Topic: something ExPLODED! in my front axle????

[Ironloki]

So im crusin down the road, keeping the speed limit(35-40, i cant remember) with my hubs locked, and in 2wd..
then outta NOWHERE, my front end went KABOOM!! and the tires locked right up. Bring me and my friend to a complete stop in the middle of the road. thankfully there was no one behind or they woulda had a face full of bumper.   Scared out of my mind, i put it in gear and it rolls away like nothing happened. checking the situation, there are no broken parts laying in the road, and nothing leaking from anywhere.
got a full Detriot locker in the front, 30 splines, high pinion...  and now when im in 4wd on dry pavement, it pulls hard to the left and shudders sometimes, HOWEVER all 4 tires still spin equally. and when im in 2wd(hubs still locked) it maked a clingy soung, (almost like a loose steel collar riding on a spinning shaft) I havent pulled anything apart yet cuz im a little nervous. any yall got a hint of what it could be???    I was having the best day ever till that happened. I was wheeling all over the place after we got 2ft of snow.

[junya92toy]

Id first drain the fluid from the front diff and transfercase and see if any metal chunks come out, after that take apart the front end.

[PhantomD aka Zach]

Diff probably grenaded... Time for a rebuild!

[79coyotefrg]

don't ever drive in 4wd on pavement   bad things happen

don't believe me??  pull your front end apart 

I would bet Bobby doesnt warranty the 30's since you were on pavement.

[junya92toy]

I was going to say that glen, but he just said road, could of been gravel or snow covered? You think those two things would matter if it wasnt pavement?

[79coyotefrg]

I was going to say that glen, but he just said road, could of been gravel or snow covered? You think those two things would matter if it wasnt pavement?

it wouldnt have been a problem on gravel or snow but on granite slab or pavement YES

So im crusin down the road, keeping the speed limit(35-40, i cant remember) with my hubs locked, and in 2wd..
then outta NOWHERE, my front end went KABOOM!! and the tires locked right up. Bring me and my friend to a complete stop in the middle of the road. thankfully there was no one behind or they woulda had a face full of bumper.   Scared out of my mind, i put it in gear and it rolls away like nothing happened. checking the situation, there are no broken parts laying in the road, and nothing leaking from anywhere.
got a full Detriot locker in the front, 30 splines, high pinion...  and now when im in 4wd on dry pavement, it pulls hard to the left and shudders sometimes, HOWEVER all 4 tires still spin equally. and when im in 2wd(hubs still locked) it maked a clingy soung, (almost like a loose steel collar riding on a spinning shaft) I havent pulled anything apart yet cuz im a little nervous. any yall got a hint of what it could be???    I was having the best day ever till that happened. I was wheeling all over the place after we got 2ft of snow.

[Ironloki [OP]]

i wasnt putting power to the axle, the hubs were just locked. I was in and out of snow on the roads and didnt think i would have to unlock the hubs everytime i hit raw pavement.  and when i did, it was just to see how things sounded. no turning, just straight lines. 

[santa cruz crawler]

Let's see some picks

[Stocker]

i wasnt putting power to the axle, the hubs were just locked. I was in and out of snow on the roads and didnt think i would have to unlock the hubs everytime i hit raw pavement. 

That won't be a problem -- you can safely drive on dry pavement all day long with the hubs locked in, as long as the TC is in 2WD only.

Your previous statement, though, was that you were in 4WD on dry pavement.

So... have you opened it up yet to look for damage?

[Ironloki [OP]]

-- you can safely drive on dry pavement all day long with the hubs locked in, as long as the TC is in 2WD only.

Thats what I figured... and no I havent opened her up yet.. waiting for a saturday with nothing to do.. ill get some photos up as soon as I do. 

[Cheesemaker]

However the hubs were locked, no power to the front diff, which does have a Detroit in it. 

[Rocksurfer]

If the hubs were locked and the tcase was in 2wd then the pavement is not an issue, no binding will occur. If you had it in 4wd then the problem would have been in the tcase since it would have bound up and it would have exploded. That being said, the front axle is not designed to be fully engaged at any speed above 45mph, add in the Detroit and it is easy to describe what happened. More than likely the Detroit had a violent ratcheting session inside the axle. One time I had to travel only about 5 miles on a paved highway with the hubs locked (being lazy) it was the last time I did. The Detroit loaded up and let loose at around 55mph and my truck made and instant left turn when it locked back in.

[Ironloki [OP]]

If the hubs were locked and the tcase was in 2wd then the pavement is not an issue, no binding will occur. If you had it in 4wd then the problem would have been in the tcase since it would have bound up and it would have exploded. That being said, the front axle is not designed to be fully engaged at any speed above 45mph, add in the Detroit and it is easy to describe what happened. More than likely the Detroit had a violent ratcheting session inside the axle. One time I had to travel only about 5 miles on a paved highway with the hubs locked (being lazy) it was the last time I did. The Detroit loaded up and let loose at around 55mph and my truck made and instant left turn when it locked back in.

So was anything broken on the inside? i locked up the hubs today just for fun, and drove up a snow bank like it wasnt there, no noise, or banging, or pulling to either side.. im gunna check the fluid tomorrow and see what it looks like, then go from there.

[junya92toy]

I like how my post was removed when I had valid questions about the problem, nice.
If you cant spin it, gears are prob bad, or if you can feel missing teeth.

[79coyotefrg]

I like how my post was removed when I had valid questions about the problem, nice.
If you cant spin it, gears are prob bad, or if you can feel missing teeth.

pretty sure it wasnt me

[Rocksurfer]

So was anything broken on the inside? i locked up the hubs today just for fun, and drove up a snow bank like it wasnt there, no noise, or banging, or pulling to either side.. im gunna check the fluid tomorrow and see what it looks like, then go from there.

No but it didn't lock up like yours.

[Ironloki [OP]]

Hey if I deleted your post, it was an accident, my computer was freaking out.. and as for the axle.. not quite yet, drove it around the yard again, in 4wd through the snow.. and its fine!! There's no noises, and it seems to work like it should. Drove it in a parking lot with light snow on the ground, and It pulled right a bit, as opposed to turning right like before.. I think the fluids gunna get changed and call It a day. Well see what happens when I drain it. Ill keep ya posted.