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EL Stiff Differential 

 

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 Post subject: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 3:10 am 
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Hey guys,

So I had the back of the fairmont jacked up yesterday putting on new alloys and changing over rotors / pads - when I noticed that both the rear wheels (if you try and turn them when elevated) are super stiff on my fairmont. I tested this and it is not the brake pads or callipers - its just the diff is like super stiff.

I compared this to my donor EB fairmont and I could easily get the prop shaft spinning with one hand turning a wheel...

Does this likely mean I need to change the oil in my diff and / or grease various points in the system?

Would this also account for the awful economy I have been getting?

Would be great to get some expert advice on this as we have a pit so I can get under the car easy enough and I am really eager to do anything to get to the bottom of my fuel economy issue so i don't have to sell the car, as I really want to keep it!

thanks,
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 5:07 am 
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Hand brake stuck on a bit?

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 10:54 am 
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Car in park?

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 11:02 am 
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{USERNAME} wrote:
Hand brake stuck on a bit?

+1
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 2:35 pm 
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I took the car out of park and put it in neutral and took the hand brake off.

I also disconnected the hand brake on both rear discs - could the hand brake be causing a problem anywhere else up the line?

Basically you can grab each rear wheel and with a lot of effort get them to move about half a turn with your hands and you can see the axle moving and the prop shaft moving aswell - just cant figure out why it is soo stiff because the car drives really nice (but I am getting awful fuel consumption) and going through all the list of maintenance things at the moment to try and find out whats eating my fuel.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 3:19 pm 
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I think the handbrake shoes are adjusted up too tight, remove both rear rotors and then see if the axle shafts are easy to turn, if they are, you need to adjust your handbrake.

Gab

EDIT: Just noticed this is my 1200th post lol.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 4:21 pm 
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Congrats on your 1200 post!

is there a way to check this without having to take the rotors off?

The car moves around quite freely with the handbrake off and in neutral if I give it a push etc
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 5:08 pm 
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{USERNAME} wrote:
Congrats on your 1200 post!

is there a way to check this without having to take the rotors off?

The car moves around quite freely with the handbrake off and in neutral if I give it a push etc


Just take the rotors off mate it's 1 screw

Gab
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 6:15 pm 
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You can try pulling the rubber plug out of the rotor and backing off the adjusters, but I find it's easier to remove the rotors to do it

Gab
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2013 9:53 pm 
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How is the bush in the back of the tranny ????......just a thought.....

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:55 am 
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{USERNAME} wrote:
How is the bush in the back of the tranny ????......just a thought.....


Tulip said that's fine, but not sure about the gearbox though.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 3:53 pm 
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Hey - ill try and see if its the hand brake issue and unscrew the rotors and check the rubber bung (one of the rubbers had deteriorated a lot when I first looked could that be part of the problem - ill check the adjusters,

dunno about the transmission bushing but my auto gearbox works great real smooth no issues there.
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 6:34 pm 
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OK So I took the rear rotor off and checked the hand brake drum and adjuster and it seems fine.

With the drum off it is still the same stiffness - with the leverage of this hammer I can make a half turn if I put a lot of effort into it.

Anyone think they have an idea of anything I should check please let me know cos I have to do a 3 hour drive on monday at 4am and its costing me double on the fuel bill

I'm spending all day tomorrow changing the fuel filter and engine oil and filter to see if that makes a difference but im sure this stiff rear axle must have something to do with it.

Image

thanks

PS - just a thought - my EL is a tickford one so it doesnt have some non-standard type diff that dont move as much hey?
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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:05 pm 
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Do you have both wheels off the ground?
The stiffness is normal if its and LSD.

 

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 Post subject: Re: EL Stiff Differential
Posted: Sat Nov 09, 2013 8:13 pm 
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So it isn't the handbrake then, with an LSD both rear wheels need to be off the ground, I geuss you could have lots of RUST or similar inside your diff, but beyond that there isn't much else.

Gab

EDIT: When you say your car is getting crap fuel economy, what do you mean by that? Don't forget these things have a Big 6 in them and they use a fair bit of fuel as is.

Gab
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