Diff Backlash
 

I have been trying to chase down this occasional clunk I have in the rear of my car. Jacked it up and holy jeezus does this thing have some diff backlash :confused0068: Has anyone else noticed this? Seems like I can get more then a quarter turn out of the drive line before the axle moves. Oil looks fine but starting to wonder if my issue is from the diff.

I have the same problem. Cracked open the diff, replaced the bearings and reset the backlash to spec. The closest thing I've found is that the subframe bushings transmit the clunk noise into the cabin.

I've wondered about this but I figure as long as it runs dead silent, I won't worry.

What were your before/after numbers? Did you find anything to be sloppy?

Did going through the diff help resolve some of the noise?

I have inspected most of the bushings in the rear of the car, but that doesn't rule out deflection being the source of the noise.

Does it happen when you push the clutch pedal to stop backing up? Driveline lash is pretty obvious.

Haven't been able to isolate it to a specific instance that causes it. Sometimes it happens on/off throttle, sometimes it does it while swerving, sometimes it does it when I hit a bump. I does not happen under steady state load. I have had the whole back of the car up off the ground and shook parts until I thought it was going to come off the stands and haven't been able to replicate it on the ground. I thought it was a chassis part loose at first but I have kinda figured it is either a fatigued bushing that feels okay when it is static or possibly the diff. I have pulled the CV's and articulated them through their motion but they feel fine. I'm stumped.

Sounds opposite of anything diffy.

Guess I will just drive it until what ever it is gives itself up to the almighty. Figured I would ask the hive mind.

Shit. I was just getting interested. Have you tried gradually lifting the sub frame in different places with a floor jack while it was up on blocks?


This may sound dumb but does it feel important?

I hadn't thought of that and may give it a try. I am starting to wonder if it is my rear sway bar shifting side to side. There is a bit of a gap on one side between the bushing and the little locating ring/collar/thingy.

I have kind of gotten used to it and have to listen for it now. It doesn't sound as bad as it did at first, it is more of a clunk. When it first happened it was a WTF is that. I just asked about the diff being I have never seen one with so much backlash.

Right? It's significant. Then if the trans starts to get slutty, it really adds up.

Your freaking me out man.

Does your transmission whine? Unless it whines, you're golden. Even if it whines, meh.

Story time.

I have, like 5000 miles on my original transmission. It started making a teeny bit of noise right after I made a particularly abusive 1-2 shift in the wet on purpose. I drove it carefully for a couple months while I casually looked for a replacement. No one else could hear it whine but I could tell that it changed.

Right out of the gate, my replacement salvage transmission was WAY louder. I'm almost at 50 K now and it hasn't gotten any worse. I'm careful to keep it from slapping around but I'm not worried about it. One of these days, I'll tighten up one or both of them.

No, mine is quiet. No shifting issues, have even made a 5-2nd shift a couple times by mistake on the track and no problems :bonk: