What would happen if the gear ratios of the front and rear diffs were different? Like if the front were 3.85's and the rear were 4.10's.

 

when you're in 2WD, nothing. in 4wd, the gears would spin the fronts would spin at a difference speed from the back.

 

How noticable would it be?
Would the front or rear hop?

 

I would think it would strip out the transfer case if the higher gear ratio axle couldn't slip.

 

(shudders) Dont want to find out.

 

I'm just trying to figure out what caused my rear diff to grenade like it did.

 

different gear ratios would't cause a diff to break unless the front and rear were getting good traction. you would have noticed squeeling or hopping in 4wd before the rear diff would have went. have you look at your rear diff yet? is it missing teeth? are the parts bent or cracked?

 

They say that you can have a 1% difference in gear ratios. I ran 5.38's in the front and 5.29's in the rear for a couple years, and never hurt anything...

 

Click the link:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/fragged-rear-diff-pics-47996/

 

possible scenario:
defective pinion, tooth breaks off , you might not notice this right away. driving off-road, one wheel slipping the other stationary, that piece of pinion tooth jams between gear of axle that's stationary and spider gear. now stationary wheel has to spin instantaneous pressure is extremely high, adn since the gears are spinning into each other the piece applies a force into the center of the gears. causing shaft to shear and spider gear to crack. if this happened the gear to the wheel will have some sort of damage, although in may be a small dent or as big as a crack.