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what kind of damage did I do?

jmsull

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Chicago
I took a D44 in to water. The two bolts that hold a plate that secures the hard brake line along the tube were not there, and water got in.

I changed the diff fluid which was heavily contaminated (a watery grey fluid), also the fluid apperared to be all over the outer bearings which didn't appear to have any grease on them. I put bearing grease on the outer axle bearings, however I didn't clean them, which I now realize was probably a bad idea.

Anyway the rear end has developed a bad vibration, consistand with wheel speed. It is stronger with power and goes away when the car is coasting.

How can I clean out the contamination. How can I tell if the bearing are alright? Also, are the bearings in the diff, and on the pinion sealed or should I be concerned about them?
 
2 months worth of dirt,condensation,and water?All the bearings are oil bath.
 
If the noise is stronger on accelration and less while coasting I would lean towards pinion bearing being noisey.

For a wheel bearing here's an (un)safe way of testing we used when I was a mechanic.

Jack the car up, put in gear.
Grab one of the park brake cables and engage one side's brake. Listen with a stethoscope to the rotating bearing. Switch sides. Whichever one is noisier that's the bad one.

Don't know if this is true or old mechanics screwing with me, but it always seemed like the majority of bad rear wheel bearings was the passenger side. The old guys told me this was because with the vehicle parked, rain water would rush down the gutter and keep splashing the right rear wheel. As I am older sounds like BS.

Good Luck,
Tom
 
I would agree that with a vibration and changes that follow speed/accel, it's probably a pinion over an axle bearing.
All Bearings are oil bathed in the rear 44. The axle bearings are pressed on the shafts as opposed to pressed into the housing. SET-10 bearings for the rear shafts run around $24.00 at autozone etc. Pinion/carrier bearing set from say randys ring and pinion around $60.00
 
Is there any good way to check the pinion bearing without taking the whole differential apart?
 
You could simply woggle the pinion around (might want to pull the driveshaft out of the way) check for in/out and side/side play...
 
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