Ford 8.8 issues

[little red cheroke]

Ive had an 8.8 in my '01 XJ for over a year. I broke some wheel studs and went to replace them. Upon pulling the diff cover and shafts I found a little bit more metal shavings than I would have liked to.

The spider gears have a few nicks in them but I dont think their big enough to cause any alarm. The s-spring is showing some sighs of wear n tear. I think a good bit of the metal I found came from the s-spring. I don't think there is any friction material left on the clutch packs. They look like bare metal and nothing like what a new pack looks like. The carrier bearings and races show no signs of wear and look basically new. The gears show no sign of wear. The only thing I have not seen are the pinion bearings/races. I don't want to pull the pinion because I don't have the tools/know how to reset the pre load on a new crush sleeve. When I turn the yoke I don't feel any roughness or anything like that.

What would you guys recommend I do? Clean it and put it back together? I feel I should pull the pinion but like I said I don't have the tools/know how to put it back in with the right pre load.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this has already been posted

 

[cher96]

I hope someone with more Rear End Experience than I will Post Up a possible Solution for you. However, here it goes.

A Ford Clutch Pack Rebuild Kit might be what you should go with and a Ford 8.8" Differential Rebuild Kit with new Bearings. You'll need to get the Gears Set Up again so you will be looking at a Gear Job IMHO.

Another choice would be to install a Lunch Box Locker (Automatic Locker) like a Lock-Right or something similar. It would replace your Spider Gears and you would have a Locker. You would not have to set the Gears up again IMHO. It's less Expensive than Full Locking Differentials.

Hope this helps.

 

[JRW7072009]

When ever you have metal in your diff its best to replace all the bearings basically a new master install kit. I agree with cher96 you should get rid of the limited slip, also if the spider gears have nicks in them chances are that they will crack or break with any hard use. You may be able to clean it all up and run it for a while but it will probably only be a matter of time before things start to get worse. I would at least do a new carrier, master install kit, and get another locker (lockright, selectable etc.) and you might as well do gears to hope this helps. Good luck

 

[-96JeepSpeed-]

Who uses spider gears anymore? I dont know anything

 

[tbburg]

Pretty extreme solutions there guys! The original problem was broken wheel studs!

little red cheroke: It sounds like you've pulled the dif case out of the axle to inspect it. If that's the case, WOW! Hell of a job to go through for just an inspection! Anyway, since you have it apart, I would recommend you get a clutch kit and new springs for the limited slip.
Now for the controversial advice:
If you weren't getting any noise from the axle, slap it back together and run it. Epoxy a magnet to the bottom inside of the case cover to catch any metal(there's probably a small one in there, but another won't hurt) Don't forget the friction modifier when you re-fill the fluid.

By the way, why did you pull it apart? To get wheel studs pressed in? Next time, try an open end wheel lug, turned flat face in, and a stack of washers. A lot of the time, you can pull them through like that.

 

[little red cheroke]

I don't wanna put a locker in it i drive it on the street every day and dont wanna tear up my tires.

i think im gonna hit the junk yard and grab a few sets of spider gears. im gonna order a re build kit of the lsd today, im up in the air about the bearings and what not. they look fine to me, practically new. im in school and recovering from two brain surgeries. between school and medical bills i cant justify spending on a new gear set up unless 110% needed. im gonna keep it off the trails for awhile. replace the spider gears and limited slip parts, put a magnet in the diff cover and run it for awhile. i'll pull the cover in about a month, if there is more metal, ill do the over haul kit.

ill post an update! thanks again for the help!

 

[95' heep]

if i am you, just do it right FIRST time than risk you fail the repair then so on.

btw not saying what you're doing is wrong, but do what you can do to get it in shape again!

 

[xj92]

If you're broke, slap it together and run it until it starts making noise. It's usually not going to explode all at once, especially since it's not even locked. With pits or surfaces that aren't smooth it will generate more heat and create more metal shavings, which will in time get worse and worse, causing the bearings to fail and the gears to get pitted. But this stuff doesn't happen that quick and you would start to hear noise long before it was undriveable.

If you have the aptitude to swap in new spider gears and can get them cheap at the junkyard, go for it. How much is a whole new axle where you're at though? I've seen them in yards ranging from $43 to $300. With an axle that cheap it doesn't make sense to spend a lot on new parts.

 

[jeeperjohn]

You can either rebuild the limited slip with all new parts or get a regular open carrier and a lunchbox locker. I had an Auburn limited slip in my mustang and it was a solidly reliable unit.

 

[JRW7072009]

Pretty extreme solutions there guys! The original problem was broken wheel studs!

little red cheroke: It sounds like you've pulled the dif case out of the axle to inspect it. If that's the case, WOW! Hell of a job to go through for just an inspection! Anyway, since you have it apart, I would recommend you get a clutch kit and new springs for the limited slip.
Now for the controversial advice:
If you weren't getting any noise from the axle, slap it back together and run it. Epoxy a magnet to the bottom inside of the case cover to catch any metal(there's probably a small one in there, but another won't hurt) Don't forget the friction modifier when you re-fill the fluid.

By the way, why did you pull it apart? To get wheel studs pressed in? Next time, try an open end wheel lug, turned flat face in, and a stack of washers. A lot of the time, you can pull them through like that.

Yes I can read that it was just a broken wheel stud but the part with the metal shavings is what I am talking about, I am just saying what I would tell a customer that would come through my shop with the same concerns. If I said oh you'll be fine with chipped spiders and they shattered and he came back pissed it would not go over so well now would it.

Bottom line if you have chips in any of your gears and metal shavings in the fluid your diff will give out in time whether it be a bearing or the gears breaking it will happen.