Last night I used the 7 for work, on leaving to go home this morning out of the car park.......very loud bang/clunk from the rear end, almost as if the car jumped out of gear.

Initially the car could edge forward and back a few inches in gear and engine running but that was it. I had to push it back into the bay which was very difficult as there was a lot of intermittent resistance as if in gear but clearly not as I could push it.

I haven't had time to diagnose it yet, I've abandoned it with the intention of recovering it tonight so the question is.....

Is this likey to be a failed diff? Never had this fault with any car so very new to me. I was thinking of jacking it up to rotate each rear wheel individually to feel what was going on. Any advice for a diagnoses would very welcome.

The car is a 1999 live axle.

Cheers

I think a failed planet wheel carrier is possible...
I have had that a couple of times, and changed to a LSD as that removes the weak components.

Also, do check the rear prop-shaft UJ's.
Failure there can cause a similar type of problem.

Cheers,

Showing my lack of knowledge here, what is a planet wheel carrier?

Will have a good check of all components over the next few days especially as you say the uj's.


Cheers

Number 5, which holds the two number 4 planet wheels.
In standard diff's it's cast iron, so can easily fail - as I had happen twice.

Hopefully this is not your problem!

Thanks Eugene,

Fingers crossed I will be able to diagnose whatever the issue will be. Next difficult issue will be repairing it!!

Quick update:

After a couple of hours eventually got the car back in the garage after being recovered.

Made some jockey wheels for the rear wheels to sit on as I winch it into the garage floor. Now safely in up on jacks.

Quick check on what's going on with the wheels reveal that turning either left or right rear by hand has massive resistance which rotates the opposing wheel in the opposite direction. The prop doesn't turn even when placing it in gear.

No dramas underneath, no oil etc. I suppose the next thing is to start dismantling the diff? If so where do I begin? Is it as simple as disconnecting the prop and removing the nuts on the diff plate?


Cheers

Rotating one wheel will indeed make the other rotate in the opposite direction, and not rotate the prop, as that is usually the path of more resistance.
Placing the gearbox in gear will do nothing...

But, feeling massive resistance does tend to suggest a failed diff.

So yep, disconnect the prop, but then remove the drive shafts.
After that you can undo the diff bolts and remove the diff.
Watch out for a lot of oil!

Cheers Eugene,

One snapped socket later & lots of heat, both hub nuts removed!

Now having issues removing the hubs, my puller has already started bending! Soaked it for a while & shall return to it later

I slide hammer is better for drive shaft removal, as often the bearings are 'glued' into place.
(I am assuming an Ital axle)

If you are not going to replace the bearings, you should leave the main hub on the drive-shaft (the nuts you struggled with), and just remove the 4 bolts that hold the backplate in place.
You can then reverse the break drum, and use that as a slide hammer - or tap the drum with a large hammer - to break the seal on the bearing - hammer with care!

Make sense?

Seems I have a problem!

Your explanation does indeed make sense Eugene, thanks. I gave it a go, removed the four bolts & reversed the drum however maybe its just me but it will not budge.

I have soaked it in WD40 and will leave it tonight and try again tomorrow. If it still doesn't work the only way I can see is actually dropping the whole diff as one and trying working on it on a bench for some more "Leverage"


Cheers

What 4 bolts have you removed?
Is the drum backplate now loose - the plate the brake shoes mount to...

The bolts attach to what I think is called the "Oil catcher" (Silver coloured elliptical section at the bottom) In turn the drum plate is now loose.

Yep. sounds correct.
WD40 is unlikely to help, as you are now trying to overcome the bearings and drive shaft friction where they slot into the diff.
A heavy hammer on the drum, when it has been bolted on backwards, usually works!

To get the shafts out do not remove the hub. Remove the drum and brake bits (including unbolting the backplate which bolts onto the end of the axle tube) then simply get an old steel wheel and bolt it loosely onto the hub inside out with old nuts that are also inside out. The wheel will slide up the studs and quickly pull out the shaft.

Worked for me many times on my live axle'd Caterham and other cars with similar axles.

Well, I borrowed my friends slide hammer......sadly it's a little loo long to fit in my garage due to the lack of width of my garage.


I have used a large amount of force and both shafts and they still refuse to come out. I have now resigned myself in removing the whole axle as one and go from there.