How to fix a limited slip differential

Thank you for taking the time to leave this comment, I didn't even think of this. Remarks like yours are why I scan the comments section, they are mind expanding. I imagine the same repeating patterns happen with timing chains.

That's a good point, I'm a belt and suspenders guy, ha ha. In this case I believe those caps can be accidentally swapped both left to right and also top to bottom. So if you don't mark the opposite side you won't know which side of each cap is up. I can be a klutz at times, and it wouldn't be rare for me to accidentally kick a box of parts over. If you are certain that won't happen, you don't need to mark at all. Thanks for stopping by!

@@spelunkerd If you look on the underside of the bearing cap you can see a stain in the shape of the bearing race area. Match up the stains. Most caps I have removed have an indicator of which way is up. I can match caps up if they are not marked using the arrows and the stains on the underside of the cap.

@@nofortunatesonII Witness marks

Thank you for following along, your response makes the effort worthwhile! I believe the real secret to this is at 9:06 of the video, it would be easy to make that tool. By using a tool that compresses both clutches from one side, you leave one side gear open to mount and rotate the housing in a vice. Having both clutch packs compressed from one side would make the most difficult part of this much easier. If you ever do it, bring the camera along, to date nobody has shown that on KRplus.

Thanks, Chad. It's always nice to get a visit from a guy who does this professionally, especially one who takes the effort to give back to the KRplus community with his own videos.
Cheers,
Dave

What a kind remark, thank you.

All I did was what was shown in the two-video set. The torque to turn one wheel, with the other on the ground while in neutral, was 35 ft-lbs. It's not a great test, too wide a normal range. I haven't yet tested the torque since completing the repair.

Maybe try it with the diff in gear, since the opposite wheel should always try to turn the opposite way if the axle is held stationary. Depending on the style of differential these are designed to have enough slip to allow turning around a corner without bump slipping. Yeah, it sounds like yours is abnormal, for some reason. There is wide variance in the design of these systems. I don't know enough about the land cruiser to say.

@@spelunkerd Thank you very much for your help I will have to ask a local mechanic and investigate it further the LSD does appear to give trouble on some models . Keep your videos coming they are very informative .

Thanks. Check out the channel WatchWesWork here you youtube, he did a very similar video, this week, in a Ford. It turns out the standard LSD in that vehicle is very similar. I really liked the way he used a bolt and two nuts with an end cap and washers to compress both side gears at the same time without losing the ability to prop it on an axle shaft held in a vise. The method is much like I allude to at the end of this video. Good luck!

If the contact pattern and ring gear backlash are good, I wouldn’t worry about the C clips. However I have no experience with a spun pinion bearing at all. Good luck!

Yeah, the magnetic base is unnecessary. Some dial indicators have clamps, and often techs have different versions to best suit the situation. Holding it with you hand would be inaccurate and awkward.

So I do need to buy a magentic base for accurate measurements?

@@whojackson They are cheaper than you think, I got my set at Princess Auto, Harbor freight is an option in the US. As I recall the dial indicator with magnetic base was less than $30. You can get the type that use a clamp, but then your diff needs something nearby the jaws can clamp to.

Newer trucks have sensors in each wheel, not a single one in the diff as shown here. I'll guess it is a mechanical issue, hard to say what. I would doubt it is as simple as a C clip, although it is possible the C clip was not installed correctly when last serviced. I've seen broken axles behave like this. You'll find the cause when you get in there.

What a kind remark, thank you.

If you go to the video just after 2:30, you'll see the box from Summit Racing and a website, part number and phone number. The tricky thing is to be sure you're getting the correct parts for your vehicle. More than once I've been confused because Dodge changed some hardware midway through a production year. There are aftermarket websites that will classify differentials based on the outward appearance, cover plate bolt numbers, and ring gear diameter. Pay attention to any metal tags or stickers on your diff.

@@spelunkerd unfortunately the previous owner open the pumpkin up before I did, and there were no identifying tags. It’s a five lug 925. Could that be 321? Or 373?

