Whats up with the front diff???

[AlaskanJack]

I pulled my front driveshaft today so I could replace u-joints and noticed something odd with the axles shafts.

If I turn the yoke on the front of the diffboth axles will turn, but after 1 -3/4 turns of the yoke the passenger side axle stops turning for 1 turn of the yoke. My buddy held the passenger side axle while I turned the yoke and only the drivers side turned.

I kept checking this and it seemed like there was a pattern where the drivers axle would turn then the passenger side would stop then continue to turn again.

What does this mean? Does it sounds like some teeth are worn on the gears or maybe a side gear is worn. I don't know what the inside of the front D35 looks like but I fear I will soon find out.

 

[DeRocha]

Open differential

Working as designed...

An Open diff will send power to the path of least resistance. So if you are turn the yoke nd both axles move then the resitance must be equal. If you hold either axle the opposite axle will move (this is correct). If you hold no axle and just turn the yoke and you notice a pattern of both move, then the right stops, then the left stops, this would indicate the axle which has stopped moving has exceeded the resistance of the other axle and vice versa. The U-joints on both axles are going through cycles of resistance as their angles change during their rotation.

A locking diffs on the other hand would force both axles to turn at the same rate. Good for the trail when you're stuck, but terrible for the road where it would eat your tires...

 

[AlaskanJack]

If you hold no axle and just turn the yoke and you notice a pattern of both move, then the right stops, then the left stops, this would indicate the axle which has stopped moving has exceeded the resistance of the other axle and vice versa.

Well with the hub unlocked and the front driveshaft off just turning the yoke everything should freely move with resistance. The left shaft never stopped rotating it was just the right shaft that had this pattern of repeating stopping and starting.

I guess I will check it out since I will be putting a new seal on the front diff.

 

[mrboyle]

The left shaft will do this since:
1) it is shorter than the right shaft (shorter = less resistance)
2) the right axle has 2 u-joints on it (more u-joints = more resistance)
More resistance = harder to turn