Outer Limits 4x4 Board

hello
I have got a problem with my front diff. The pinion is loose and i can't seen to get the nut off or on more. I have been told that it mite be the pinion bearing has collapsed. If it has that means that pinion nut will have to be taking off and if that is the case how do you do that when the thing doesn't want to come off. I have try a torque wrench to take it off and a breaker bar and i can't seen to move it. If the bearing has collapsed and i get the nut off are the bearing hard to get. And if it is the bearing will the whole diff has to be pulled apart to fix it does it not. What would a diff place charge to do this. O and sorry it's in a ln60 4runner front diff thats a 4.8 ratio. I also have pulled the diff centre out to see if ai can see the problem and it really hasn't done much. I need help please!!!
thanks

rattle gun should get it lose

i don't have one and i don't know anybody with a strong one that would do it what would a diff place charge to do you think.

If your pinion is loose, ie you can move the flange forward and back in and out of the diff, and its loose/ slack, and I assume noisy as well.
Can you describe the noise it first made before you pulled it out the housing.

To undo the flange/ pinion nut, i think its about 24mm ish from memory, you can either use a rattle gun, which you dont have.

Or, get a steel bar, drill 2 holes so you can bolt it to 2 of the flange bolt holes, and this will enable you to hold the flange tight, and not move so you can undo the center nut.
Dont use a torque wrench to undo stuff.................just DONT ok, that will ruin it.

there must be a reason for the movement.
Either as you mentioned the bearing has collapsed, and usually followed by spare parts in the bottom of the diff, or somthing has caused the collapsable spacer to be compressed, and thus loose its preload.

The usual cause for this is failed crownwheel teeth jamming between pinion and crownwheel, forcing load on the pinion crush tube, thus upsetting it, and further crushing it beyond its original setting.

Have another look as to why, and also, the nut has a peined over tab that slots into the flat keyway on the pinion, do these 2 items line up?? or has the pinion nut come loose.
This was a common problem with borg warner diffs of comms and falcs for a while.

Let us know what you find.

Trains

there was no noise as i didn't put in 4wd i'm an doing a chassis swap and it is the diff centre that was in the chassis when i got it but as for parts in the bottem of the diff when i pulled it out there was nothing in there and nothing in the oil and i have try to do it up with the torque wrench (sorry was not real clear on that was i) and i have try to undo it with the breaker bar and it doesn't want to move. As for the key way it all lined up. But one the inside of the diff the pinion has been touching the centre carrier. and yes the pinion moves in and out not up and down.
thanks

do you know what ratio the centre is .. unless you have a locker in that particular centre I would be looking about for a replacement .. if you put something in the wanted section you could most likely pick up a decent centre for $100 to $200 ... save alot of stuffing bout with yours as you will need to redo the crush sleeve etc and make sure your gears mesh properly etc etc ...

it's a 4.8 ratio not a lot of them around so i was going to see if i could fix this one first. If i do need to put a new crush sleeve in it what price would i be looking at for a diff place to do it
thanks

Don't know about what a shop would charge but don't think the washer is all that much. Just need to get a hold one off also i would say you'd need to reset the backlash in the diff really to do it spot on you need a dail gauge and magnetic post or can guess by feel. Best bet buy a workshop manual if you don't have one or call around a few diff shops

ok thanks for that i got to work on getting that pinion nut off first because i can not seen to free it so i will have to find someone that i now to get it off with a rattle gun and then i will go from there. Ok asfor the get the nut off has anybody else have had the problem of the nut been stuck.
thanks
tim

Local diff place charged me ~500 for a diff rebuild w/new seals and bearings, and a solid pinion spacer.

Would have been another 800 if my CW/P were stuffed, they said.

-Stu

this may be silly but the nut has an indent at the top,closest to the outside, this is belted in with a punch to lock the nut on if you can get it ''undinted'' and its a pain to do, but this may help