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How to tell if front and rear differential gears are different

4K views 32 replies 8 participants last post by  HRTKD 
#1 · (Edited)
Just put front differential in my titan. when i engage the 4x4 hi it rolls about 8 or 10 feet and stops. when i give it gas it starts to move but it as though it's being force.and it seems like tires are slipping and barking. not trying to use it on dry pavement just making sure it all works.had bad front differential took out all parts and drove it for the pass months in 4 hi as not to tear up transfer case. ran fine till i put it back together. it does run fine in 2wd. think the gearing may be different.:frown::frown:::crying::::crying:: rear was 3.35 ordered 3.35 gearing for front out of 08 and paper work says it that
 
#3 ·
It's actually 3.357 or something like that, we round up to 3.36

Anyway, it should be smooth.
 
#4 ·
could transfer case be locking up. right that's what it says on rear end 3.357. but is that the way it should move in 4x4 . rides fine and smooth in two wheel but fell like it's grabbing in 4 wheel.. sorry my first 4 wheel drive.. the tires or not so great either.
 
#5 ·
had bad front differential took out all parts and drove it for the pass months in 4 hi as not to tear up transfer case.
Just curious, why would you drive it in 4 Hi for the past 4 months?

Even on dry pavemnet in 4wd going straight forward it should be pretty close to as smooth as 2wd drive is. If your going straight there should be no slipping, bucking, or chirping, if your turning (which you should not be doing) than its a different story.
 
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#6 ·
Just curious, why would you drive it in 4 Hi for the past 4 months?
I've read that if you remove your front diff for any reason, to run the truck in 4HI to keep the transfer case oil pump going. Some members on here say the oil pump in the t-case is driven by the front output.

http://www.titantalk.com/forums/2213356-post10.html

Even on dry pavemnet in 4wd going straight forward it should be pretty close to as smooth as 2wd drive is. If your going straight there should be no slipping, bucking, or chirping, if your turning (which you should not be doing) than its a different story.
This^
 
#7 · (Edited)
I'm going in a straight line only, was just making sure all was right ( working right ) i live in wisconsin and the winter can be a monster and i was making sure my monster was ready for it. i was driving a outback subaru, don't laugh,was driving around 4x4's in rough weather,u name it we drove around it , wife took it to work past December guy u-turn in front of her,it's history. i always wonted a T got this one and every thing i have found bad about it on this site has happen to it . My monster has really become a night mare. But back to truck, friend said it might be transfer case going bad, after this rear seals, rear brake or e-brake on right making crazy noise, redid front end replace every thing, u name replaced, took steering wheel bolt out at control arm lost spiral cable ,no cruise control, steering wheel turn to much,need a set of tires, shocks all around . WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE WAKE ME UP ????? Bad driver side window, did i miss anything. yea last joint on exhaust....
 
#11 · (Edited)
I've seen one person says the transmission pumps the pump but i was told to save transfer case to run it in 4hi and had no problem with the way it ran, in 4hi they say now the transmission pumps the pump because the transfer case is engaged. so two things transfer case or in 4 wheel there's a fight between the differentials, i heard if they was different gearing it could be a fight to move ..i don't know again my first 4x4 ... sorry but yea the front differential was pop out when i got it so why take a chance... took it out and got one from a salvage yard look for a month i couldn't find one .. then got a call had one in Nebraska.. don't cry paid i think between 800-850 for it ...out of 2008, 64000miles the up to date one with the better housing ..still have old one , i may fix for spare
 
#12 ·
I wasn't aware of the t case even having a pump. I'm pretty sure it relies on splash.....anyway, good luck with the new diff.
 
#14 ·
good to know, just might be turning this T into two wheel drive if i cant get it going in four wheel drive on dry pavement , i know there is no hope in useing it in the snow, not the way it seem to fight to move, one more thought do you just stick the front differential in , or a certain way, and i have read all the post on this subject, some one told me they took there out mark it at the cv's and at t case and when they put it back they made sure they match the marks .... fine going in the same truck but a different one?????????
 
#15 ·
Since the differential is coming from a different Titan there is no way to match up the drive shaft. If you get vibration coming from that location, disconnect the drive shaft and rotate it 90°.
 
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#20 · (Edited)
This is not true. Drive shafts are balanced as a driveshaft assembly and will typically be fine in any other vehicle. The same is true for the yoke on the differential.
Determining which gearsets you have will be a matter of opening the differentials up and doing a little online research. A higher ratio like the 2.94 will have a thinner ring gear and the lower 3.357 ratio will have a thicker ring gear. You may also be able to count the pinion turns and axle turns, but it'll be hard to get any accuracy.
 
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#16 · (Edited)
your the first person to understand what im saying, thanks, and there is a vibration . the ?? i ask no one answered, i think it may have something to do with gearing , i ask how could you tell if front and rear gearing was different, different gearing makes the truck do what it's doing, goes smooth in two wheel, in 4x4 goes smooth then start to grab, im glad i never really tried to gas it , so either they sold me wrong front differential( and i don't think they did it was open when i got it ,like they checked to make sure ) or the sticker is wrong on the rear differential, now the head ake taking it all back apart looking on inside to see what front differential is, then open up back and see what the gearing is
 
#17 ·
The sticker on the rear differential will match the placard on the driver's door frame. Something like a CC33 for a 3.36 differential as I recall. If they don't match then someone may have changed the axle.

The sure fire way of knowing that there is a match/mismatch is to open the differentials and count the teeth. I've never had to do that. It doesn't sound like a lot of fun. I believe you could also jack up the vehicle off the ground, rotate the drive shaft and count the number of tire rotations.
 
