I Broke Something....

[LBZ]

Well we finally get winter -20C 50mph winds cold as fork here. And of course, I need to go do outside stuff. So I go and hook up to the sled trailer at buddies which was dirty as well as my sled which was on it because Simon cheaped out and bought girlie fender flares which don't do squat. I put it in 4wd Hi and pulled the trailer up the little snow covered grass hill and onto pavement. I shift into 2wd and stop at the stop sign-which was out of the norm for me. I pull onto the highway and start bootin' on it and drive about 4 miles. At about 1 mile from town, I get a vibration that feels like a flat tire. But I can't stop on the busy two lane highway in a blizzard so I keep on truckin. It stops after another 1/2 mile. When I got to my destination, I could smell gear oil-not good. I looked and a bunch of oil shat out past the input seal to the front diff. I figured maybe thye diff vent was frozen shut and after not finding any flat tires-I carry on. All is good till I shift into 4wd in my icy alley and it go grind grind grind and won't engage the 4wd. Not good. That is my current situation.
I dunno wtf happened-maybe it tried to re-engage for some reason on the highway or wouldn't fully disengage I don't know. But, it is going to the stealer on wed I guess for the month I am gone to work.

My question is, if I remove the front driveline will the pinion/ring gear still turn?? The dealer is a 45 min drive away.

Thanks for your time!!

 

[LBZrcks]

Well we finally get winter -20C 50mph winds cold as fork here. And of course, I need to go do outside stuff. So I go and hook up to the sled trailer at buddies which was dirty as well as my sled which was on it because Simon cheaped out and bought girlie fender flares which don't do squat. I put it in 4wd Hi and pulled the trailer up the little snow covered grass hill and onto pavement. I shift into 2wd and stop at the stop sign-which was out of the norm for me. I pull onto the highway and start bootin' on it and drive about 4 miles. At about 1 mile from town, I get a vibration that feels like a flat tire. But I can't stop on the busy two lane highway in a blizzard so I keep on truckin. It stops after another 1/2 mile. When I got to my destination, I could smell gear oil-not good. I looked and a bunch of oil shat out past the input seal to the front diff. I figured maybe thye diff vent was frozen shut and after not finding any flat tires-I carry on. All is good till I shift into 4wd in my icy alley and it go grind grind grind and won't engage the 4wd. Not good. That is my current situation.
I dunno wtf happened-maybe it tried to re-engage for some reason on the highway or wouldn't fully disengage I don't know. But, it is going to the stealer on wed I guess for the month I am gone to work.

My question is, if I remove the front driveline will the pinion/ring gear still turn?? The dealer is a 45 min drive away.

Thanks for your time!!

The front driveshaft only spins when in 4wd. the pinion/ring gear are always spinning since our trucks don't have locking/unlocking hubs. My truck is in the shop for the front differential too but I was able to drive it for a couple of days not knowing the extent of the damage done.

 

[Bluemax]

It will not be directly driven but it will still turn some due to one axle still spinning in the carrier. I would leave the drive shaft in and put a strap around it or something to keep it from turning, but if it decides to lock in on its own like you were saying it could be a bad deal.

 

[Bluemax]

LBZrcks beat me to it.

 

[LBZ]

I don't think it will lock in anymore! Cause I'm sure whatever gears mesh to engage the 4wd are now round as all I get is grind grind grind!!

And FYI, driving with no 4wd on icy snowy roads with crappy cooper tires = really gay!

 

[LBZrcks]

I don't think it will lock in anymore! Cause I'm sure whatever gears mesh to engage the 4wd are now round as all I get is grind grind grind!!

And FYI, driving with no 4wd on icy snowy roads with crappy cooper tires = really gay!

Same here, If I put in 4wd the front driveshaft spins and the front wheels don't

 

[Bluemax]

Hmmm. The actuator that engauges the front diff is on the right axle, not the input shaft. sounds to me like the pinion bearing went out or something. The spider gears are spinning all the time and usually the ring gear does a little all the time the truck is moving so it would be a good idea to check the fluid before you make a real long trip to the dealer.

