Dealing with bad front differential

Ok guys I'm fairly new here and have been lurking for a while now. Im fairly new to tacomas and 4wd. So I just found out that my front diff is bad upon removing the plug we found a ton of metal. Money is a little right at the moment and dont really have the cash to replace it. So my question is can I remove the front c.v joints and front drive shaft and plug the spindles with the same plugs that are on pre runners and be ok to drive the truck until I can afford to replace? Maybe a stupid question but I'm stumped on 4wd stuff.

 

Just how much is a ton a metal to you??

How much noise is the front differential making ??

Then maybe it is at the point of being locked up already??

 

The front Diff should not be spinning at all if the 4X4 is disengaged and the front hubs are unlocked.

Front Diff isn't designed for everyday driving It's for when you need it. If the front hubs are locked they will keep spinning the diff even if you're not in 4X4.

So to answer:

If:
1) The front hubs unlock (wheels spin without turning the cv axles)
and
2) You don't put it in 4X4

Then you can drive it forever without any issues as the front diff won't be spinning. No need to go through all the plugs and driveshaft removal.

 

Once again I'm new with 4wd. How do I unlock the front hubs? Because the CV joints and the front drive shaft are spinning and not in 4wd.

 

What do your hubs look like? Kinda like this?

 

Nothing like that.

 

PM me your VIN ill look at the part numbers associated to help explain how it works.

 

Done

 

ADD I am willing to bet!!

 

In a word, no.
You have what is known as the ADD system as opposed to manual hubs. The outer joint of the CV shaft and the big nut on the end holds the hub in place. While the hub is a press fit, normal driving will cause it to come apart. The only option short of fixing is to remove the outer CV joint/stub from the shaft (a project in itself) and put it back in the hub with the nut torqued down then seal up the holes in the front diff if you thing something inside is salvageable.

 

ADD operation

http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/tech/the-automatic-disconnecting-differential-system-19259.html

And realistically You could do a few things here.

1) delete ADD system (pain in the ass and costs $$$) https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-deleting-add-system.427258/

2) replace ADD hubs with manual locking hubs ($$$ for manual hubs)

3) as @Dirty Pool said you can remove the CV's and just use the CV's head in the hub (you have to have them in the hub for bearing preload and holding everything together etc)
Only problem I see with #3 is you have to butcher your front CV axles. But it is a cheap fix with a bit of labor involved.

 

The only reason I'm not opposed to option 3 is the passenger cv is bad and need to be replaced also.

 

Then go for it! It really isnt that difficult to do. just takes a bit of elbow grease and time.

This should buy you some time.

 

Damn, nother reason to get manual locking hubs/spindles...

 

That would be......... manual hubs, manual hub "hubs", manual hub CV shafts all the assorted hardware, seals, new bearings and press work.
Cheaper to swap in a used diff.


The CV stub/nut has nothing to do with bearing preload, just holds things together.

Only other option would be pull the diff out/apart and remove the ring gear, put it back and put the CV's in place. Assuming the side/spider gears and bearings are good to move.

It is likely the "bad CV" is fully capable of keeping the hub together, unless "bad" means the stub shaft is broken.
You could leave the passenger shaft installed, it does not interact with any of the diff gears. Just don't put it in 4wd.

 

Or cannibalize the pass side "bad" CV/stub and use it on the driver side to keep it together. Get one replacement new shaft for the pass side.
Or get a junkyard shaft and cannibalize it for the driver side.
Damn, that's a fair number of options.

 

Ok so before we go to drastic measures. @tony2018 What is wrong with your diff. Does it make noise? I know you said you found metal, but how much? just on the plug? Maybe you can try first to drain and fill with some Lucas.

 

Oh I don't have any problems with mine. Just seeing more reasons for me to swap to manual locking hubs. If the front dif is having issues there has to be a temp way to disable it for the time being. disengaging the axles would keep it from rotating diff, correct?

 

Sorry man I misstyped the OP LOL I meant @Randellpowers7.62

 

When driving it makes a hell of a grinding noise. We removed the plug and it looks like someone poured glitter in the oil. We replaced the oil with Lucas and made no difference.