axle damaged or differential?

[Satnam]

I came out of a parking lot and it started to make a grinding noise, drivetrain related (very loud - like mabe something was stuck in rotating assembly). It was felt through the car also.
Pulled over looked under car - nothing stuck, can't see much due to the skid plate. Start to drive it again, no sound - like nothing ever happened.
Grinding noise shows up again a day later, same thing, but now it's a consistent, went from very heavy grinding to something like light rubbing.
Pulled off the wheels, CV boots soom fine, but may be damaged inside.

Any thoughts?

Car still drives, and shifts fine, but with some extra noise.

EDIT: Car does have a little more power, but not much - agressive accelleration? have hit some huge potholes recently also - dented rim, maybe damaged axles???

[Stonewall]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

Could be a wheel bearing.

[Satnam]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

might be bearing - didn't think of that. The niose seemed to be coming from transmission/CV joint area when driving though.

[onepointeightdub]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

bearing can cause more power under acceleration? but noise does sound like it would be bearings.. my bearings are shot but more of a whirring noise than grinding.. It's louder when im turning the wheel.. When driving down the highway if I let go of the wheel the whirring noise disappears, when i correct the steering you can hear the whirring noise but its not loud..

[turbomeyers]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

i have seen a few trans failure latley . sounds like that mabey

[100%VAGitarian]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

ya, your tranny is toast. it lost the passenger side diff bearing and sounds like it has a worn 4th gear synchro and chipped reverse idler gear.

sorry, but do you really expect to have this diagnosed on the internet? take it to a shop.

[Satnam]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

thanks for the diagnosis VAGina, and recommended action.

I'm pretty sure(99.99993725666%) stonewall is right, the wheel has loosened up quite a bit now, lifted it up, there's a lot of side to side and up/down play.

A huge pothole started it, first there was a slight whirring/vibration noise which I had dismissed, then the horrible clunky grinding noises a few days later.

Satnam

edit:Hopya - The motor has a few add ons, that may have increased the power a little from stock configuration.

[100%VAGitarian]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

i like that you asked for opinions and then you came up with a witty remark, using my screen name for ideas, to insult me. very creative, when you know that your car will end up at a shop for the repair, and diagnosis, which i now hope, is a bad diff.

have a nice day. lol

[Satnam]

Re: axle damaged or differential?


thanks, you only get what you wish on others.

[VWSM]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

thanks, you only get what you wish on others.

More Brains Pls.
wheel bearings pretty common.
If the diff grenades you usally see oil coming out.

[Satnam]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

Thanks to all that suggested I look at the front wheel bearings also. Put in new bearings this weekend, and car is quiet again.
It ended up being quite an easy job with the proper tools...or very close to proper tools.
I ended up renting(borrowing really) a "kit27" front wheel bearing service tool kit from partsource,
and buying a slide hammer from princess auto - it had some tools to push out the axle shaft. on sale for $70 or it was last week.


Satnam
maybe someday my differential will go, but I will know by the puddle of oil under the car

[Kordain]

Re: axle damaged or differential?

good stuff, always nice when you find its not a big thing and you can fix it yourself