92 XLT Front Diff Swap?

[Isaacm1986]

thanks everyone for answering all my questions. I am in the prosess of some major front end work on my xlt and this is my first time doing this, hence the reason for all my posts!

I need to replace my front differential. it is a stock diff, and I am wondering what one i should put in? i would like not to have to do a lot of modification to get the new one in, should i stay with stock? or go with something else?

i am not very knowledgeable about this stuff, so any info and ideas is great! thank you!

 

[HahnsB2]

What is wrong with yours and what do you plan on using the rig for?

 

[Isaacm1986]

When I engage the 4wd drive system it makes this really bad whining sound, the wheels dont engage at first then they will finally. They will not engage at all in reverse. i have taken the front axle out of the diff to look inside and see if i could see anything wrong, and put it all back together and topped it off with fluid and it still does the same thing.

My long term goal is to put a 2-3inch lift on it, some 33's, convert the hubs to man, and use it for some offroading, but not really tuff stuff. it is my daily driver right now with 4ft of snow on the ground so i need to get it fixed.

 

[HahnsB2]

It's the garbage auto hubs, very common. Swap them out for manuals...

 

[Isaacm1986]

i dont think it is the hubs, when i turn the axle by hand with the hubs off you can hear this clunking sound in the diff. and the hubs were working well before this sound appeared. i am 99% percent positive it is something in the diff. I am just wondering what one is best to put in there.

 

[Four0Sport]

sounds like the auto hubs to me too.. when mine failed i thought it was the diff cause i was hearing popping coming fron what i thought was the middle of the front end. ended up just being the auto hubs, put some warns on and its been fine ever since. have you taken the hubs off and checked inside? clean them out very good first, soak them in atf, check the bearing in the bottom of the cup, one of mine was shot and ripped apart, accounted for all my trouble.

 

[Isaacm1986]

Thanks everyone, The Hubs were the problem, I switched to warn man hubs with lockers on it! and wow, so much better than the auto hubs!