Accidentally purchased a denali front differential to match gearing in my rear end.

[rockola1971]

Thank you! I figured just getting the correct part would be the most straight approach to this situation. Id hate to mess them both up in the process of frankensteining the awd.

The AWD front diff is just a 4WD diff with different passenger side housing. Technically the AWD unit is the Frankensteined unit.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

you're talking about just unbolting the end tube and swap them? if they are the same and it fits, I don't see what it would hurt to try.


that solenoid just locks the right wheel to the left wheel when in 4hi/4lo right? I mean if you don't use 4hi/lo often enough, maybe just pull the old actuator off the old one, plug it in and zip tie it out of the way? so it doesn't set a fault code for being unplugged.

View attachment 453236

I think it locks the hubs in. Don't believe it has anything to do with Hi/Lo.

Yeah that shaft comes right off. I took mine apart. I'd give it a try. It may made right up to yours.

From sound of it you need the correct gears? You had 3.42 and swapped to 3.73?

If that's the case, just take the gears from the core unit and put them on your front diff.

I say just lightly. You have to adjust gear lash among other things. But is MUCH cheaper than buying the gears new.

 

[j91z28d1]

I think it locks the hubs in. Don't believe it has anything to do with Hi/Lo.

Yeah that shaft comes right off. I took mine apart. I'd give it a try. It may made right up to yours.

From sound of it you need the correct gears? You had 3.42 and swapped to 3.73?

If that's the case, just take the gears from the core unit and put them on your front diff.

I say just lightly. You have to adjust gear lash among other things. But is MUCH cheaper than buying the gears new.

I said 4hi/lo because it's the only times the hubs are locked on mine. but I also didn't realize he was a different Gen. I have a 2011. in 2wd and auto the hubs aren't locked. in 4lo and 4 hi it locks left and right together.

 

[rockola1971]

LT shows how easy it is to remove the extension the IFS diff.
Technically for 4wd to happen you must have (1) the passenger and driver side axles locked together. (2) The front driveshaft engaged under power within the Tcase.

 

[Matthew Jeschke]

@rockola1971 I should ask a question of you about my truck. I rebuilt the front / IFS diff (minus the carrier). I also rebuilt my instrument cluster. I notice there's a green 4wd indicator on the instrument cluster. That never illuminates on my cluster though. Does it on anybody else's?