Front diff loose and clunky ?

[Hodge]

While spending a bit more time today looking for wobbles culprit, I noticed the following at the front axle / diff.
Now I am entirely dumb when it comes to this so I don't know what is normal and whats not right. I recorded a few examples. Videos are worth a million words! Turn volume up for best results.


Video one, hubs engaged, locker OUT.
At 5 to 7 second mark you can hear a very distinct "clunk" while moving wheel back and forth. It's hard for me to tell whether this is at hub end somewhere or in the diff.
Before this clunk is a delay between when the opposite while turns the opposite way AND the centre shaft begins spinning. So this delay is what they call backlash ? And whats excessive and whats not.
I thought once hubs are locked in the front tail shaft and axle becomes "one" with no gap.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOpwNWcLp30

Video two. Hubs and locker engaged.
From about 6 seconds onwards this clunk becomes very distinct... Now wheels are obviously spinning the same way. But again, there is a "delay" between the wheels responding to each other... I assumed a locker would make everything "tight".

Is all of this normal suspension clunk behaviour ?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLS6l5F-pZU

[mudnut]

I reckon the first video is tight compared to my front drivetrain. I don't have a locker so can't comment on that.

[MudRunnerTD]

Have you got auto hubs mate? It looks normal to me to be honest. It is the delay in the front hubs grabbing as the front diff is driving by the gearbox only when the transfer case is selected and the Hubs clunk in. in Auto mode that would be very normal. The front diff needs drive (which your giving with your hand) to determine 4wd requirements then drops in the hubs.

The "backlash" you are seeing is not Diff backlash but rather drive train backlash. a combination of the gearbox, transfer case, uni, drive shaft, hub. All of those things combined to make that backlash. Now assume you have your front wheels in the air and are on full power and all of a sudden the touch the ground. That backlash smashes through the drivetrain and the weakest link lets go. You blow a CV. Gentle on Gentle Off. That backlash is also what smashes front Air Lockers in Comps when the boys "Crash Lock" the air locker at full noise. That is where the mechanical sympathy is needed. to absorb that drivetrain back lash.

[Hodge]

Have you got auto hubs mate? It looks normal to me to be honest. It is the delay in the front hubs grabbing as the front diff is driving by the gearbox only when the transfer case is selected and the Hubs clunk in. in Auto mode that would be very normal. The front diff needs drive (which your giving with your hand) to determine 4wd requirements then drops in the hubs.



Thanks Darren.
These are auto hubs (same as yours ) converted to manual ( auto plate taken out long ago ).
So it's either locked or free.
In both videos they are in locked position.

Like I mentioned I'm naive when it comes to this . Always learning from the experts !!! Be it normal or not , noticed this "sloppyness" between when drive is given by hand to one wheel , and when the other wheel and/or the driveshaft responds. I just assumed the renowned Gu drivetrain would be tighter than this, unless however there was something up with this diff / hubs .