4WD IFS ISSUES

[DA BIG ONE]

Well, I had an ARB air locker installed about a month ago, now at just under 2,500 miles on unit it pushes the differential oil out of the air compressor vent. ARB claims that improper install could be the issue, or that 2 pins in unit may have rotated and may be pumping the fluid out, in any case the unit has to come out. I did a web search on this issue and found nothing but good reports on the ARB locker.

Next, the drivers side drive flange on the IFS differential has separated fron the differential while I was traveling on the highway. Banging, shuttering, vibrations and and another leak at the case.

Have any of you heard of such issues before, or maybe know what I should be looking for that could cause this drive flange to separate from the front differential? I do see that the case extension on the pass side is slotted so entire differential can be adjusted right to left, but again I cannot find any tech info about adjusting it.

Unit in question is the 14 bolt 9.25" IFS.

Any help here is welcome!

[More Power]

I've been inside the front IFS diff on a 90's 1500 and 2500.

The driver's side axle flange is held in with a round wire snap ring - so, just push it back in. You should feel it snap into place. Are you running a lift? This may pull on the CV shaft. The passenger side shaft is held in with a flat snap ring, and can't come out unless the ring fails. You've got to separate the housing to remove the passenger side shaft.

Make sure your diff housing vent & hose is clear and unkinked, and is able to vent pressure.

MP

[Ray Sharpe]

I recently had the front diff out of my '99 to put new axle seals in it. Both shafts are held in by a round snap ring. In order to remove them, you must apply a light pull and wack the backside with a hammer. The drivers side snap ring is made from a smaller dia. material than the pass. side. When I tried to remove mine, it ended up breaking the snap ring on the driv. side. Maybe your snap ring has broken, allowing the shaft to come out. New snap ring cost me $2.10 CAN at the dealer. Make sure you spec. which side.

[tom.mcinerney]

Mine-'95K35-opened like RZRSHARP's.

[DA BIG ONE]

Thanks for the replies!

The latest feedback is, that the device at the end of the vent hose was clogged, so the line for the ARB air line then became the vent, after I plugged the air line pressure built up in the differential and forced the drive flange out of the case.

Larger vent hose, and vent are said to have fixed problem. Then new snapring was installed.

Another problem was discovered at the (9 month old) inner wheel bearing on the drivers side, it was dry, so all new wheel bearings again for both sides. Why all new? Well, after one failing in 9 months I figure they all may fail, even though the chance of that is rare, but getting stuck 100+ miles on the other side of nowhere is not fun, been there and done that.

[ace58]

I replaced the seals in the front end while the engine project was in limbo. The drivers side was suppose to "pop out", as a GM front wheel drive would, but instead required a slide hammer and a lot of effort that resulted in the axle needing to be replaced because the spline at the clip recess chipped during removal. That was the easy side I was told. The passenger side with the extention housing was a snap, while on the bench, and much easier than drivers side.

[DA BIG ONE]

Story changes!

Factory claims the ARB locker is acting like a pump because of an improper install, and, or defective unit. Their trouble shooting guide points to this pumping problem too.

Drove the truck 30 miles at highway speed 65/70 mph in 2wd, and the gear oil was blown through the new/larger vent at high pressure, gear oil everywhere. The case will now need to be opened for repairs.

It is wait, and see now.

[JoeyD]

Who did the install? I read one time about a company you could send the diff to or they would send you one and charge a core on and it came with the ARB installed. My brother is looking to have gears done in his IFS and local gear shop is not an option.

[DA BIG ONE]

Originally posted by Joey D:
Who did the install? I read one time about a company you could send the diff to or they would send you one and charge a core on and it came with the ARB installed. My brother is looking to have gears done in his IFS and local gear shop is not an option. Broward Power Train in Ft. Lauderdale. At this stage I have to wait and see the outcome. ARB is sending them what they refer to as an extreme duty unit for my IFS differential.

Out of the 3 4wd IFS units GM has only the larger one (14 bolt w/9.25 gear) can use the ARB. I like the way the ARB works, but this blowing oil, and frequent returns to shop gets old quick. The shop wants to get it done right too!