desmondholt

Hey guys, this is my first post (that I remember). I have been reading your site for several years almost nightly, as I worked nights and don't have much to do. I love all your helpful hints, tips, tricks, and all of the wealth of information on here and in your heads. I finally have a question after 2 years of reading though and could use your insight.

Quick history - My uncle bought this truck from a police officer who did not drive it much. It stayed in his garage and only had 35k miles 5 years ago (yes it is a '89). My uncle drove this truck for about 3 years and put 35k more miles on it. I have it and have but about 35k miles on it as well so now it has 110k on it. Recently I had the pinion seal on the rear replaced as it was leaking. This was about 3-4 weeks ago. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I was hearing a loud sound from the rear end. It sounded like a bearing was going out. It got louder and louder. Recently after a drive, I was backing out of a driveway slowly and heard clanging and grinding from the rear differential. I went ahead and drove home. Tonight, I jacked up the rear and hand spun the rear wheels. They turn but the driveshaft turns intermittently. After spinning the wheels slowly back and forth, I can get it so that the wheels are turning in the opposite direction (which is supposed to happen) but the driveshaft is not turning at all. If I turn it faster or change direction, the driveshaft starts turning again. I know that I have some gear damage obviously but my question is, do I regear with a different size or leave it stock? OR do you think it is a gear problem? Any help or advise or links would be great. I have read over LOTS of posts and did not see any with these exact symptoms. I could have easily have missed it though.

Matt16

If you are going to stic with 30x9.5s, stay stock (4.10). They are extremely cheap because everyone who ups their tire size gets rid of 4.10s. I've got one in my garage I'd sell for $40.

What I'm saying is don't even bother trying to fix it, just buy a new one cause 4.10s are cheap.

Dipstik_90

Um i'm pretty sure all your describing is suppose to happen it's called an open diff. If the tires are spinning the opposite direction the driveshaft isn't suppose to spin. When you suddenly change direction the differential finds the easiest path and turns the driveshaft instead of stopping the other tire. You probably have a wheel bearing gone, see if you can move the tire up and down at all and listen by the backing plate for grinding.

desmondholt

Regardless of the combination of spinning tires and driveshaft, I can hear obvious 'clanging' coming from the diff itself. This is a recent addition to the trucks normal sounds of light ticking and the wonderful full locked turn sounds (need greasing again). The original reason I jacked it up was to listen for the sound I heard while driving. It sounds like the gears are possibly missing teeth or something has come loose. The sound is not coming from the wheel area on either side. I just wonder if the mechanic who worked on it did not torque the pinion nut (I think that is what it is called) back to set the backlash correctly. I normally do as much work myself as possible but I have never taken a third apart before.

Matt16

Really, don't bother. Just buy a new third for the $20-50 and install it after tightening the preload (VERY easy to do).

http://www.gearinstalls.com/freshen.htm

desmondholt

Matt16, where you located. I might be interested in that third from you. How many miles does it have on it?

desmondholt

I just found a whole rear axle for 150 a few miles from my house off an 89 4x4. Is this a decent price? It was wrecked in the front (hit a tree). Is there anything I need to be careful of or any way to test it while I'm there? It is still on the truck but dude said he would have it off by the time I got there if I called him. Any help would be great...

YOTABP

make sure its off of a 4cyl bc if its a V6 it could have different gearing.
If your gona get a rear axle why not get a newer one. Im going to put one under from a 94 V6 pickup. Thats the newest you can go, and it has to be a pickup bc the 4runners went to coils.

kenthewood1021

take the stump out and have your spider gear welded together and you shouldnt have to buy anything and you wont have anymore problems

Yoda

Did a shop do the seal? Did they re-set the preload?

If you grab the driveshaft at the diff, can you see any play if you move it side to side or push into/pull out of the diff?

Check that used axle to see if it is straight. Hitting a tree can shove the engine/trans back. The driveshaft is then pushed back into the rear axle. I saw one that was bent back about 3 inches.

Matt16

I'm in Canada. See if you can find one nearer to you, as shipping isn't going to be cheap. Mine has the bearing preload set when I took it out. Originally it had about 170k miles on it.

desmondholt

Is there any way to test a used axle/differential before installing or purchasing one?