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Bad axle shaft? Bad Ring and Pinion?

Kyle Horvath

NAXJA Forum User
Howdy all

I went wheeling the other day and got my rig into a pretty rough spot. I now have somewhat of a difficulty steering the rig, although it does drive straight. It pulls and pops occasionally around tight turns at low speeds, as I can feel the play in the steering wheel (tight turns as in hanging a right onto a perpendicular street.)

I jacked up the front left, and the tire has no play, so I'm eliminating the idea of bad ball joints or a bad wheel bearing. (I have a D30, 4.56 gears, 33s, stock axle shafts) As I turn the wheel around, the front driveshaft turns in unison for most of the rotation, but then it stops as the tire is still being rotated, then it "engages" again. Also, the tire binds up and stops at a point in the rotation and it requires a bit more force to get it to turn.

I really need help and ideas.
Thanks

Kyle


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take the diff cover off and look at you gears. it wont take but 2 minutes to look at.
 
check your u-joints too. could be the spider gears as well. my advice would also be to just pull the cover. with the cover off, i think the porblem will be obvious. if everything looks normal at first, rotate the gears (front ds, ring/pinion) and see if the ring gear or pinion have damage to any of the teeth or are missing teeth. you'll also find bits of metal in the fluid when you pull the cover if thats the case. like mentioned aboove, it'll take two minutes to pull the cover and all will be revealed:rtm:
 
I would say 99% sure its the spider gears. I did this to my front axle once, I would hear a pop and I could feel in my steering wheel a little jolt somewhat, and I could tell I couldn't steer anymore. I ended up driving off the road 3 times trying to get back to the trailers, the spiders mesh in a certain way (the popping noise) that they act as a locker, and you no longer have turning since both wheels spin at the same speed.

When I pulled the cover, I found teeth just sitting on the bottom of the diff, and I could see how most of the teeth had just sheered off.
 
Installing a ring and pinion is a precision job, if you have never done one you most likely be able to do one without someone helping you.

New ring and pinion will probably be around 300-450 ish. I bought 2 new sets and master installs for 900ish last summer. If you have stock gears it would be easier to go to a junk yard and grab a whole new front axle that has the same gears.

-Alex
 
You can pull the entire carrier and put the cover on and shafts in to keep it clean.

There are 2 caps that hold the carrier in the housing, each has two bolts on it. The caps look like C's. If you want to know how to remove the housing search aussie locker install by CanMan and read how to get the carrier out.

-Alex
 
Wow, 450 per axle for ring and pinion and master install, you got taken I would say.

If it is your spiders, you aren't looking at much money. I did mine for about $12 total. I had to buy a new bearing for the carrier and gear oil, but this is because I knew a guy at a shop who had extra spider gears, and gave them to me for no charge. I would try going to a junkyard and getting a cheap axle, and pulling them out of there.

Or you could replace them with an Aussie locker or another lunchbox locker if you want.

If you decide to change them, you would Jack up and secure front axle. Pull the brakes and everything off, then pull the hubs with axle shafts out. Open the diff and pull the carrier out, carefully noting which way the bearing caps were orientated and which side each race went on. Take the ring gear off to take the cross shaft out. Let the spider and side gears fall out. Replace with new spider gears, and reverse the tear down steps. Search for Canman's Aussie installation, he has good detailed steps on how to pull the carrier and spiders out.


If you want to swap to a HP D30, get the axle, then purchase a new set of 4.56 gears for a high pinion axle, and master install kit. You will need to use the carrier you have currently in your LP30, since 4.56 is above the gear break for a new carrier. You will then have to have some install the gears, or if you have the tools and ability install them yourself.

Repairing the LP would be cheaper in this case.

Edit: damn, you posted while I was still typing.
 
Bad R&P and Spider gears. Crap.
So, I should pull out the gears and carrier to keep it at least 2WD till I can get it to a shop? This was the dammage that was done. It occured as I was stuck, in reverse, trying to back up.
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Wow....

How did you drive around like that? Didn't you hear a loud "Pop" and not wonder what it was?

Looks like the ring gear got all chewed up from hitting the spider gear on the bottom of the diff.

Best bet now, get that HP D30.

But ya, pull the ring gear and you can leave the carrier in and drive around.
 
It all went to sh!t as I was in reverse, less than half-throttle, turning the wheels back and fourth a little bit at a time. I heard a popping/clunking sound as i was doing this, and thought it was an axle joint or a shaft. I checked the u-joints asap, and figured it was a bad shaft. The rig drove home on its own power, with no bad sounds till I took a few turns in the neighborhood, that's when the steering was noticably bad, and it clunked a bit (20 ft from driveway!). Pulled the cover off, and was blown away as to how it had gotten that bad, and how I was able to do the 2 mile treck back home. Sh!t, I had just welded my LCA axle mount hours earlier. The LP D30 has been crap to me. I beat the crap outta my '96 with no front end problems. This rig has been perfect except for the front end. I've replaced almost every joint (axle, Jonny, rod end, BJs) up there, the brakes, and tie rod. There's alot to say about a good fornt end. This one sucked.
 
not unless you cut it in half ha ha. removing the shafts is easy. pull the hubs/ shafts then remove the four bolts that hold the bearing caps (2 on each side). next, pull/ tap the carrier out and remove the ring gear bolts that hold it to the carrier.
 
I've removed the shafts before, just didn't know if I had to for the removal of ring gears. I've never had a differential open before. First time for everything. And I'll be carefull not to let the carrier fall.
Thanks
 
chances are the carrier won't "fall" out you'll probably have to pry it out or tap it out with a plastic hammer. it may fall out though. but, if you do have to pry/ pop it out, make sure it doesn't "jump" out onto the ground/ floor. it's really not bad. if you want some good walk-throughs, check out write-ups for the aussie locker or similar. they are plentiful and the same procedure for the most part:wave1:
 
You know, its hard to tell from the pics but if the contact pattern doesn't get into the missing section of the ring gear you might get away w/ just throwing side gears in it for a cheap, TEMPORARY fix while you get a line on a better front axle. It looks like they got chewed up by contact w/ the side gears sitting in the botttom of the housing correct?
 
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