Timm80

Both driveshafts coming out of my differential are crooked, you can see it when they are spinning and your laying underneath the car. I've reinstalled them multiple times thinking I might not have lined them up properly but they keep doing the same thing. Also when I floor it my car pulls to one side and then the other a few times like one of the driveshafts is popping out and then popping back in. I'm putting my money on worn differential bearings as the problem, my car does have 229k on it. How much of the transmission of the transmission needs to come apart in order to replace these bearings? An amount small enough from having to take the transmission off the car, or so much that its necessary to remove the trans from the car?

ct27gt

Try moving the axle up and down. If it has play, than your diff bearings are worn. You shouldn't be able to detect any play. Even 1/32" is too much. It can move in and out a little due to the snap ring interface. Maybe an 1/8" or less.

Are you sure your drive shafts are bent? There is really only a torsional load on the axles, and virtually no bending stress. Are you looking at the boots and just perceiving that it is not spinning concentric?

If your diff bearings are worn, it would definitely cause the symptoms your are describing, so check for play and report back. I would be surprised if your axles are bent.

Timm80

The driveshafts shouldn't be bent, I haven't hit a curb or done anything that could bend them. I'll crawl underneath and double check for play tomorrow. Also, last time I had them out I replaced the axle seals because the diff was leaking from the old ones, it didn't stop the leak, which gives me more reason to believe its the diff bearings that are bad. But I'll give more details tomorrow after I check them.

DennisMik

iTrader: (2)

Another thing that could cause the car to pull when you accelerate is worn control arm bushings where the arm bolts to the body. The passenger side is more common because an oil leak from the power steering rots the bushings.

Timm80

Changed out my control arms 6 months ago so I know thats not it. Its funny when you look under the car theres absolutely no rust on the passengers side because of all the oil leaking onto everything, and then you look at the drivers side and everything has surface rust haha.

ct27gt

The axle seal leak is a notorious symptom of worn diff bushings, just fyi. For the very reason that the axle cannot spin concentric within the seal.

Timm80

Hey guys, sorry it took me so long to respond, its was really cold here in chicago for a few days and i was busy working but finally got a chance to crawl underneath my car. The driver side driveshaft moves around like crazy and the passengers side one moves a little bit but if ones really bad the others not far behind so it looks like I need new differential bearings. Want to do a manual swap anyways, so I'll probably just dig with the automatic till it ****s out haha. Thanks to all who contributed.

ct27gt

Sorry to hear. Same problem here. My tranny is being rebuilt as I post this.