Diff goes boom...going on #4

[06 H3]

I pulled the diff apart and WOW! I was quite surprised.

The pinion bearing failed and ended up hitting the carrier (eaton e locker) and it literally just chewed through the metal.



Now you would assume the pinion is chewed up also but it is not! The R&P is in perfect condition. So now you gotta ask yourself questions. Would a normal pinion chew up if the same thing happened? Is the pinion still good due to the cryo treatment? Is the metal softer on the eaton e locker then the pinion?

Im not sure what do you guys think? I was so surprised to see a perfect R&P knowing that driving around at 70mph with the pinion destroying the e locker would do no harm.

 

[amrg]

We are all waiting on you Chris to come up with a bolt in diff we can regear! I haven't even broke a tierod or halfshaft yet (my cautious wheeling style). But would be $$ in for a diff I can regear, go 4x4 knowing I won't break it!


Mike

same here! We have hopes!!!

 

[SuperBuickGuy]

where's my picture of my R&P when the pinion bearing failed? I suspect your locker is still fine; unless it snapped the case - it just now has dimples/oil slingers.

what the hell, though, about the pinion bearings. My pinion bearing broke, ground to dust then took the R & P with it when it allowed the pinion to flop around.

here's my R&P with the same failure

 

[06 H3]

Thats what I am saying...How can the R&P not be destroyed? Can cryotreatment really help? Is it a fluke accident? Idk...

Ill get pics of the R&P tonight I gotta leave for work.

Back to the 2wd H3 lifestyle...I am happy to report that I have done it so many times I can have the truck moving in 2wd in about an hour and 15min. From the start to finish of pulling out the diff

 

[4speedfunk]

I am happy to report that I have done it so many times I can have the truck moving in 2wd in about an hour and 15min.

Dude that is a horrible achievement! It sucks that you have become so good fixing such a frustrating failure. I got pretty good at it too. Better days ahead.

 

[06 H3]

horrible achievement for sure. I am really curious about the cryotreatment though. My last diff the pinion bearing went out and killed the pinion gear. Looks like the same thing happened with superbuickguy. I just cant fathom the fact that this little tiny AAM-7 pinion didnt self destruct slapping against the carrier at 70mph. If its the cryotreatment I will give credit where credit is due and tell everyone with an AAM-7 to go get there gears cryoed but install the gears yourself or have a shop do it because thats where my problem arised.

 

[Zach]

I think part of it was the douche that put it together. How do you not remember to put a pinion seal in, if you do diffs for a living? And to drill a hole for the locker wiring, when there was already one? As said before, it was doomed from the get go. Had it been someone else, still might be rolling and going strong.

 

[4speedfunk]

I agree...99% of your issues were due to poor set-up and assembly. The AAM-7 is a total POS but, if properly assembled it should last you a few years of street use. As for all the other mods?...cryo-treating, solid-spacers, sprinkled with ferry dust, blessed by the pope, etc..... I think that's all complete b.s. Didn't you read the AAM-7 repair manual???..

AAM-7 REPAIR MANUAL:
Break.
Remove.
Buy a good used one.
Install.
Repeat.

:giggle:

 

[backcountryislife]

I personally think it's worth building a good one.

Cryo, GOOD setup, CI diff... IMO if done right it can be a decent diff... but if done right.


Serious though... dude drilled a hole in a diff that came with a hole specifically for the E locker? (I wanted it to come without one, but couldn't get one that way) wow.

 

[Bigunit]

I need another hole in my lockered CI diff, like I need another hole in my head! Who was the hack that did that to your diff? Please remind us so that others don't go to him. Maybe he had stayed at a Holiday Inn Express the night before!

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapataint

 

[06 H3]

Kyle didnt believe me so he stopped by with a stopwatch. 34 min and 34 seconds to install my spare diff,with everything (halfshafts, reassembly and tires on the ground installed) but the front driveshaft. Driveshaft takes another few min. So I would say I have it down to under 45min installed with but I did have help lifting the front diff into place other then that it was just me.

Now I have 4wd again. Got SAS brackets in the mail, my dana 44 hubs are hanging out in 4speedfunks garage waiting for tone rings/abs sensor mounts and emails going back and forth. SAS here I come. Its a shame that AAM-7 cant hang...I really do love the rancho/spring over setup.

 

[RamRod]

:woot: :yay :yeahthat :clap:

There I think I got all the happy icons going lol

Looking forward to seeing squeaky with a solid axle!