Transfer Case ?

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

I think you'd know if you had problems with the chain. Mostly because it'd be making all kinds of noises, and it might leave parts on the driveway!

It is possible to have the chain jump teeth on the sprockets, but that usually makes quite a bit of noise, and it basically right under your butt, so you tend to notice.

Front diff is a possibility that hasnt been discussed. I doubt highly that the gearset can wear enough to jump teeth, or otherwise intermittently work, but it could be broken (seems unlikely that it'd be broke and not making noise). But to check, I'd suggest to try turning each wheel (while holding the opposite wheel and pinion shaft). If either moves (while holding the other 2) then there's something bad going on.

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

I think you'd know if you had problems with the chain. Mostly because it'd be making all kinds of noises, and it might leave parts on the driveway!

It is possible to have the chain jump teeth on the sprockets, but that usually makes quite a bit of noise, and it basically right under your butt, so you tend to notice.

Front diff is a possibility that hasnt been discussed. I doubt highly that the gearset can wear enough to jump teeth, or otherwise intermittently work, but it could be broken (seems unlikely that it'd be broke and not making noise). But to check, I'd suggest to try turning each wheel (while holding the opposite wheel and pinion shaft). If either moves (while holding the other 2) then there's something bad going on.

'JustDreamin'

If i turn one front wheel slowly then other sides goes in the oppisite direction but if i turn it a little faster the one wheel turns by its self and you can hear a clunking noise. Not sure if thats normal but idk. The truck also does just a rear wheel burnout when yo try to get it to boots launch on street tires. i am going to find a used TC somewhere and swap it out and see if that helps but hell it could be the front diff I guess to. I have not had the chance to do the test for the vc yet due to a soldier in my plt. getting a DUI this weekend.

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

See, there's a problem!

If you're holding the front diff input (pinion) still, and spin a front tire, the other MUST spin all the time. If not, something in the front diff is FUBAR. And making noise isn't good either.

Now, if you were not holding the front diff pinion, and it did that, I'd say either chain or VC.

Here's another reasonably quick test. Jack up one front tire (with the other firmly on the ground). Apply a wrench to the tire you jacked up. It shouldn't spin (with the trans in park). If it does, figure out what moved (did the front driveshaft move). Yes = transfer case problem, No = front diff problem.

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

See, there's a problem!

If you're holding the front diff input (pinion) still, and spin a front tire, the other MUST spin all the time. If not, something in the front diff is FUBAR. And making noise isn't good either.

Now, if you were not holding the front diff pinion, and it did that, I'd say either chain or VC.

Here's another reasonably quick test. Jack up one front tire (with the other firmly on the ground). Apply a wrench to the tire you jacked up. It shouldn't spin (with the trans in park). If it does, figure out what moved (did the front driveshaft move). Yes = transfer case problem, No = front diff problem.

'JustDreamin'

Well I jacked up the pass. side front and left the driver side on the ground and the pass side wheel spins freely with the car in park. I changed sides and the same thing the driver side spun freely with pass side on the ground.

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

bump

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

Well I jacked up the pass. side front and left the driver side on the ground and the pass side wheel spins freely with the car in park. I changed sides and the same thing the driver side spun freely with pass side on the ground.

Did the front propshaft spin when you spun the tire?
(It's pretty important.)
If front propshaft spun = TCase = not so good.
If front propshaft didn't spin = Front Diff = not so good.

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

Did the front propshaft spin when you spun the tire?
(It's pretty important.)
If front propshaft spun = TCase = not so good.
If front propshaft didn't spin = Front Diff = not so good.

'JustDreamin'

No it wobbled a little but did not spin, just the tire.

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

Then, I think you need to spring for a fresh front diff. Sounds to me like the ring and pinion don't really work anymore.

I'd suggest trying to pick up a good salvage yard unit. I've heard that setting up these front diffs is an excercise in frustration. That and a new gear set will cost you more than a complete unit. I guess the trick is getting a good unit from a salvage yard.

I believe the later model (2nd gens) have a drain plug in the case (which 1st gens lack). Might be a worthwhile upgrade. Otherwise there isn't really an upgrade path available for that diff.


Next thing to figure out is if the tcase is damaged. They don't usually like being run with no resistance on the front propshaft. You may have a cooked VC in the tcase.

