2wd S10, Bad Rear-end?

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So there's been some clunking and clicking on my truck since I bought it so I decided to replace the u-joints today. For curiosity sake I jacked up the rear and spun the tires. Doesn't look good.

Video:
https://youtu.be/c5xRzV7CvyY

Gear oil looked clean as far as I can tell. I know on wet surfaces turning from a dead stop it feels almost like a posi. From the vin it should be a 3.73, but not sure if its ever been replaced. No markings left that I can see. What do you guys think, stripped gears or something else?
 
Originally Posted By: Chris142
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHHXJlQGFvY


That sounds exactly like my truck turning, and coming off that turn if I don't really feather the throttle it will buck and jump (manual transmission) like someone learning to drive stick. If this is true, I assume this little truck might be good in snow? Why someone would install and expensive rear end in a 2wd boggles my mind.
 
Well a locked rear end or limited slip rear end can be better in the snow, but it's going to be super tail happy. You won't have the one wheel spin, but it'll be a bit squirrley. With some good snow tires and some weight, it won't get stuck in parking lots .

I put a similarly designed product into the front of my Jeep for under $300. They aren't terribly expensive to put in and help with traction.
 
A limited slip can help in situations where one wheel is on slippery stuff and the other on a better surface but it can also spin BOTH wheels for you and that causes the rear end to dance all over the place. You have to have an educated foot. The common test for an LSD is to jack up the car and spin one wheel by hand. If the other side spins in the same direction it's an LSD. Or, if you're an animal. jack up one side and try to drive it off the jack.
smile.gif
 
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I knew I could count on your guys! Why the previous owner installed one is beyond me. I was pretty much daily driving it (well, to work on Monday and back on Friday) to save miles on the other cars, but the clunking made me park it. Little old lady bought it new and when she couldn't get around anymore her son drove it about 2 hours a day into the city. Every 3K or 3 months on the dot it had an oil change and greasing. The front suspension is all rebuilt. I guess I'll wait till spring to do U-joints as PM work along with the yearly oil change.
 
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