2.5 ton rockwell making noise

[olywa]

went out last night in the snow and after about an hour of wheelin' the front diff started making noise. another hour in to it and it really got bad.....

The axle ......
pinion brakes
ouverson locker

The problem......
So when you are in 4wd it makes this clunking sound almost like the pinion is hitting the frame or ?? clunking sound... while it is under a load no noise speeds over 15-20 loud clunking.....in 2wd no noise until high speeds or going down hills with no load on it .......hit the brakes and much worse noise....... can rotate the drive line about a 1/4 turn or so.....no up or down or in and out feels tight except for twisting .....

My thoughts.......
It feels like the spiders would be worn out if a normal axle....but in this one has a locker.....so is the locker bad...... maybe a pinion bearing.....but would this account for the play in the drive line...... or could it be something completely different......

 

[CHOP SHOP]

my truck did something similar and it was a broken leaf spring pin. It let the leaf spring walk over just enough that the pinion brakes disc was rubbing the spring and would change with power/spring wrap.

Just a thought.

If ya need it I have a nice 2.5 ton diff with a detroit locker in it for sale.

 

[olywa]

I'm running 4 link with coils......

funny u say that as I was trying to get in touch with you over on Pirate what is going to be ur bottom dollar on it in case I decide to just switch the whole thing out.....

 

[CHOP SHOP]

I'm running 4 link with coils......

funny u say that as I was trying to get in touch with you over on Pirate what is going to be ur bottom dollar on it in case I decide to just switch the whole thing out.....

Im into it for 400.

 

[bobbed_84_toy]

Youre not going to know until you take it apart

 

[olywa]

chop..... pm sent

bobbed_84_toy Youre not going to know until you take it apart

I know I was hoping that someone else that had this problem and fixed it could give some insight on what might be the problem...........

 

[olywa]

torn in to it today with one wheel on the ground rotating the other it makes a ratcheting sound and every once in a while it would try to bind up and then make a loud clunk and start ratcheting again. so with all the axles pulled out and went over the pinion bearings it is looking that the locker failed issed:issed:.......... so if this the case can they be rebuilt or just have to get a new one......

Be pulling the chunk on Monday ..........

 

[olywa]

got the locker pulled today and nothing broke everything looks perfect WTF issed:issed: So I called up Ouverson and talked to Steve, he asked me to send him some pics and so I did then he called me back and told me that I had the early version of what they have today :eeek: And that they have no floater rings on the clutch gears and that the snap ring on the actual clutch was faulty and so it made the axle ride on one side harder then the other in return not letting it come unlocked all the way, so hence the noise.......Steve said they would replace it for free + shipping if I was the original purchaser of the part but since I was not that he would give me one for 250 + shipping WOW I never once ever thought that they would replace it much less give me one for 1/2 off, but he said that they are made to not break and that a stock axle will break before the locker ever will which this one did - broke the short side axle.....:redneck: Still going to cost me 260-270 but better then 500 + shipping......After this I will use Ouverson for everything I can because it is rare this day and age that a company actually standing by and backing their products..