SOLVED: grinding & more in 2wd from rear passenger side-- did i blow the rear diff?

[jsul]

hey guys, i used to have an account here years ago but i can't get into it anymore, i just got back into a GL a few months ago, good to be back. at any rate-- i have a question for the insight of anyone else this has maybe happened to, as these cars get older--

this is all as it pertains to an 88. i thought i'd tell you all everything i've noticed and see what ya thought. 

today, just in time for the snow, i popped mine into 4wd. a little while later i popped it out and i have this terrible grinding sound from the rear while the car is in motion. it's on the passenger side, but towards the center. i checked it from the outside and the sound is less grind and more click. it used to be classically tough to get out of 4wd, but now it glides in and out like it was new. so i've been keeping it in 4wd, and this way it doesn't grind, but i suspect that that wheel is not fully engaged with the rest (it just doesn't "feel" quite like 4wd, and it is making just a little sound, though much less than when it's in 2wd). i'm just glad that i probably won't need to take it out of 4 for the next few days with all this snow coming down out here

another thing i noticed is that when i locked the brakes and slid for a moment (while in 4wd) the grinding happened again, which confirms my "known unknowns" about what's going on. it would seem like the rear passenger wheel doesn't disengage fully, but isn't fully engaged either. 

 

i should say i've known something was up back there on that side since i bought it. real subtle clicking in 2wd that i could hear once in awhile, that would go away if i popped it into 4.

 

at any rate, i'll probably drop the rear diff when the weather gets okay again, i have a spare on my parts car, but i just wanted to see if i could pick any of your brains over it, cause i'm definitely going to be driving it around during this snow lol.  

 

thanks!

 

joe

Edited February 9, 2019 by jsul

[DaveT]

some of this sounds like a U joint failing in the drive shaft.

When in 4WD, the tiniest difference in tires sizes & path will cause a load that will silence some noises.  Until the wear gets worse.

If they are original, they are old enough to be bad by now.

With the car on it's wheels, get underneath.  Look for any rotational movement of 1 shaft to the other across the U joints.  Also, dark red / orange dust near the legs of the cross on the yokes.

[FerGloyale]

broken rear CV axle?

very very unlikely it's the diff, unless it's just the stub.

 

[jsul]

i just went for it and got it up in the air in spite of the snow. was worried that it was the stub like you said, but i found that the outer joint  is completely sheared and it's not attached to the hub at all anymore!

 

thanks for the help guys, is there a way i can mark this resolved or just delete it?

 

thanks again!

[sparkyboy]

Good job man, I'm glad that it wasn't serious! Welcome back to these silly things btw haha!

4wd drifting time! Start the turn in early and accelerate hard if you have snow tires! lol! My ej22 86 GL will barely get sideways with hankook snow tires, she drives like on pavement in the snow! I love 4 hi on these, they drive even better than the 325ix with the ej and the 325ix is beast, I have seen one snow plow in like 12 inches of snow! I was the only one at red feather lakes in CO and I was driving incredibly recklessly, like 60+ mph around this loop! Grinning like an idiot the whole time

Edited February 9, 2019 by sparkyboy