Attention: TDR Forum Junkies 
Ooooooook, 75k miles orgional owner
Tom got the axle and took off the cover.
Next question.
The spider gears look fine, the ring gear looks fine, right side gear looks fine, BUT the left side gear has some longitudional scratches on many of the teeth about 1mm - 2mm deep. The spiders are clean. Only the left side gear has these "looks like a scratch down the length of the tooth" and in the area where the left gear engages the spider gears (but the spider gears are smooth).
Very odd.
What alearted us was an abnormal amount of metal filings on the magnetic dip stick. With the Mag-Hytec cover I have about 8 qts of fluid and it was full (I check it about every oil change for level and filings etc). I also have a temp gauge on the diff and it rarely has been even up to 180* absolute max towing in the mountains, normally 160* towing, 120* empty.
No other gear hs these longitudional scratches on it. Each tooth on the left side gear has at least 1 scratch, some several scratches.
The SM says if a gear has a scratch on it to change that gear an go on with the rebuild.
Tom wants to look at the big pin that holds the spider gears to see if there is any wear (tommorrow).
Ideas? Looks like surface failure to me.
Bob Weis
Tom got the axle and took off the cover.
Next question.
The spider gears look fine, the ring gear looks fine, right side gear looks fine, BUT the left side gear has some longitudional scratches on many of the teeth about 1mm - 2mm deep. The spiders are clean. Only the left side gear has these "looks like a scratch down the length of the tooth" and in the area where the left gear engages the spider gears (but the spider gears are smooth).
Very odd.
What alearted us was an abnormal amount of metal filings on the magnetic dip stick. With the Mag-Hytec cover I have about 8 qts of fluid and it was full (I check it about every oil change for level and filings etc). I also have a temp gauge on the diff and it rarely has been even up to 180* absolute max towing in the mountains, normally 160* towing, 120* empty.
No other gear hs these longitudional scratches on it. Each tooth on the left side gear has at least 1 scratch, some several scratches.
The SM says if a gear has a scratch on it to change that gear an go on with the rebuild.
Tom wants to look at the big pin that holds the spider gears to see if there is any wear (tommorrow).
Ideas? Looks like surface failure to me.
Bob Weis
