front diff....need help..please!!!!!!!

[dman85]

ok to start i have a 98 explorer sport 4.0 sohc about 3 months ago i started having a hum in my front pass side at about 25 to 45mph so i replaced the wheel hub bearings75% of my hum went away but now it is a grinding noise when im driving all the way up to 55 an it scares me to go faster ..even if im doing 15 mph down my street i can here something going around grinding..as of today it is parked.. today i took the front end down to the cv shafts an put some grease in the part were the shaft goes in to the diff....well thats wasent it ......thought it might be a bearing at the end of the shaft but not sure if even one there ....new idea ...drive shaft bearing??? ...were the shaft goes from the transfer case to the diff....now is there a bearing in the end of that were the u joint connects ? im at a loss here i cant find a new diff any were to just replace it or could it be a bearing ?... it kinda sounds like its on the outer part of the diff... i checked the fluid ..no metaly tint to the fluid nor metal shavings ....i have to admit im 25 an this is the first 4wd i have owned (bought explorer 6 months ago) so its all new to me how this works ...im a pretty handy michanic but im not sure if im ready to drop n rebuild a diff......so i guess my question is ..is it possible its a bearing at the end of the diff were the drive shaft comes in to or is there somewere i can just buy a new diff....????...please help!!!!!!!!!!!!..thanks for the time ... daryl:exp:

 

[corkey]

http://www.car-part.com/
look here for a diff, if you want, they call it front axle assembly, might be cheaper and it is not that hard to replace,

 

[chance942]

Pinion Bearing

ok to start i have a 98 explorer sport 4.0 sohc about 3 months ago i started having a hum in my front pass side at about 25 to 45mph so i replaced the wheel hub bearings75% of my hum went away but now it is a grinding noise when im driving all the way up to 55 an it scares me to go faster ..even if im doing 15 mph down my street i can here something going around grinding..as of today it is parked.. today i took the front end down to the cv shafts an put some grease in the part were the shaft goes in to the diff....well thats wasent it ......thought it might be a bearing at the end of the shaft but not sure if even one there ....new idea ...drive shaft bearing??? ...were the shaft goes from the transfer case to the diff....now is there a bearing in the end of that were the u joint connects ? im at a loss here i cant find a new diff any were to just replace it or could it be a bearing ?... it kinda sounds like its on the outer part of the diff... i checked the fluid ..no metaly tint to the fluid nor metal shavings ....i have to admit im 25 an this is the first 4wd i have owned (bought explorer 6 months ago) so its all new to me how this works ...im a pretty handy michanic but im not sure if im ready to drop n rebuild a diff......so i guess my question is ..is it possible its a bearing at the end of the diff were the drive shaft comes in to or is there somewere i can just buy a new diff....????...please help!!!!!!!!!!!!..thanks for the time ... daryl:exp:

That is what you are referring too I believe. Daryl this vehicle will either make you into a pretty damn good mechanic or scare you away! I'm curious as to how you were able to determine there is no metal in your fluid. Did you install a drain plug on the cover yourself? If not you really can't tell because all of the metal will be on the bottom and you have to remove the diff cover to drain the fluid. Where the d line connects to your t case there isn't a single bearing but rather a CV style set up and it is not serviceable. I have a 2000 so it maybe a little different but I'd bet not. There is A LOT of info on this site so be get after it and don't start diagnosing by removing and replacing.

 

[chance942]

Hey Corkey,busy I see

http://www.car-part.com/
look here for a diff, if you want, they call it front axle assembly, might be cheaper and it is not that hard to replace,

Have you seen Gran Torino yet ole Corkey? If not check it out,vintage,kick ass Clint.

 

[corkey]

i bought that movie,

okay back to the serious, i found a pic of a broken front diff , at the end you can see the bearing roller surface it looks like,

 

[corkey]

,exploded view shows a bearing out on the end too ,

 

[my98nnj]

My front dif. sounded the same as yours. $250 at the junk yard and 2 hrs later a used dif was in and everything has been quiet ever since. If you go this route, get a warranty on the used part. I got 12/12 on mine, opened it up, cleaned it up, new oil and seals and she's good to go.

 

[dman85]

thanks everone

thanks for the help guys ....i figure2 heads r better than 1 an by posting on this thread i got more than an xtra head .but anyways today im going to disconnect the drive shaft an change the u joint. so while im down there in the area i might as well check on were that goes into my diff n c whats up.....when i checked the fluid in the front diff for metal i did NOT drain the fluid....so maybe there could be some shavings at the bottom..i was inttent on changing the fluid i even have it ...went to do it an looked like a major pain in the a**. said forget it .....oh an corkey thanks for the pics...the one with the broken diff...now is that busted part were the shaft from the tcase to the diff meets?thanks for the time ...daryl:exp:

 

[dman85]

almost forgot.....

yesterday when i checked the cv to diff for dry spots i did notice i have a small amount of fluid comming from were my drive shaft an u joint meet the diff....this has just started recently ..did an oil change 1000 miles ago an didnt notice it ....grinding started really bad about 2 weeks ago.....:exp:

 

[corkey]

.the one with the broken diff...now is that busted part were the shaft from the tcase to the diff meets?
no it is not, actually it is the passenger side end of a diff with a vacuum disconnect, used in a 95 or 96,

 

[gmanpaint]

I have a front diff out of a 97 with 3.73 gears I would let go for $75 + shipping if you want it.

 

[dman85]

gmanpaint..lemme get yer info im waitin on my tax money to come in ..should be a fue days ..but interested!!!email me zoeymarie02@hotmail.com..thanks:exp:

 

[gmanpaint]

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