Put it in 4wd(confirm it's in 4wd) turn the motor off, raise the front of the truck off the ground. While you look at the ujoint (check both sides obviously) using your hand, rotate the tire back and forth while you look at the axle ujoint.

 

PROBLEM SOLVED:

well i got a chance to look at the truck again before work tonight. Took off the CAD housing, and water came pouring out...and all the fluid that was there is all sludge....the little gear that the fork goes onto was caked with sludge, preventing it from sliding out of the way, so it was touching the inner shaft.

Tomorrow, im ripping the whole thing apart, carrier and all....going to fully clean the axle tubes, replace the axle seals again, and hope my diff isnt trashed due to the water.

Also im going to the dealer to pick up the tube guards...they go on the axle shaft, right outside the tube, and prevent dirt and water from getting in....

glad its this, and not a blown transfer case....

 

glad you got it figured out.
didn't you put something like 5 or 10 seals in that thing already?
did you have any seal leaks that you noticed, or did it seem like it was sealed up tight.

wash all that sludge out of your case, diff, tubes, etc with gas or diesel. don't smoke. i'd put the pumpkin in a super clean bucket and cover it with gas. you need to get all the sludge out of the bearings, evaporate the solvent, and then resoak it in gear oil.

if you don't already have a good tool for seating the seal, you need to make or buy one that fits exactly right. i've got a size if you need it. as you already know, its critical that the driver pulls on the metal edge of the seal, and not the weaker center metal or rubber.

here's my thoughts on the outer seals - if they're not perfect seals that can keep mud and water out, then you're better off not having them. imperfect seals will just let mud in and trap it where it can't run out. i'm thinking its better to have an open tube so it can run back out rather than be trapped.

since you've been grinding, pay special attention to the condition of the splines on the collar and the inner shaft which it slides over. mine was all f....ed up with burrs from past grinding, reducing the free play, and making the collar "too tight" to engage easily. use a file to smooth down any edges or burrs.

get good seals - either NATIONAL/Advance, SKF/NAPA, or SPICER/dealer. don't use timken.

 

i have timkins....and yea the pass. side had a leak still...but the fluid never has gotten below 3/4, and never looked contaminated. guess the water from my off-roading made it look full, and i couldnt notice.

also i have already looked at the splines through the CAD, they arent chewed at all.....it drove it while grinding a total maybe an 1/8 of a mile.

 

i editted my post above with some more info.

my collar didn't look chewed either. but when i put the axles on the work bench, and tried to slide the collar back and forth, it was too tight and i could tell it was why my engagement was so difficult.

can you ditch the timkens and use better seals this time ?
i hate timkens. HATE them HATE them HATE them. the metal is thin and flimsy and they always leak.

 

well i used my hand and was able to slide the collar over both shafts without resistance....


going to the dealer in about an hour, then starting the tear down of the front end...again....then work at 5...got called in :\

 

Your not driving it with that water you found in the CAD, that is without a doubt in the diff case also are you? And I agree with DV, get OEM seals or National.

 

went to the dealer today and got both axle seals, i can tell the difference already in durability....got sme gear oil, brake cleaner, and rags....gunna use a broom with a rag taped at the top and clean the whole tubes....


i moved the collar out of the way, going to put teh CAD back on and take it for a small test drive to see if its still doing it...then its the start of the teardown.....

 

well just dropped the diff cover...sludgy, not as bad as the CAD though.

and the thing thats bothering me, is that there was quite a bit of fine metal shavings.
hope its not blown............................................. ....

 

Wheeling like you have described in the past, along with the tranny issue you had(water), how can you not expect to have water in the diffs too?