 

[Bluemax]

Same here, If I put in 4wd the front driveshaft spins and the front wheels don't

I'd say your actuator is bad or has a loose connection somewhere thats about all that could be doing that. That's a simple fix. Happened to me many times, just never notice until your out in the middle of nowhere alone at midnight. Doesn't take long to find out who your real friends are.:hug:

 

[LBZrcks]

I'd say your actuator is bad or has a loose connection somewhere thats about all that could be doing that. That's a simple fix. Happened to me many times, just never notice until your out in the middle of nowhere alone at midnight. Doesn't take long to find out who your real friends are.:hug:

nope. when at the dealer, we took the actuator out and put the truck in 4wd, the actuator would move in and out as it should. The mechanic tried to manually engage the front diff. by trying to jam a long screw driver and it would not go. New differential is supposed to come in Thurs. or Friday.

 

[Bluemax]

Oh I see. I missed that part. Sorry

 

[LarryJewell]

Well we finally get winter -20C 50mph winds cold as fork here. And of course, I need to go do outside stuff. So I go and hook up to the sled trailer at buddies which was dirty as well as my sled which was on it because Simon cheaped out and bought girlie fender flares which don't do squat. I put it in 4wd Hi and pulled the trailer up the little snow covered grass hill and onto pavement. I shift into 2wd and stop at the stop sign-which was out of the norm for me. I pull onto the highway and start bootin' on it and drive about 4 miles. At about 1 mile from town, I get a vibration that feels like a flat tire. But I can't stop on the busy two lane highway in a blizzard so I keep on truckin. It stops after another 1/2 mile. When I got to my destination, I could smell gear oil-not good. I looked and a bunch of oil shat out past the input seal to the front diff. I figured maybe thye diff vent was frozen shut and after not finding any flat tires-I carry on. All is good till I shift into 4wd in my icy alley and it go grind grind grind and won't engage the 4wd. Not good. That is my current situation.
I dunno wtf happened-maybe it tried to re-engage for some reason on the highway or wouldn't fully disengage I don't know. But, it is going to the stealer on wed I guess for the month I am gone to work.

My question is, if I remove the front driveline will the pinion/ring gear still turn?? The dealer is a 45 min drive away.

Thanks for your time!!

I feel your pain Dale, dont worry, things will work out

 

[LBZ]

Well I got the old sow back from the dealer and it only cost me $300 for a brand new front diff. Apparently the left front hub locked up and the pinion bearings were welded to the pinion drive gear. It would have cost me $3500 if it hadn't been covered under warranty.

The $300 was for extra labour as they had to hack the top bracket off the new housing so they could mount the diff to my lift kit. Not bad IMO.

 

[Kat]

Well I got the old sow back from the dealer and it only cost me $300 for a brand new front diff. Apparently the left front hub locked up and the pinion bearings were welded to the pinion drive gear. It would have cost me $3500 if it hadn't been covered under warranty.

The $300 was for extra labour as they had to hack the top bracket off the new housing so they could mount the diff to my lift kit. Not bad IMO.

Good news

Any comments about the test drive ?

 

[LarryJewell]

Well I got the old sow back from the dealer and it only cost me $300 for a brand new front diff. Apparently the left front hub locked up and the pinion bearings were welded to the pinion drive gear. It would have cost me $3500 if it hadn't been covered under warranty.

The $300 was for extra labour as they had to hack the top bracket off the new housing so they could mount the diff to my lift kit. Not bad IMO.

 

[SIKDMAX]

Nice

Jason what was up with your front?

 

[LBZrcks]

Nice

Jason what was up with your front?

It was replaced. there is this coupling? with splines that the actuator pushes to connect these two shafts, engaging the front diff.... that whole coupling thing blew up and was in peices, non servicable item.