NAVARA Front diff Not Working

phs

Well-Known Member
hi guys im posting for a mate, came out with me today to mt. dissa the car is a 2000 trayback navara 3.2 Diesel, halfway down a track got stuck up a rutted hill, and keept trying to get up he heard a big clunk when he pushed the clutch in and from then on when he got hung up the rear spun but no fronts at all ????

we disengaged them drove a few meters engaged them again no good the front shaft was turning but not the wheels, we took it out of 4wd drove for a bit put it back in 4wd no good
even in soft flat mud the rears lit up but no fronts.

as well going down hills in low range in first it was going way way too fast for low 1st ?

any one got any ideas ????

sort of a pain as all places are closed till next year .

so any help would be good

thanks phil
 
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croozza

Active Member
hi guys im posting for a mate, came out with me today to mt. dissa the car is a 2000 trayback navara 3.2 Diesel, halfway down a track got stuck up a rutted hill, and keept trying to get up he heard a big clunk when he pushed the clutch in and from then on when he got hung up the rear spun but no fronts at all ????

we disengaged them drove a few meters engaged them again no good the front shaft was turning but not the wheels, we took it out of 4wd drove for a bit put it back in 4wd no good
even in soft flat mud the rears lit up but no fronts.

as well going down hills in low range in first it was going way way too fast for low 1st ?

any one got any ideas ????

sort of a pain as all places are closed till next year .

so any help would be good

thanks phil

Hey Phil
Could be hubs or diff pinion, with the hubs you can remove them and check the operation, could be the clip or spring in the hub, if not just replace them both to be sure, if they work fine, then it is most likely the diff, you will need to remove the oil from the diff an see if any chunky bits come out, if not when emptied turn the drive shaft and look into the diff with a torch (through the drain hole not the filler hole) and see if you can see any broken bits or if the centre is turning, if not take it to a mechanic to be repaired, it will be cheaper than doing it yourself, and alot cleaner.
 

phs

Well-Known Member
well he got it to a mechanic today and they said its rooted the oil was metalic and had pieces of metal in it , they want 2800 for a replacement !!!!!

i thought thats a bit steep they must be very weak as the track he did it on would have been a medium grade track......

so buyer bewear of navara 2000 model front diffs ....

any one know of any upgrade diffs avalible for this model cause 2800 for a diff you can bearly take off road is a joke....

if any one knows of any place he can call to get prices for an upgrade please post it up.

other wise he is just going to replace it with a std unit and never go futher than a smooth dirt road
 

croozza

Active Member
well he got it to a mechanic today and they said its rooted the oil was metalic and had pieces of metal in it , they want 2800 for a replacement !!!!!

i thought thats a bit steep they must be very weak as the track he did it on would have been a medium grade track......

so buyer bewear of navara 2000 model front diffs ....

any one know of any upgrade diffs avalible for this model cause 2800 for a diff you can bearly take off road is a joke....

if any one knows of any place he can call to get prices for an upgrade please post it up.

other wise he is just going to replace it with a std unit and never go futher than a smooth dirt road

Don't know about buyer beware of the navara front diff, it is most likely the case of either an unfortunate incident where he may have got a bit of air under one of the front wheels and when the wheel contacted the ground again and regained traction, the forces generated may have damaged the diff (will happen to all 4wd's at some stage), this could have happened months, even years ago, and then it finally let go on an easy section of track. Bad luck happens to everyone, I've torn the control arm out of the front diff just by sliding into a rut going down a steep hill, at less than walking pace, it is just some forces can be greater at times than others and it is just plain bad luck.
The other way it could break is driver abuse, hopefully he does not come into that catagory.
 

phs

Well-Known Member
well i dunno mate iv been down that same track 8 times never had a problem it was the first time he had been down it, and the car has realy seen any off road tracks other than std dirt rd's. its had a really easy life....

id say it comes down to being an indapendiant front with a small front diff...
iv had other friends with indapendiant front diff say the same thing there weak.

my landcruiser BJ70 front diff is the same size as my rear (9" i think) and iv never had any dramas
im sure if he was in any landy or partol it would nt of happened ?
well i know in my car 8 times it didnt....

and i hear ya saying it could have been a time thing but the cars had an easy life..

he was'nt pushing it hard, iv had my front two wheels jumping up tracks plenty of times never done any diff damage at all. some times its the only way to get through, and buy jumping up tracks i dont mean at 50km, i mean, slow low 1st and 2nd speeds

and on top of all this 2800 to get it fixed !!!!!

damage to parts like this will happen im not doubting this but i think it comes down to how much you get out of it befor it does... and the cost involed in fixing it and i feel 2800 for what he's getting is not good at all.

he said if he can only get a std unit to replace it will be the end for off road adventure other than dirt roads.
 
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subimanx

New Member
Try a 4X4 wrecker for a second hand unit and fit it yourself to save $$.At least you can check it out before you buy it.Sounds unusual that it broke so easily,perhaps as mentioned it was just bad luck??
 

phs

Well-Known Member
well will never know all i know is id steer away as this has happened and iv heard nothing but bad thing about them from a few 4wd'ers + the sheer size is a good indication that there not the best, the price to fix just tops it off...

either way its stuffed and is looking for an upgrade

this is the hill it happened on, he was in the rutts, got hung up on the diffs had a second shot at it no good i pulled out the snatch strap and had a go and notice the fronts wernt moveing at all


280157_IMG_4434.jpg
 

phs

Well-Known Member
i got the maps printed to get us from twin creek rd to camps trk and alcoms trk about 40kms to camps trk from there to alcoms trk is only 3kms off the same main trk..... should be fun
 
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