All,

This past week, Disco and I set out on the Georgia Traverse, and she ran like a top for all of it. Nearly.

Going up some large sheer pipe and rock faces on Tray mtn proved to be too much strain for either the transmission or the T case. While giving it some uneasy throttle up a big culvert pipe, I heard a big pop and clank clank clank. I threw her into park, e-brake, and turned off. Underneath, nothing seemed to be out of place. So I turned her back on, continued up to the rock face, and shortly thereafter couldn't progress forward/backward anymore, and heard a noticeable rapid tap as I tried to shift into Park.

Needless to say, we got the essentials out of disco and headed back down the way we came in my brothers 4runner (hanging my head in shame), and managed to walk away from everything. Disco was (magiically) towed off the mountain and transported home a few days later.

So I have a slew of questions, but the main one is, what do you think broke in the running gear? I'll upload a video soon of the exact sound its making as the car is in gear ( a gentle tap tap tap that gets more rapid as throttle is applied) but like I said earlier, no drive to the wheels.

Thanks in advance to all for helping me through this loss.

 

Most common failure would be a differential. That would be easily spotted by a driveshaft turning while in drive with no movement of the truck.

 

If he has CDL and only the rear end or axle shaft was blown wouldn't it still move?

 

Sorry yall I didn't clarify in my original statement. No CDL, and no driveline movement when in gear + small bit of throttle.

yeah, it was a big "oh sh*ttt" moment.

 

What happens when that rubber coupling in the rear driveshaft fails? I don't know ... yet. I guess I would put it under jackstands at all 4 corners and drop the rear driveshaft and check out the rear end, then move towards the front. Hope it's not serious.

 

if the rotoflex breaks and you have no cdl, you won't be able to move but your rear driveshaft will still spin -- it just won't be connected to the rear diff any more.

 

From what I can tell, there is no movement in any driveline. We took a good look on the trail and just a few minutes ago to see if even the rear was rotating, no dice.

I took a recording so yall can hear the noise of being in gear. It's obvious when the vehicle is in gear, as the soft clanking noise starts. When shifting to park, an audible screech can be heard.

 

TC problem-screech is park pawl trying to stop rotating tranny output shaft.Could drain the TC oil and see if any debris comes out with the oil-somewhere I have heard of a bearing failing in disco transfer cases,but I don't know any details...

 

 

Could well be the centre diff cross pin in the transferbox?

Drain the transfer and pull the cover off to have a look in there.