93 Ranger front dif junk??

[sfwjesse]

90k miles, axle code 91 (open dif 8.8) 3.27, turn the front drive shaft and do not see either front axle shaft moving. There is not grinding or clunking noise, just spins the driveshaft and not the axle shafts. My dad just bought the rig and its turning out to be a lemon. Checked the fluid level in the front dif....there was non. Filled it, notice a good leak on the passenger side shaft seal. So...guessing the dif is junk, just wondering if there is an easy fix or if i should just find another one....and also wondering how hard it is to remove. Can you just take out the axle shafts, drive shafts, and take those bolts off the front and swing the whole dif out? Is there a write up on this? Looked in the tech section and found the parts explosion but no write up on disassembly and i was told haynes doesnt cover this. Thanks.

 

[Lrpalo]

Yeah sounds toast to me. And your right, pull the front axles and drive shaft and you just need to unbolt the 3rd member

 

[bobbywalter]

i blew spiders in them alot.


pull it out and see what it needs....may be broke pinion...need to have a gawk at it.

 

[sfwjesse]

ok thanks. what do you mean by 3rd member? Is that one of the frame cross members?

 

[mhughes165]

na, a third memeber is a center section in axles that have removeable carriers/or chunks as 9" guys call em. they house ur carrier ring pinion spiders etc, normally its set into a axle houseing but on some axles IE dana 35 like in ur truck is just a removable third memeber, makes it alot easier to change that stuff out

 

[sfwjesse]

Ok....so decided the front dif is junk (still havent opened it up but seems like a no brainer). Picked up one for 100 at the junk yard pulled. Got it home and realized the thinner side of the slot in the case that the pinch bolt goes through was ground off. If you look at this picture it would be the thin piece of case metal to the left of the bolt (this isnt my picture...stole it).

I am having a hard time figuring out what purpose this pinch bolt serves....i know the tech section says do not run without it. I guess i am not seeing which direction the force is acting on this bolt. If its up and down...no problem. If its front to back, still no problem. If its side to side.....game over without the support of that piece.

If its no big deal...cool. If it is....can i just swap the guts from the case to my blown up dif? What do i do about shimming?

 

[sfwjesse]

I think ive talked myself into thinking this is ok. Looked at the whole set-up it seems the pinch bolt adds strength by tying the dif to the radius arm due to all the extra weight on that side for UP/DOWN forces...e.g hitting bumps. It takes some stress off of the 2 points where the radius arm is tied to the axle arm. The other side doesnt have anything like this because it doesnt have as much weight on it....right? Am i way off here?

 

[sfwjesse]

bump

 

[sfwjesse]

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46016&highlight=pinch+bolt

Found this thread....seems like I might be ok based on the comments here.

 

[feellnfroggy]

Yeah your fine, you will prolly have to change the diff carrier bearings. The pinch bolt is a bitch to get out, get a dremel with 5 cutting wheels at least 2 inches in diameter. Or a drill cutoff wheel same size, removing the spring and shock will be the easiest way to get at the bolt. Cut of 1/2 the the head and then hammer the bolt out past the radius arm. An airhammer will be a lifesaver.

yOU also have an open diff d35 up front not 8.8. fyi.

the diff may have been removed, but if its all damaged go to the junkyard and get a new housing with diff and all and just swap them.

 

[sfwjesse]

Ok got into it today. Found the pinion is totally stripped. So....had a hell of a time getting the old dif out...ended up breaking part of the case so it would come past the pinch bolt. Used a grade 8 threaded rod with nuts on both ends to replace it..sealed up the new dif...then realized u joints were frozen solid on both sides. Am i correct in thinking the previous owner threw it in 4wd without realizing u-joints were frozen and thats how he blew the pinion?

 

[countryboy]

u might b correct but no oil and frozen u joints he must have never used the 4wd........did u use my all thread idea if so i am glad it help someone out

 

[sfwjesse]

It sat for a long time and then the previous owner bought it for parts....thought it was too nice to part out, tried out the 4wd and thought the tcase moter was only partially engaging.....my guess is the snapping he heard wasnt the tcase slipping...it was the pinion shearing.

Yes country boy if you are the guy who posted about using a threaded rod i stole your idea. I couldnt find rated threaded rod so i bought a 6" long 1/2" bolt, ran a 1/2"-13 die up the rest of it, slightly ground the radius arm for clearance (about 1/16"), and it went together like butter.

The drawback is to get the dif out initially part of the dif has to be broken off unless you can get that bolt cut....i didnt have the patience...the thin part of aluminum on the outside of the pinch bolt got a chisel taken to it. The junkyard that pulled my new dif must have came to the same conclusion because that chunk is missing on the new dif too lol.

 

[countryboy]

well u welcome and the only reason i found grade 8 all thread was there is a bolt place local that has any dang thing u can imagine for bolt and nuts. i used a dremel to cut the head off the old bolt that was in mine. then a air chisel to finish it off.

 

[sfwjesse]

Well everything is bolted back up and seems to be working nicely. The housing is missing that chunk around the pinch bolt but there was still alot of housing to be pinched on there so i think thats ok. All new seals in the wheels, shafts and housing, new u joints, new ball joints....300 bucks later shes got working 4wd...phew. All done in the driveway in the freezing cold lol.