'JustDreamin'

 

[carVSsuv]

Re: Transfer Case ?

I just rebuilt my front diff after I heard a pop and lots of grinding that ended up going away after a while.

It was the front diff and both front tires would turn freely on jacks with grind and the Pinion (prop shaft input) would be still. When i disconnected the prop shaft, I could turn the flange by hand with some gloves on. It turned out to be the pinion was completely bald and was just bouncing around. When I drove it, it would do the same things.. just spin and fishtail like crazy.. was like having a camaro but kinda scary as the Ty likes to whip more.

I got replacement gears for 274 ish.. of the web and a rebuild kit for 150 ish which i had a bad pinion seal that i had to change afterwards because it covered the bottom of my truck with the funk along with the back of my truck.


So it was roughly 400 ish for the parts and then comes the removal. Yes this is a pain and the after support bracket is a pain. I had to bend it out of the way a little.. and yes its very hard to do that (little guy). Also had to take the left upper control arm out to get the top mounting bolt with a crows foot on the extention. ALSO ALSO ALSO as Don W. has posted... Remove the Oil cooler lines as they give you just that much extra room to rotate the diff forward. I feel that 1 1/2 inches made it that much easier. This thing is heavy if you are doing on the ground and even more of a pain to get it back in if you dont have a jack for it.

When my friend rebuilt mine he said it wasnt too bad as when he put everything back together, the gear mesh was perfect right after putting it together.

:tup:

let me know if you need some more details.. as I just did this 1 month ago

 

[carVSsuv]

Re: Transfer Case ?

I'd suggest trying to pick up a good salvage yard unit. I've heard that setting up these front diffs is an excercise in frustration. That and a new gear set will cost you more than a complete unit. I guess the trick is getting a good unit from a salvage yard.

'JustDreamin'

When I looked it cost anywhere from 250 to 300 for a salavage diff and even if you get a 4wd unit, you will still need to change the passenger axel.

In the end the little you save is not worth the hassel of getting a unit on its way out. let me tell you, it took me a whole day just to get it out and another just to get it back in and it was not easy at all.. in my opinion.. just get it rebuilt so you know its good instead of risking another change because of junk you got from the junk yard.:2cents:

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

When I looked it cost anywhere from 250 to 300 for a salavage diff and even if you get a 4wd unit, you will still need to change the passenger axel.

In the end the little you save is not worth the hassel of getting a unit on its way out. let me tell you, it took me a whole day just to get it out and another just to get it back in and it was not easy at all.. in my opinion.. just get it rebuilt so you know its good instead of risking another change because of junk you got from the junk yard.:2cents:

That's kinda the risk. I just searched Car-Part, and there are a whole bunch of yards that are selling front diffs (with 3.42 gears) starting at about $50 (alot of listings in the $60 to $75 range). Most offer some form of warranty.

Yes, getting it in and out with the mounting tabs in place is a royal PIA. I've thought seriously about making those tabs a bolt in affair on my truck, but haven't done anything as of yet.

To make things more fun, you had a buddy put it together for you. If you had to pay somebody, figure another $300 to $500. That puts the new parts way somewhere in the $700 to $1000 range. You can buy a number of used fronts for that kind of dinero.

I don't think there is a better solution here. Both involve risk. Unless you know what you're doing, setting up that front diff is probably about the same crap-shoot as putting in a used one. Even supposed experts can be idiots. For example, I had a set of gears in my '93 Z28's 10 bolt installed by "experts". Ran great, no whine, etc for about 2500 miles. Then it kicked one of the ring gear bolts through the rear cover. No locktite, and obviously not torqued properly since like 7 of them were finger-tite. Probably didn't even use new bolts (which for the 7.625" 10 bolt are left hand.)

Finding a good used one is a tough proposition. You need to be shopping from reputable yards that back up their parts and getting reasonably new / low mile stuff.

Either way you may be out a fair chunk of $$$ by the time you're done and you may have to have it apart more than once.

And I'm certainly not trying to say a particular method is "correct". To determine which is correct for you, you need to balance budget, level of risk you are comfortable with, and your skill level (and the level of the resources available to you). Only then can you decide what is the correct method for you.

