This happened about an hour ago:






Disconnected the front drive shaft, locked the t case and drove for 30 mins home. Also cracked the oil pan and now have a steady drip.

Gonna go knock a couple back and deal with it in the am.

 

That differential is bone dry.

Let me guess, it just started to make noise the other day?

 

Actually zero noise, no warning unlike the two separate times when my rear diff went.

 

Ouch!
How and how do I avoid that ever happening to me?

 

Well, actually your damage looks and sounds minimal. Could have been a lot worse. You probably could get the oil pan welded.

Brian.

 

Quick question, can you swap the rear diff with the front and vice versa? I have an extra diff laying around from when the junk yard had an "all you can carry for $60".

 

I read somewhere about the front R/P being "reverse cut" because the pressure/force of pinion turning is opposite that of the rear diff.
something to look in to

 

Update: Swapped out the front diff and reinstalled the front driveshaft, at it only needed new bolts and nuts.

 

Update #2:

Old pan.


New (junkyard) pan

 

Looks like you are making positive progress. Good job.

Brian.