quicksilvr

I finally got around to changing the front diff fluid. After changing the transfer case and the rear diff and finding the fluid in them in GREAT shape (much better than I expected, looked like it had been changed in the last 10k miles), I figured the front was going to be good too...which left me doubting that a fluid change would help the whining.

However: I tried to break the drain plug free with a breaker bar like normal....and it wouldn't budge. I ended up having to hit it with the impact gun about 6 times before it finally spun loose. And out came a bunch of cloudy green nasty fluid. I bet they couldn't get the drain plug loose when they were doing the rear and the t-case...so they just left the front alone. Now I'm hopeful that a fresh fill of Redline 75w90 will decrease or eliminate the howling. If not, it's probably a bad CV.

quicksilvr

Differential fluid didn't change a thing. I guess wheel bearing or CV are the only two options. I'm not going to mess with either one at this point, since it's not a driveability issue. I guess it could be a u-joint....but there is no accompanying vibration...only sound. I hate to throw parts at it without being able to tell what the problem actually is.