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#21 ·
sorry you didn't understand , but let's move forward, this is how i was told to do it get the T up in air , mark the tire and drive shaft rotate , rotate the tire one turn and count the number of times the drive shaft turns in one turn of tire, if the gearing is 3.357 or 3.36 in the one turn of tire the drive shaft should turn 3 and a half turns or a little less you get the picture 3.36(three turns for the 3 and a 3rd of a turn for the 3 or a half a turn for the 6 but i know i should get about 3 and half turns in one turn of the tire ,) or if it's 2.94 just about 3 turns. well we'll see on my way out to see it's 9:16am here will let you guys know in a little while , may have 3.36 gears for sell , two new cv's , and drive shaft for sell, i don't do any 4 wheeling just thought it might be nice to have after having a AWD car , been able two get around in my two wheel GMC ENVOY in the worst weather... hey would you have a tow mode with 2.94 gearing this truck has a tow mode.. and how does tow mode, transmission and transfer case work together or in tow mode it's just the transmission working
 
#22 ·
I believe that all Titans have the tow mode button. It simply holds the RPM's higher before shifting, but only for the first three gears.
 
#23 ·
What did you use to determine your axle ratio? Axle tag? VIN#? Are you sure your truck has the Big Tow Gearing? If you ordered 3.36 front gears just guessing, you might not have that gearing in the rear. So you got the proper front gearing you ordered but it doesn't match the truck rear gears. Did you buy the truck used? Know if there might have been a gear swap done?

The only way to be sure is to count teeth. Sucky that you would have to take apart the front diff and open up the rear, but unless you know for certain what you have it's the only way at this point.
 
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#24 · (Edited)
I got it used and its a night mare , i got the # off rear differential , the person , the car lot i got it from and i really won't to give the name buuuuuutttt i won't, them or someone may have place the sticker there for a better sell ,who know's, any way the front differential and cv's(NEW) , drive shaft will most likely be for sell , i have the old one going to take a look on inside to see what the deal is and what's so bad i don't think i put it in 4wheel when i got it( because i got it home started looking around and found the front diff pop out), as is no warranties, so the night mare get's worse, and as HRTKD SAID putting your truck in 4hi with the front differential out may be really crazy,( this is my comment not HRTKD'S) ( as many have said on this sight) HE SAID DON'T DO THIS(TRANSMISSION GUY TOLD ME DON'T DO THIS) AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN WONDERING WHY YOUR SEALS ARE LEAKING OR WHY YOU HAVE A PROBLEMS WITH YOUR REAR NOW YOU JUST FOUND OUT ...HOPE I DIDN'T HURT ANY THING A FEW TRIPS AROUND TOWN AND TWO TRIPS ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH AROUND 120 MILES ROUND TRIP( IN 4HI) , INFO ON THE WEB CAN GET YOU IN DEEP WATER, BACK TO WHAT SMOKE105 SAID i think your right i talk to a transmission guy the way i said might be real hard for some one who don't no differential but ill try any way lol.. he said the same thing you said( transmission guy) now i know why i got it for ( i won't tell) and the story to be continued(WOULD SOME ONE PLEASE SHAKE ME I NEED TO WAKE UP )
 
#25 ·
As previously suggested - Call a local Nissan dealership, give them your VIN, and ask them what gear ratio is listed for your truck. This will verify what ratio you have in the rear diff.
 
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#27 ·
( JUST REMEMBER NOT MADE JUST CAN'T SEE ) MAN !!!!! THIS DREAM HAS TURN FOR THE BETTER ,NOT TO MUCH WORK OLD DIFFERENTIAL LAYING THERE MINDING IT'S BUSINESS BROKE IT OPEN,DIDN'T NEED TO COUNT, RIGHT IN MY FACE,JACK BACK END UP PUT TAPE ON DRIVE SHAFT 1 TURN OF TIRE ,HEY THEY MATCH,LET'S JUST SAY 47X16 AND IT'S ALL GOOD..I GUESS IT'S GOOD TO ANSWER A ? WITH A ? ... WOULD TRY TO CHANGE OUT BUT NOT READY TO TRY SETTING BACKLASH ... BUT THE HURTING PART IS NEVER REALLY NEW ABOUT THE TOW PACKAGES JUST WONT'ED A TITAN.. BUT TO TRY TO MAKE A TRUCK SOMETHING IT'S NOT .... BUYER BE WARE .. TRUCK HAS THE 7PIN, HITCH,STICKER ON DIFFERENTIAL, MIRRORS THAT EXTENDS, THE WORKS, NO E-LOCK(WAS IT TO INPRESS FRIENDS OR WHAT, WHO KNOWS)... BUT WHAT I GOT IT FOR WOULD MAKE YOU CRY ... VERY CHEAP.. NEXT STEP E-BRAKE,AXLE SEALS , WITH VENT MOOD, AND PUTTING MILES ON HER, BUT THE BEST THING I DIDN'T GET IN A RUSH AND PARKED THE TRUCK UNTIL ALL CAME TOGETHER.. THANKS FOR HELPING A NEW GUY..ONE THING WHAT'S NEEDED TO RUN TRUE TRACK .. OH YEA FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FOR SALE 3.36 BIG TOW GEARS $850:big_grin::wink::big_grin::wink:
 
#30 ·
You can zoom in with Chrome or IE to make the entire page bigger.
 
#31 ·
Just an FYI too, just because you have the towing package, does not mean you have the big tow gears. They are 2 seperte packages. Reason being is you can tow with either the lower gears or the higher gears. All the towing package gives you is the 7 pin, the hitch and usually a tranny temp gauge.
 
#33 ·
For the '07 model year you could get the 3.36 gears two ways: Tow Package or Off-road Package. I have both packages. Does that mean in have 6.72 gears? :)
 
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