through, a new brake cylinder on the right was leaking and had buggered up a new set of shoes, but worse was to come.

Neither side explained the strange phenomena so out comes the diff head. The one of the side wheels was frozen to the pinion and the other was 'rough' meaning you could only move it with the help of a spanner. But worse was to come

At some point in the past the diff has been shot to hell and there were chunks missing off the crown wheel. They had been ground back to take the lumps off them and there was no case hardening left on them. But worse was to come

There was obvious signs on the crown wheel and casing that the diff had been left for quite some time full of water because there was a rust tidemark inside the casing and on the crown wheel. And, the stub axles were so corroded that even after attempting to machine them smooth they were still pitted. But worse was to come

When the butchers had put the previous repairs back the diff casing had stretched due to the carnage that had gone on in there (there were chunks missing from inside the casing) and a couple of the bolts would no longer fit. They had been left out

It's just amazing how much these things will put up with. Really it is.

Alan

Good save...