# Front diff rebuild



## Cobb_05 (Oct 3, 2011)

Well I think I have destroyed my front differential. My question is, with a guy that has mild to mild plus mechanic skills, How hard is it to rebuild? The reason I say it is destroyed is because it is making a terrible clunking noise and it keeps going front locked and unlocked on it's own and no pulling of the leaver. The diff lock leaver has no function at all weather I do it by hand on the diff its self or pull the leaver. To makes matters woirse I think the actuator is going bad or just needs cleaned but that's not biggy, plan on changing to manual anyways. If anyone has any advice or do and donts on the diff I would much appreciate it.


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## muddaholic 09 (Apr 12, 2011)

dont know how hard to rebuild it but look at the thread ( i need a solution ) that i started and u can see my diff insides... lot of money turned to metal shavings...


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## Cobb_05 (Oct 3, 2011)

Yea man just as soon as I post a thread, I look and you have the exact same problem I am having and I know when I open mine up it's going to look just like that! :bigeyes: I'm going to have to fix mine and remove the diff lock leaver!!! Lol


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Its not too hard to rebuild. It basically comes apart in layers...start on one side and work your way through to the other side (you can only start from one side, mine's not in front of me at the moment so don't remember which side it was)
Its best if you stack the stuff back together on the work bench as you are taking it apart so not to get something mixed up. Take pictures if it'll help you get it back together. Its a very straight forward job, would take an experienced person maybe around 1.5 hours or so to do the tear down and get it back together if he had all the proper tools layed out already and new parts ready to go in. Obviously you're lookin to rebuild so you need to figure out whats bad first. We can walk ya through it on here so don't sweat it.


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## rmax (Nov 21, 2009)

dam cuz , if luck were sh-t ,you couldnt even get a smell, oh well i know you are busy , but if you get it out an apart ,parts on there way , my plans have gotten backed up ,an it will be in nov before i get up there, maybe can assist in getting it back together


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

Its easy once youy get it out just do what filthy said put stuff in order and one of the number one thing to do when you have it apart is to put in a front diff bearing kit like the moose one it has ALL the bearings and seals for hundred bucs except the seal for the the diff loc shaft that sticks out the diff.Also get a new shaft that runs threw the spider gears and do the mod to it. Any other ? just shoot me a pm.


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## wcs61 (Jun 7, 2011)

Remove the left hand side first. That's where your clutch's are for the diff lock. Tricky part is putting it back together and keeping the return spring on the lever shaft.


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

wcs61 said:


> Remove the left hand side first. That's where your clutch's are for the diff lock. Tricky part is putting it back together and keeping the return spring on the lever shaft.


I fought with that for quite a while and just when I started to get mad at it I figured out that I could twist the diff lock shaft just enough that it'd hold that spring and then I lowered everything down into place. It took several tries to get it right, but it did eventually work. I know this makes absolutely no sense to the guys that havn't had one apart, but if you have then you probably have an idea of what I'm talking about.


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## Cobb_05 (Oct 3, 2011)

rmax said:


> dam cuz , if luck were sh-t ,you couldnt even get a smell, oh well i know you are busy , but if you get it out an apart ,parts on there way , my plans have gotten backed up ,an it will be in nov before i get up there, maybe can assist in getting it back together


Yea I am getting married at the end of the month so I won't be able to tear it down till afterwords. Hey when u head up here give me a holler, it's always better to have two heads then one working on something!


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## Cobb_05 (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks guys for the advice I'm going to get it out and apart as soon as I can and take pics to show y'all the damage!


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## wcs61 (Jun 7, 2011)

filthyredneck said:


> I fought with that for quite a while and just when I started to get mad at it I figured out that I could twist the diff lock shaft just enough that it'd hold that spring and then I lowered everything down into place. It took several tries to get it right, but it did eventually work. I know this makes absolutely no sense to the guys that havn't had one apart, but if you have then you probably have an idea of what I'm talking about.


 LMAO, same here filthy..just enough tension to keep that darn thing on.


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

filthyredneck said:


> I fought with that for quite a while and just when I started to get mad at it I figured out that I could twist the diff lock shaft just enough that it'd hold that spring and then I lowered everything down into place. It took several tries to get it right, but it did eventually work. I know this makes absolutely no sense to the guys that havn't had one apart, but if you have then you probably have an idea of what I'm talking about.


 It took awhile my first build too but figured out vise grips work well holding it in place while you drop it down in.


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## chevzr2 (Nov 25, 2009)

all balls kit has everything for around 100 bucks


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## brutemike (Mar 23, 2010)

The allballs i got before did not have the pancake bearings but when i rebuilt my buddies he got the moose kit and it had all the bearings.:thinking:


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