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

That's kinda the risk. I just searched Car-Part, and there are a whole bunch of yards that are selling front diffs (with 3.42 gears) starting at about $50 (alot of listings in the $60 to $75 range). Most offer some form of warranty.

Yes, getting it in and out with the mounting tabs in place is a royal PIA. I've thought seriously about making those tabs a bolt in affair on my truck, but haven't done anything as of yet.

To make things more fun, you had a buddy put it together for you. If you had to pay somebody, figure another $300 to $500. That puts the new parts way somewhere in the $700 to $1000 range. You can buy a number of used fronts for that kind of dinero.

I don't think there is a better solution here. Both involve risk. Unless you know what you're doing, setting up that front diff is probably about the same crap-shoot as putting in a used one. Even supposed experts can be idiots. For example, I had a set of gears in my '93 Z28's 10 bolt installed by "experts". Ran great, no whine, etc for about 2500 miles. Then it kicked one of the ring gear bolts through the rear cover. No locktite, and obviously not torqued properly since like 7 of them were finger-tite. Probably didn't even use new bolts (which for the 7.625" 10 bolt are left hand.)

Finding a good used one is a tough proposition. You need to be shopping from reputable yards that back up their parts and getting reasonably new / low mile stuff.

Either way you may be out a fair chunk of $$$ by the time you're done and you may have to have it apart more than once.

And I'm certainly not trying to say a particular method is "correct". To determine which is correct for you, you need to balance budget, level of risk you are comfortable with, and your skill level (and the level of the resources available to you). Only then can you decide what is the correct method for you.

'JustDreamin'

Well for the money you guys are talking its not that bad for a rebuilt of used diff compared to the fact that a set of gears for the gto alone run about 650-750 lol.

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

Well for the money you guys are talking its not that bad for a rebuilt of used diff compared to the fact that a set of gears for the gto alone run about 650-750 lol.

Well, that's just 'cause GM has you over a barrel for those Aussie parts and the volume is too low for anybody else to run cost effectively either. Stuff that actually has good production volumes (like 10 bolt or Ford 9" & 8.8"'s) the parts are darn cheap as you're probably well aware.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

Well, that's just 'cause GM has you over a barrel for those Aussie parts and the volume is too low for anybody else to run cost effectively either. Stuff that actually has good production volumes (like 10 bolt or Ford 9" & 8.8"'s) the parts are darn cheap as you're probably well aware.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

'JustDreamin'

What size is the front diff? Is it a 10 bolt 7.25 isf with 3.42's like the vans have.

 

['JustDreamin']

Re: Transfer Case ?

Not sure on the quantity of bolts. Mostly because the case splits lengthwise, vs the traditional 10 bolt housing with inspection cover.

However it is the 7.25" IFS setup. I know the S10 bits all interchange (not sure about the ZR2 parts), but I don't know about the Astro parts. Might be the same, might not. The S10 parts are darned plentiful, since they used the same bits through the end of S10 production (and that was what, 2004?).

'JustDreamin'

 

[MIXEDBREED]

Re: Transfer Case ?

Not sure on the quantity of bolts. Mostly because the case splits lengthwise, vs the traditional 10 bolt housing with inspection cover.

However it is the 7.25" IFS setup. I know the S10 bits all interchange (not sure about the ZR2 parts), but I don't know about the Astro parts. Might be the same, might not. The S10 parts are darned plentiful, since they used the same bits through the end of S10 production (and that was what, 2004?).

'JustDreamin'

Ya I will most likely buy the parts new and rebuild it. Prob change out the TC as well but will see how its goes after the front diff is fixed. I found some rebuilt TC's for 800-900. Then I can have my AWD truck really run AWD lol.

 

[carVSsuv]

Re: Transfer Case ?

Your right just dreamin.. it is a pain to figure out what you wanna do.. But hey you have to do what you have to do... some pockets are not as deep as others...

I would do the front diff first to solve that problem and check the TC because the coupler is 600 alone.

When mine when out.. i put about 300 miles on it because i didnt have a choice but to keep driving... and it was fine afterwards.. but i was being nice.

But as many say.... if the coupler is good.. there is no need to rebuild the TC because most all fast trucks out there are using the Stock TC... so if you VC is good.. why spend the coin:2cents:

Plus the TC is much easier to get out than the front diff... :tup: