Think I killed my rear diff
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Think I killed my rear diff
'07 3.7l v6 4wd 10 bolt (8.25)? diff
I just changed my rear pinion seal. It was leaking enough to coat the underside of my bed. I had the driveshaft dropped 'cause I also had a failed TO bearing.
I marked and replaced it all in the same orientation (rotation location). I didn't torque down the pinion bolt, I used the rotation count off and on to get the bolt back into the same spot and as to not overtighten.
Now the rear grinds and whirs terrible. I did wince a few times pounding the new seal in that I nicked my wooden block and struck the pinion bolt a few times, not hard. I also made sure to keep dirt, rust flakes, etc out of the open "clean area" vacated by the old seal.
I probably screwed it over, but also when I bought the truck (which was one owner and serviced at the dealership) I asked that original shop if there were chronic issues (they weren't the sellers - went to auction). They said there was a note of a leaky rear pinion seal, but it was bone dry on my inspection before buying. Perhaps they simply used thicker diff fluid to stop the leak for a bit and perhaps quiet it? Just a long reach theory.
I figure I have just messed up my pinion bearings somehow. I've never messed with a differential before.. in my searches here.. looks like I've been very lucky.
Next steps.. Pinion bearings? Should I pull the crush washer and retorque to specs in case I messed up with the counting method? Is noise meaning I've already done it in and should be replacing parts? Perhaps its too lose and to tighten it down?
Oh, and every so often... before I touched the pinion seal, it seems like the back end shifts power distribution on me. The back of the truck does a quick short mambo dance, like you hit a bad crosswind for a sec. Probably a sign I wasn't the only thing to kill that diff.
Driveshaft joints look in good condition, BTW.
Thanks!
I just changed my rear pinion seal. It was leaking enough to coat the underside of my bed. I had the driveshaft dropped 'cause I also had a failed TO bearing.
I marked and replaced it all in the same orientation (rotation location). I didn't torque down the pinion bolt, I used the rotation count off and on to get the bolt back into the same spot and as to not overtighten.
Now the rear grinds and whirs terrible. I did wince a few times pounding the new seal in that I nicked my wooden block and struck the pinion bolt a few times, not hard. I also made sure to keep dirt, rust flakes, etc out of the open "clean area" vacated by the old seal.
I probably screwed it over, but also when I bought the truck (which was one owner and serviced at the dealership) I asked that original shop if there were chronic issues (they weren't the sellers - went to auction). They said there was a note of a leaky rear pinion seal, but it was bone dry on my inspection before buying. Perhaps they simply used thicker diff fluid to stop the leak for a bit and perhaps quiet it? Just a long reach theory.
I figure I have just messed up my pinion bearings somehow. I've never messed with a differential before.. in my searches here.. looks like I've been very lucky.
Next steps.. Pinion bearings? Should I pull the crush washer and retorque to specs in case I messed up with the counting method? Is noise meaning I've already done it in and should be replacing parts? Perhaps its too lose and to tighten it down?
Oh, and every so often... before I touched the pinion seal, it seems like the back end shifts power distribution on me. The back of the truck does a quick short mambo dance, like you hit a bad crosswind for a sec. Probably a sign I wasn't the only thing to kill that diff.
Driveshaft joints look in good condition, BTW.
Thanks!
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P.S. Got to thinking.. I don't hear noise under power, but coasting or slight downshifting. Perhaps I should tighten the pinion nut some more. What's the worst I could do.. ruin it? :P
Afraid to overtighten though. Is there a torque spec for that pinion nut, as to not exceed that?
Afraid to overtighten though. Is there a torque spec for that pinion nut, as to not exceed that?
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Joined: Aug 2011
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From: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
'07 3.7l v6 4wd 10 bolt (8.25)? diff
I just changed my rear pinion seal. It was leaking enough to coat the underside of my bed. I had the driveshaft dropped 'cause I also had a failed TO bearing.
I marked and replaced it all in the same orientation (rotation location). I didn't torque down the pinion bolt, I used the rotation count off and on to get the bolt back into the same spot and as to not overtighten.
Now the rear grinds and whirs terrible. I did wince a few times pounding the new seal in that I nicked my wooden block and struck the pinion bolt a few times, not hard. I also made sure to keep dirt, rust flakes, etc out of the open "clean area" vacated by the old seal.
