Broken Diff?

[Mattface]

Went offroading yesterday in my Surf (kzn185).

Got stuck on a steep incline, right at the point where i got stuck i heard hearing a loud clunking. Got winched up and clunked really loud when i started driving forward and my front wheels were skipping with the clunking. Was worse the harder i accelerated.

I put it into RWD and it went away, managed to get out of the forest mostly in RWD, going into 4WD to get through some bumps.. still clunking when i did so.

Driving home in RWD, it started clunking lightly and the steering wheel was jeering with the clunks, pulled over had a quick look and keep driving and it never did that again.

Last night i put it into 4WD high to let my mate have a listen... wouldnt clunk, put it into low range, didnt clunk at all, put my foot in it and there was no clunks... which to me is strange.

Anybody have any insight on my problem?

Thanks

[muddy]

Sound like a broken CV to me...

Jack up the front wheel & with the hubs engaged, turn the wheel. If you dont feel/hear anything strange, then do the same on the other....

[T-Boon]

The CV's didnt "look" broken, not that i`m an expert.

Was quite surprised that it broke when it did, was only a sandy incline on piddly tires.

Oh, and it has Auto hubs, do they fail much ?

[darinz]

I'd put my money on broken CV. What you have decscribed is exactly what happens when it is broken and locks up. Then once all the bits are ground up small it comes free again and stops lockings (and doesn't effect the steering)
Since i have no idea about Toymotas, is it solid of IFS? If IFS you should be able o grab the axle and if it is flopping in the joint then you know the problem. If solid axle then you'll have to pull the knuckle to find out for sure. But upon saying that, you'll have to pull the knuckles to do a diff head so you know where to start either way!

[UBZ]

mine did exactly that last time i blew a front diff. Being an IFS ADD truck half the front diff will still be engaged to the passenger side?? axle,even with 4wd de-activated.

jack the front of the truck up and try turning every thing manually.
CV's should be obvious, Diff if damaged will have rough / hard spots.

I would drain the front dill and look for metal teeth bits.

[Mattface]

Sweet, cheers for the replies.

Will be jacking it up and have a closer inspection tomorrow and try what you guys said.

Im hoping its just a CV, cause i wouldnt know the first thing about replacing a front diff in it, and its my daily driver so would have to send it to the mechanic.. $$$$

[T-Boon]

Harden up !

[snork]

[rangimotors]

Sweet, cheers for the replies.

Will be jacking it up and have a closer inspection tomorrow and try what you guys said.

Im hoping its just a CV, cause i wouldnt know the first thing about replacing a front diff in it, and its my daily driver so would have to send it to the mechanic.. $$$$

it is very easy to pull the diff head out, a little time consuming the first time you do it but it is nice to learn how to do it, even if your are not comfortable working on the diff you can take the head out and take it somewhere probably saving yourself hundreds of dollars in labour or buy a second hand one and chuck it in complete. Plenty of people on here to help annd give advice when needed.

[Mattface]

Im sure id be more an capable of doing it, just dont have any room now as the part of the workshop i used to use for working on my cars now has a spray bake oven there.

..and the fact that its my only mode of transport so time would be a factor.

Anyone got a garage or workshop i could use? Got my own tools and jacks

[mudlva]

got to let all us out here know where abouts that you live buddy

[Mattface]

Would help i guess..

Im in West Auck.

[mike]

As UBZ said its 99% chance its your front diff. when driving home your spider gears were still turning, which spins the oil and throws up broken bits hence the juddering.

When you get a new diff, now is the time to install the front locker. This will happen again as the surfs have a 7.5 inch diff so are weaker. If you put a locker in there it takes the shock loading out of the diff to the CV's which are way easier and cheaper to fix (ive only broken one since) You'll also get to crawl up and over obstacles where others have to fang it breaking shit and denting panels, so saves you in the long run.

Youll also want to put a free wheeling hub on the right hand side as this is the drive shaft that goes into the diff so if you do break another you can disconnect it at the wheel and it won't be turning in the diff, the otherside is fine as it has the ADD (automatic differential disconnect) on it.

my 2c

[Mattface]

Got it out today. Its fucked.

Multiple teeth missing off the spider gears and a big chunk missing from both the crown wheel and the pinion.

I was unsure wether or not i wanted to mod this truck, or buy an older, more beatdown truck to mod for offroading. After pricing up various options im just going to put a standard diff back in it, as i found one local for $220 so should have it back up and running again by the weekend

Thanks for the help.

[T-Boon]

its super suzi time !

[Toymota2]

Buy a old donk Matt!!!

[Mattface]

Like a C31 Laurel.. haha

[T-Boon]

Oh, the humanity !