I noticed that the inboard CV boot was ripped, so I figured "Hey, I already replaced the right front axle without an issue, so why not just do the whole left axle, right?". I popped out the old axle without much trouble, but the new one wouldn’t go in all the way. I gave it a couple of love taps with a deadblow, but it still wouldn’t seat. So, I pulled the axle out and noticed that the snap ring had broken in half…and only half of it came out of the diff.
After trying to find it with a magnet for about 20 minutes, I pulled the diff out of the quad. I pulled the lunchbox out of the housing, and went to work. After a good half hour of fishing around with my magnet and a flashlight, I found the piece of snap ring stuck in between the splines and the clutch plate (at least I think it was the clutch plate…). I didn’t gouge anything up, and it didn’t look like any of the splines were damaged. I’m positive that I got the whole snap ring out. The break marks lined up perfect on both halves, and I measured the circumference against the new snap ring.
Work done while the diff was out:
New left front axle (with better snap ring after the first one broke).
New u-joint on diff-side of the front drive shaft.
Hub-side wheel bearings and seals.
Left side brake line, banjo, bleeder, and vent hose (necessary after I had a minor disagreement with my end wrench while trying to do the aforementioned wheel bearings).
New front brake shoes.
I put everything back together, axles in, fluid in, hubs back together, and now the left axle is binding. I thought it could possibly be the bearings on the diff side, but they are gliding nice and smooth. The wheel bearings on the hub side were just replaced, and they’re still smooth as well.
Just to be sure it wasn’t something with the hub, I pulled it off again and tried to spin the axle with just the brake drum on the end of the axle. Still binding, so definitely nothing to do with the hub or brakes. Right side doesn’t bind at all. A little thumping when I spin it, but according to several threads I’ve read, that’s quite normal.
I didn’t notice any alignment marks on the diff or drive shaft, either…which is odd to me, but hey, what do I know…
When I put everything back together.
So, for my new-found friends here at GC, I ask you these questions:
1. Is it possible that I misaligned something when I put the lunchbox back into the housing? Like I said, I didn’t see any alignment marks, so I just popped it back in and bolted her together. And yes, it’s facing the right direction. It only goes into the housing one way.
2. Could the plate(s) inside be causing this to bind on one side? I ask this, because my father (a retired diesel mechanic with too much free time and not enough hobby experience) thinks that the plate(s) inside were moved and need to open in order to slip the axle and/or plates back into alignment with everything…or something like that…Basically, he wants me to put it back together and run it through the woods for a mile or so to see if it’s still binding afterwards. My concern is that I’ll tear up the diff in the process if that isn’t the issue, causing me to buy either a crappy used one that I have to rebuild or a highly overpriced new one.
I thank you in advance for any responses I may get on this. I would really like to get my quad out of my garage and back on the trails!!
