Broken front diff 2018

LOL this was not caused by the diff drop. He gunned it in 4lo in deep snow. I'm guessing one tire caught traction all of a sudden somehow and the torque just sheared everything.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/remove-the-differential-drop-on-your-05-tacoma.118545/

 

Or the story doesn't add up

 

Yeah I would never think to go WOT in 4lo...just asking for trouble. Surprised it didn't grenade the tcase.

 

OP states he hit snow, not rocks. Could have been bad CV joint angles by turning sharp and too much torque from reving it full throttle in 4L.

 

Time for a Solid Axle Swap!

 

Force doesn’t create itself. This is a highly unusual spot to break, so I’m guessing there was highly unusual forces at play.

The front diff housing hasn’t really changed all that much in 15 years, and this isn’t a common failure. Most people will snap a CV when dropping a spinning tire. What’s different here?

 

I never made it to the dirt it broke almost instantly. But I believe the tube broke because the shaft bound up when I tried to back out

 

I'll be honest, I have a couple times but it's rare. If I were OP I'd have probably done the same in his situation, never once thinking my front diff would explode. I'm curious to hear more of the story.

That's a very good point.

 

SAS Swap!

 

Did you shift while the RPMs were still high??

 

Could just be unlucky or maybe it was already compromised somehow. Something had to give and it looks like the cv and the front diff axle tube took lead on that.

I've definitley pushed it hard in 4lo but going WOT just seems crazy lol. Feel like you'd be bouncing off the rev limiter in no time

 

The one time I've gone WOT in 4lo was in some muddy water that was way deeper than I thought. I dropped in, fuckin' floored it and let her eat as I dug my way out in a moment of panic. Maybe not the wisest decision but it worked.

 

Did just about the same thing at Windrock. Luckily I made it out and made it back home.

 

Classic case of full send to dead stop. A snapped axle shaft is usually the result.
Typically the long side axle as we see here.

 

If it was the case of spinning front tires to immediate traction, i feel like the CV would give before the diff, thats just crazy. Just this weekend at windrock i was in 4lo and 4hi getting on it hard to get over some obstacles, blowing up the front diff wouldnt have been my first thought if something broke.

 

this all has me paranoid af for the next time i go wheeling lmao

 

Maybe the CV gave and took the axle tube with it? Hard to see exactly on my phone

Ive busted the same side axle just from binding the front end up on a turn (icy road to dry gas station). Blew apart the joint in the inner tulip

 

No it’s a automatic and I don’t even have Aggressive tires on it