landcruiser 70 diff help needed

[cruiserkid]

G'day guys. Im fairly new to this site. But I am very impressed with all the knowledge and advice on here. I wondered if someone could help me with a question I have... I have a 70 series cruiser and a noise has just started in the rear diff. Its a humming when driving and its gets louder when deaccellerating. It goes away when accellerating but comes back when I take my foot off the go pedal. Its not a grinding as such, seems more like a rumble and almost a clicking sound at slow speeds. Is my diff toast or is it something simple out of alignment? I use my truck as a every day driver and for hunting in the weekends, so its forever bouncing up river beds and through rivers an mud. Does anyone have any ideas whats wrong if my cruiser?? thanks a lot guys

[oldblue]

Check the Preload on the Pinion Shaft, should not have any ( Zero ) up & down play.

[ClassicCruiserSpares]

What sort of hubs are you running?

[churchill]

Ive had a clicking sound and rumble in a Hiace van, I replaced one of wheel bearings and that fixed it. The clicking was louder on one side than the other when listening from the outside next to the wheel so I replaced that wheel bearing. I couldn't tell the bearing was shot by shaking the wheel so just had to replace it and hope for the best...

[mudlva]

are you driving around on the road with the hubs in??

otherwise its sounding like a bearing but you will need to give us more info

have you checked the oil levels in the diffs and trans box later?

if oil pours out when you pull the filler bolt then there a good chance of water getting in a mixing with the oil
a good flush is the first port of call whilst drianing the oils inspect each lot individually looking for bearing and gear metal shaving if this is the case then more investagation will be required

[jakwoo39]

ill have a lsd diff center and 4.11 ring and pinion gears for sale very soon if it turns out yours are buggered

[cruiserkid]

Thanks guys. I drained the diff and there was some metal filings on the sump plug. There is also some up and down play on the pinion. Is the diff bearings toast? the front hubs are disengaged.

[Swamped]

You can get away with a few filings in the diff oil. Just real fluffy stuff. Any coarse shavings and I'd be concerned.

What is the handbrake on those? Transfer mounted drums I have seen pick up stones and can do that but I wouldn't think it would start all of a sudden.

[mudlva]

Thanks guys. I drained the diff and there was some metal filings on the sump plug. There is also some up and down play on the pinion. Is the diff bearings toast? the front hubs are disengaged.

Yep youve pickit
Cheap option if you can is to pull the diff out and take it in to a diff shop as you will need the preload reset once the bearing is replaced
Dearer option is to take LC into micnic and pay him to pull the diff out and take it into s diff man
Either way do it way sooner than later as you will damage booth ring and pinion