Frontier front diff conversion.

[stevet47]

Has anyone here actually blown up a Frontier front diff?

That are a handful on clubfrontier.org, and many on thenewx.org who have blown front difs.

 

[The BN Guy]

We haven't had anyone post of one on NOR but I've heard of a couple on other boards. Not real common but it has happened.

 

[madizell]

Under what circumstances, then, has a diff let go? Without details of state of build, terrain conditions, and driver input, it would be difficult to say whether the front diff is "weak" or was simply abused by a few. That a 180mm diff is weaker than a 200mm isn't really that important, as both are weaker than the average Rockwell. The more relevant question is whether the differential is sufficiently strong to serve in the application.

Most folks would think a Currie-built Ford 9 inch rear end was anything but weak, but I have seen two of them in use under Jeeps shed teeth and a third show signs of approaching disaster because of they way the gears were set up. There are any number of variables that contribute to differential failure, but if there is a significant number of folks using stock or near stock tires, driving under expedition circumstances, as opposed to rock crawling with 38 plus tires, who suffer front differential failure, then there is perhaps an issue.

Not criticizing, only looking for perspective.

 

[stevet47]

Under what circumstances, then, has a diff let go? Without details of state of build, terrain conditions, and driver input, it would be difficult to say whether the front diff is "weak" or was simply abused by a few. That a 180mm diff is weaker than a 200mm isn't really that important, as both are weaker than the average Rockwell. The more relevant question is whether the differential is sufficiently strong to serve in the application.

Most folks would think a Currie-built Ford 9 inch rear end was anything but weak, but I have seen two of them in use under Jeeps shed teeth and a third show signs of approaching disaster because of they way the gears were set up. There are any number of variables that contribute to differential failure, but if there is a significant number of folks using stock or near stock tires, driving under expedition circumstances, as opposed to rock crawling with 38 plus tires, who suffer front differential failure, then there is perhaps an issue.

Not criticizing, only looking for perspective.

A majority of the breaks happened with 285/75R16 tires in rockcrawling circumstances. I front dif blew with in 2WD!! on pavement, and someone else blew theirs while reversing in 4wd in their yard. Most of the breaks were due to the tire slipping then suddenly catching traction, but this was not the case in all situations. Some were abuse, yet others definitely were NOT abuse, and seemed more like manufacturing/assembly mistakes causing premature failure.

This is the way I see it.... Be cautious when you wheel, you finesse not wheel speed to get you over an obstacle and most likely you will never have a problem. If you do happen to blow a dif. then replace it with the Titan dif, but until it blows I don't see much need in replacement.

 

[dennisuello]

Some Titan folks broke theirs as well while off-road. Alum. case is just not up to task of higher load and sudden found traction.

 

[LRNAD90]

Some Titan folks broke theirs as well while off-road. Alum. case is just not up to task of higher load and sudden found traction.

H3 owners are suffering the same issues. GM put an aluminum housing front diff in the H3's, and those that wheel them have been breaking them left and right. The Aluminum case flexes too easily, allowing misalignment, binding and that nasty snapping sound. GM did step up and put an iron front diff in the H3 Alpha (V8), though apparently Nissan hasn't had as much fore thought.

 

[stevet47]

H3 owners are suffering the same issues. GM put an aluminum housing front diff in the H3's, and those that wheel them have been breaking them left and right. The Aluminum case flexes too easily, allowing misalignment, binding and that nasty snapping sound. GM did step up and put an iron front diff in the H3 Alpha (V8), though apparently Nissan hasn't had as much fore thought.

I believe the V8 Pathy used the Titan diff, but yea, it is still aluminum.

 

[mcm4090]

H3 owners are suffering the same issues. GM put an aluminum housing front diff in the H3's, and those that wheel them have been breaking them left and right. The Aluminum case flexes too easily, allowing misalignment, binding and that nasty snapping sound. GM did step up and put an iron front diff in the H3 Alpha (V8), though apparently Nissan hasn't had as much fore thought.

I only know of cases that crack and that was back in 2005 When the new design came out. Only 3 times to my knowledge.

What is breaking now is the input shaft inside the diff. I wheel with a large group and have seen this happen 3 times.
The circumstances is the same each time I was persent. The truck has lost traction when going over an obstacle and the driver gives it a lot of gas and the tires grab.
Similar situation as blowing a hub but not as common.

 

[madizell]

The truck has lost traction when going over an obstacle and the driver gives it a lot of gas and the tires grab.

Most folks would think this was abusive use of a stock diff, especially with larger than stock tires and while rock crawling. With the same general circumstances, nearly anyone can expect to blow up diferentials, transmissions, T-cases, U-joints, CV joints, and twist drive shafts into Christmas Tree ornaments. That is doesn't happen all that often is more a testament to the strength of a drive line rather than its weakness.

 

[system-f]

Most folks would think this was abusive use of a stock diff, especially with larger than stock tires and while rock crawling. With the same general circumstances, nearly anyone can expect to blow up diferentials, transmissions, T-cases, U-joints, CV joints, and twist drive shafts into Christmas Tree ornaments. That is doesn't happen all that often is more a testament to the strength of a drive line rather than its weakness.

The sad thing is with the older V-6 Drivetrain in the R-50s or D/WD22s this was not the case and the only real weak spot was the front CVs. The axles were tanks. Granted the new v-6 in 05 and newer Nissan trucks has much more power, but I still think the old axles would laugh at even the extra power.

 

[articulate]

What is breaking now is the input shaft inside the diff.

How difficult is that to fix? How detrimental? I've got no idea. Full diff replacement, just the shaft?

***

That is doesn't happen all that often is more a testament to the strength of a drive line rather than its weakness.

I think what Greg is saying there (in some round about way) is that the drive train under discussion is actually quite robust since this failure doesn't happen that often?

 

[madizell]

I think what Greg is saying there (in some round about way) is that the drive train under discussion is actually quite robust since this failure doesn't happen that often?

Thanks for putting my comment into English.

 

[super6turbo4]

Abuse may be the problem but not in my opinion. I broke mine with Mike (mcm4090) standing in front of my truck. My truck was one of the ones he was talking about. Yes I have larger tires but by only one inch. If an axle shaft can't take an 8% increase in diameter then it was under engineered to begin with. Some have broken with stock tires and no lift and some of the trucks were modified. As was stated earlier in this thread Nissan added almost 100HP and about the same amount of torque in a heavier truck but down sized both diffs.

Articulate to answer your question. You would have to remove the axles immediately to avoid futher damage. To fix the problem on the drivers side the diff will have to be torn down, the carrier removed and disassembled, remove the broken piece from the spider gear and put it all back together. This is best case senario. Most of them also have some other damage from debree moving through the other parts.

I did not do this to mine because I decided to upgrade instead.