Unfortunately, we have no type of knowledge and this rear end has 139,000 miles on it so the previous owner was smoking tires every corner. Me and my pop think it might be cheaper to just go buy outright rear end from the wrecking yard and doing a swap lol there goes $60 in bearings and seals.

The rebuild kits alone or $300 plus and we don’t know how much metal shavings from those broken washers have caused

Yes, I've heard that some guys do it that way. It seems like a more awkward option, but I suppose you could use the wheels to apply leverage to get those new shims into place.

Shown at 2:37 of video, on the box.

It's working great, better than ever. I'm amazed at how these old tanks won't die, but they sure are thirsty.

@@spelunkerd Good for you! I lost my rear in my 99 Durango when something inside kicked out and broke the Diff housing. Oil all up the back as we were doing 60 mph.. Paid a Dodge "Certified mechanic to get me on the road again. Finds a used OPEN drive. On a 4X4? Idiot. Then made me buy everything new to rebuild it. Yukon bearing kit (Timken Bearings), Mopar LSD. 3.92 Pinion gear and ring and seals and everything. Don't know what he did, but it was noisy and brought it back. He replaced a bearing or two and sent me home, and it is real noisy again in 10K. $3800 total it cost me. He "retired". A transmission guy said I need to replace everything again and it needs to be rebuilt right. Does that sound legit? Nothing can be reused? He said the Diff and gears wear lop sided when done wrong. Something about poor shimming? OUCH!

@@KP11520 I don't know why these Ram differentials tend to be noisy, but its a very common complaint. On my truck it was noisy on the highway at about 90,000 miles, worse under load, and I asked a pro to look at it. He replaced the pinion bearings but the noise persisted. I lived with it for years, nothing too bad, but a little annoying. Now I don't notice anything, but I don't drive it every day. Now that I know how much work and time it takes to do this right, I can understand high prices. Most demonstrations here on KRplus by general mechanics cut corners that driveline shops take time to do right. From what I know now, I'd be suspicious if it didn't take a lot of work.

@@spelunkerd Thanks! There's one place here on Long Island that's supposed to be place for it being done right, including real custom work! Hopefully, it is something more simple and doesn't need everything!. Time to sell it if so. Trans throws codes because the torque converter won't lock up. Won't pass inspection because of this too. Transmission guy said he'd do a complete rebuild and converter for $2800. Said it's so much work to remove and reinstall correctly, just do everything when out! This THING ain't worth $2800. LOL Keep driving to where most can't go! Good Luck!

Great question. They say that when this limited slip fails, it usually fails 'open', meaning it behaves like you don't have it. It reverts to an open diff. Poor traction in snow, with one wheel wildly spinning and the other not moving at all. I suppose when those plates break or bind you could have noises or sticking traction on one side. Practically speaking I didn't notice anything, but this truck rarely goes off road. We get snow once a year here, and I never do burnouts to show off, so I haven't had a chance to try it out.

That's a good point, I rarely get to use my SAE wrenches any more. Many but not all of the fasteners in this old American truck are SAE, but fortunately metric wrenches usually fit, especially on large bolts. I would have been happy with metric conversion decades ago when Ronald Regan refused. Now the US is one of only three countries on the planet who have not formally adopted the metric system, sharing that distinction with Liberia and Myanmar. The world passed by.

Good question. The difficult part would be to compress the Belleville washers enough to get the spider gears and washers into place. I used a bolt and nut on each side, which would be tricky in the confines of the case. Removing the diff is easy and you can inspect and clean it more easily with the diff removed.

@@spelunkerd I'm attempting this right now and what a pain in the rear end :) Thinking of breaking down and buying the specially tool if I can't make one.

Good guess, I'm amazed at how good people can be at that little game. I grew up in Alberta.

@@spelunkerd you sound like Jordan Peterson alot.

@@GregariousAntithesis Ha ha. I think I may have met him briefly when we were both at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, back in about 1980.

@@spelunkerd im neutral on him but i do love canadians in general reminds me of kinder gentler days growing up in the US. Everyone has become cowards, nuts and fantastics.