I probably screwed it over, but also when I bought the truck (which was one owner and serviced at the dealership) I asked that original shop if there were chronic issues (they weren't the sellers - went to auction). They said there was a note of a leaky rear pinion seal, but it was bone dry on my inspection before buying. Perhaps they simply used thicker diff fluid to stop the leak for a bit and perhaps quiet it? Just a long reach theory.
I figure I have just messed up my pinion bearings somehow. I've never messed with a differential before.. in my searches here.. looks like I've been very lucky.
Next steps.. Pinion bearings? Should I pull the crush washer and retorque to specs in case I messed up with the counting method? Is noise meaning I've already done it in and should be replacing parts? Perhaps its too lose and to tighten it down?
Oh, and every so often... before I touched the pinion seal, it seems like the back end shifts power distribution on me. The back of the truck does a quick short mambo dance, like you hit a bad crosswind for a sec. Probably a sign I wasn't the only thing to kill that diff.
Driveshaft joints look in good condition, BTW.
Thanks!
I just changed my rear pinion seal. It was leaking enough to coat the underside of my bed. I had the driveshaft dropped 'cause I also had a failed TO bearing.
I marked and replaced it all in the same orientation (rotation location). I didn't torque down the pinion bolt, I used the rotation count off and on to get the bolt back into the same spot and as to not overtighten.
Now the rear grinds and whirs terrible. I did wince a few times pounding the new seal in that I nicked my wooden block and struck the pinion bolt a few times, not hard. I also made sure to keep dirt, rust flakes, etc out of the open "clean area" vacated by the old seal.
I probably screwed it over, but also when I bought the truck (which was one owner and serviced at the dealership) I asked that original shop if there were chronic issues (they weren't the sellers - went to auction). They said there was a note of a leaky rear pinion seal, but it was bone dry on my inspection before buying. Perhaps they simply used thicker diff fluid to stop the leak for a bit and perhaps quiet it? Just a long reach theory.
I figure I have just messed up my pinion bearings somehow. I've never messed with a differential before.. in my searches here.. looks like I've been very lucky.
Next steps.. Pinion bearings? Should I pull the crush washer and retorque to specs in case I messed up with the counting method? Is noise meaning I've already done it in and should be replacing parts? Perhaps its too lose and to tighten it down?
Oh, and every so often... before I touched the pinion seal, it seems like the back end shifts power distribution on me. The back of the truck does a quick short mambo dance, like you hit a bad crosswind for a sec. Probably a sign I wasn't the only thing to kill that diff.
Driveshaft joints look in good condition, BTW.
Thanks!
did you refill the fluid to spec? If you have a limited slip did you put the special modifier fluid?
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Did tighten the pinion bolt. Read that the torque specs were somthing like 210ft/lbs. I have a 150ft/lb torque wrench and figured I'd certainly not overtighten if I even used the max capacity of the wrench. The pinion bolt tightened easy, could have used a regular ratchet, I'm sure. I felt it "bottom" out against something. The nut suddenly stopped rotating and just refused to move after trying to give it more muscle (still WAY under 150 ft/lbs). Figured that was enough to test drive the change, and reattached the drive shaft. Now it seems quiet. Keeping an ear out and also know I didn't do those pinion bearings (or gear) any favors.
There was also a bit of play rotating the pinion flange before (like a gap between gear teath) and less after.
Perhaps I should give up the self-repair idea if I cannot count to 8 (rotations to remove the pinion bolt). I was worried I lost something, like a shim or washer if it reassembles tighter like that (and I didn't screw up my count). I recall not having to try real hard to remove the pinion bolt. Seems to me the drive shaft bolts were tighter upon removal. That seems odd.
I'm making a long post, I know. I'm trying to piece this together.. things don't add up. could something have wedged cockeyed thus allowing tension to be maintained, but my removal and reassembly "settled it" back flat? Doesn't seem like it can, but theorizing.
Seems I might be better, for now. We'll see, I suppose.
Last edited by bohnjerry; Jan 29, 2015 at 09:34 AM.
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I said that it seemed to go on tighter, so if the crush sleeve came off with the pinion flange and separated when reassembled, I'd have that "extra" part on my garage floor. My workspace is quite clean, I should have seen any leftover pieces when the job was done.
I also didn't want to mess with over-tightening and thus ruining the pinion bearings, so I chose not to mess torquing in a new crush collar.
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Isn't there a one-time crush sleeve/washer that needs to be replaced when the nut is removed?
NO, the crush sleeve is between the pinion bearings.IIRC the pinion nut should be a self-locking type. If it was easy off, easy on, it sounds like it's time to replace it.
