Finally broke my differential!

[Vic]

So I've had this thing running about 580 rwhp, and 590 rwtq, for about a year now. Did some 1/4 mile tests, and some 0-60 stuff, but always on asphalt. Tire spin is a safety valve. Got about 55,000 miles. Car is old, just like me..2001 GTS.

Today I nail it hard in 1st gear, and I'm on this sort of textured concrete paving. My PS2s hooked up very well, which put tremendous strain on the diff. Or maybe it was just stressed, and chose that time to go. IDK.

Sounded like a giant "BANG" coming from the rear end. Half-shafts, control arms, hubs and rims looked ok. Car still drove, but I could hear stuff clunking and clackiting around, so I put it on a flat bed, took it to Unitrax, in Anaheim, CA.

This is a good excuse to get the wife on board with an OS Giken, and some 3:23 gears!

"That's just the cost of repair, honey!"

 

[Allan]

Welcome to the club. When mine blew up, I was about 90 miles from home. Drove it home like that carefuly with an ugly noise the whole way.

 

[Mopar Boy]

What actually broke?

 

[Vic]

Welcome to the club. When mine blew up, I was about 90 miles from home. Drove it home like that carefuly with an ugly noise the whole way.

I started the 50 mile drive home, but got really spooked by the noises. I was afraid the rear end would lock up solid, spin me out, or get stuck in lanes of traffic. I wussed out, but on the other hand, stayed safe. $300 flatbed tow.

You got steel nerves, my friend!

 

[Vic]

What actually broke?

Won't know till Monday, when they open er up.

Seemed like a gear or hub flange with a sheared dowel, I say that cuz there is a slight delay after you let out the clutch, before there's motion. Like a ring gear with a sheared drift pin is making a revolution, then catching on a broken chunk of pin, then siezing up, and we again have motion. IDK, I've never seen one apart. That's just what it seems like.

 

[Allan]

What actually broke?

Gen III differentials are pretty weak for a car with this kind of power. Mine broke in the typical way for this particular diff. The spider gears started coming apart, (all the torque goes through them to move the car) fragments of the spider gears end up lodging between the ring and pinion, and it makes alot of noise that you can feel. As long as there is still enough of the gears still together, the car still moves. I still have my blown up diff in my garage half disassembled as a reminder not to let the car 'wheel hop'.

 

[Allan]

I started the 50 mile drive home, but got really spooked by the noises. I was afraid the rear end would lock up solid, spin me out, or get stuck in lanes of traffic. I wussed out, but on the other hand, stayed safe. $300 flatbed tow.

You got steel nerves, my friend!

I was nervous the whole way, I'm not stupid -just crazy.

 

[hyph]

I have a spare 02 differential w/o the housing. Let me know if you are interested.

 

[Mopar Boy]

Thanks for the education! Good to know!

 

[Vic]

I have a spare 02 differential w/o the housing. Let me know if you are interested.

Thanks for the offer. We'll see what Devin has to say on Monday.

 

[99 R/T 10]

When I broke mine 2 years ago, It was sent to Unitrax. Very happy with still to this day. Here is a pic of the stub axel that broke on mine:

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This is what happened to me about a month ago:

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I tend to break stuff...........................

 

[Vic]

Looks nasty

Have you ever found a bullet-proof set-up?

 

[Mopar Boy]

When I broke mine 2 years ago, It was sent to Unitrax. Very happy with still to this day. Here is a pic of the stub axel that broke on mine:

You must be registered for see images attach

This is what happened to me about a month ago:

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I tend to break stuff...........................

And it rubbs off on people who are around you!

 

[Vic]

Broke some mysterious parts inside.

When Devin told me about their names, I made an intelligent sounding uhm-hum, as if I had an idea what he was talking about! Funny, I'm a mechanic, can work on engines, electronics, etc, but when it comes to transmissions and diffs, I'm a noob.

Anyhoo, Devin got me up and running for less than a grand. Good job, Unitrax!

 

[MADMAX]

Did you go with OSG?

 

[Fatboy 18]

I thought I had broken mine the other day, I was on the freeway overtaking some traffic and accelerating hard, I got to the top of 4th gear and went for 5th only to shove it into 3rd I heard a Bang and the rear wheels jumping around but dumped the clutch pedal in a split second and luckily everything seems OK. Scary moment though I really was on full throttle

 

[CEJ]

... Anyhoo, Devin got me up and running for less than a grand. Good job, Unitrax!

Glad to hear your Viper is fixed! I'm curious as to what parts are shown on your receipt. Thank you.

 

[Vic]

Did you go with OSG?

Nope, wish I could. Gotta save my cash right now. Business is looking better in the future, but tight in the short term. So I just asked them to put it back together the way it was when new. Sniff, sniff....

 

[Vic]

I thought I had broken mine the other day, I was on the freeway overtaking some traffic and accelerating hard, I got to the top of 4th gear and went for 5th only to shove it into 3rd I heard a Bang and the rear wheels jumping around but dumped the clutch pedal in a split second and luckily everything seems OK. Scary moment though I really was on full throttle

Yikes! Scary when it happens. Your motor is beefed up, right?

 

[Vic]

Glad to hear your Viper is fixed! I'm curious as to what parts are shown on your receipt. Thank you.

I'll have the service receipt today, and post back.

Funny, I've popped the clutch before under that much throttle, and never had an issue. I really think it was the better traction on that particular pavement that made it break.

 

[Fatboy 18]

Yikes! Scary when it happens. Your motor is beefed up, right?

Not really, Just running K&N Cone air filters and metal smooth tubes, Stock Headers, turning into 3" fully decatted Bellanger exhaust system. Woodhouse Engine and Transmission mounts.