AWD Debris on Front Differential Magnetic Plug

[6speedblazer]

the bearing adjuster breaks the tabs off and backs off killing the carrier bearings, they are under the seal

not always. my adjuster locks were perfect and my bearings were still trashed.

 

[6speedblazer]

Yeah, I don't pay for anything that I can do myself... Even if it is a learning experience... I have pulled motors, changed clutches, and everything in between, all based on Internet research and Haynes manuals (especially before the Internet days!). To be honest, I am more likely to install a 2WD transmission and driveshaft rather than fool with rebuilding the thing unless it's super easy to do.

its not hard at all. front diffs are cake due to the threaded adjusters. i got all the info off another site that was a copy paste of the FSM. it had all the specs an tolerance in it.

I agree. I refilled it with Royal Purple and plan to run it five thousand miles or so (being sure to listen out carefully for noises) and check the drain plug again. I put 1,000 on it this weekend and it performed perfectly.

A how-to for the process (and perhaps a parts list) would make life a lot easier.

i tired the same thing just to see what would happen and i got just as much metal and crap out the second time. but my bearings were pretty bad, ever single carrier bearing roller was pitted to hell and the races were starting to de-laminate as well.

 

[shreksbrother]

its not hard at all. front diffs are cake due to the threaded adjusters. i got all the info off another site that was a copy paste of the FSM. it had all the specs an tolerance in it.

OK, I'll look around for the info, thanks a lot. What exactly did you replace in yours?

i tired the same thing just to see what would happen and i got just as much metal and crap out the second time. but my bearings were pretty bad, ever single carrier bearing roller was pitted to hell and the races were starting to de-laminate as well.

That's what I'm afraid of... I've dumped so much money into suspension refreshing that I guess it's time to turn to the drivetrain.

 

[ezstriper]

GM say NOT to use synthetic in ft diff's at all

 

[HiHoeSilver]

GM say NOT to use synthetic in ft diff's at all

Where did you see that?

 

[ezstriper]

got it from a GM tech friend of mine, was a GM TSB on it, syn ok in rear

 

[06Escalade]

My AWD front diff has the same problems. Somewhere along the way the diff vent tube fell off the plastic fender well. Dangling upside down, breathing water, salt, sand for what looks like a few years. Here is what I found during winter when I was looking for a mysterious leak on the garage floor. It was the pinion seal puking fluid, which lead me to this..


The vehicle was serviced by the dealer during this time. They never noticed greasing, changing the oil, changing all fluids. Too late now the damage is done. The drain bolt has the same metal as yours, fluid looked like this...


After 5 Mobil 1 75w90 drain and fills over 2 years, its alive. Not leaking. The drained oil is clearer, but still get the metal buildup on the bolt like yours, still get silver in the gear oil. Something is toast, the end is near. I do a lot of DIY, but rebuilding diffs require skills I don't have. Setting the preload, backlash, etc. are not something I want to learn on this truck. I've been researching, there are a few that rebuild my 3.73 front diff on eBay and sell for +-$1,000. From what you mentioned in your post, you seem capable to shotgun the diff and be done with it. I do think the front diffs in our GM AWDs are a weak spot, and should see yearly maintenance. I just changed the rear diff fluid which is also 75w90 syn, and at 155k the fluid was "good". No silver fluid, hardly anything on the magnet.

 

[swathdiver]

The recommendation by GM to use regular oil in the front differential is a curiosity to me as well. Especially since the rest of the drivetrain uses synthetic oils.

Oopsk! Wrong generation!

 

[TM98]

I read that if you had the black differential carrier vent hose connector it would leak with synthetic but if you had the white one it was fine. I seem to remember the the black connector was used in either 04 or 03 and earlier.

 

[06Escalade]

Here is my 06 escalade fluid spec that clearly states syn gear oil. Even if it didn't I could never imagine using dino in that diff.