horrible grinding when turning

[zadam123]

i have been having a intermittind issue with the tod for a few weeks and thought it went away but now its a whole new ball game. for a couple of weeks sometimes my tod would show all 4 wheels totally lit and then would go away and be fine, for about a week it stoped and i thought it was solved then i went to make a slow sharp u turn and heard a horrible grinding noise and car felt like it was sliding instead of turning also tod lights lit up and check also on tod lit. this horrible noise stopped when the car straightened out but all lights on tod were on and stayed on for a while. as long a i drove straight no grinding but seemed like it was in 4wd from the feel and sound of it. then went back to normal like nothing happened car was running good. only 1 light on tod and check went away. but when i make sharp or hard turns even slow ones it happens again but if i make wide turns its ok. any ideas.

i checked the cv joints and they seem fine, no tears or play in them, i also noticed a little play in the drivers side wheel and fixed it by tightening the wheel bearing a little bit( i guess i didnt tighten it enough when i did my brakes a couple of months ago only a little off but had no problems until now)

i read somewher that someone changed there diff fluid with a similar problem so I am going to try to change my diff fluid tomorrow and pray that fixes it but i think its a long shot. does anyone know the type of fluid it is ? what weight?

also i read somewhere we have tod fluid? where can i check this and what type is it??

[Mile High VX]

I'm using 75W-140 Royal Purple in my diffs...switched from Mobil One the same weight last time I changed it.

TOD case uses ATF fluid...I'm using Valvoline synthetic.

TOD drain and fill is easy enough...just crawl under your VX from the passenger side. You'll see the TOD case and two plugs with hex indents. Top one is the fill and bottom one is the drain.

Make sure you can break them both free before removing either one completely. Nothing like getting the drain out and then finding out you can't get the fill one out...

[zadam123]

Thanks. I went on autozon site and it said our vx takes 80w can we use other ones? Is there any markings on the tod case?

[djvx]

Having exact same issue. I wonder if I ruined my front diff fluid when I sprayed brake cleaner into my Green CV Cups to clean the old grease out--Can someone answer that for me? Basically when I removed the inner & outer CV's the inner green cups were still on the diff, I then blasted a cans worth of brake cleaner in those cups while I was gooping the old grease out. Did that brake cleaner get into the diff?
I suppose I can drain it, smell it, and that would answer my question but Im worried about it and I cant do the fluid change today.

[Mile High VX]

You can use a variety of weights. The shop manual on page OB-8 and OB-9 has a usage chart.

As for the cleaner in the diff fluid that wouldn't happen from what you described. The axle is solid and there is no fluid that runs from the diff to the CVs. You may have had some seep into the housing from the breather tube, but I think that possibility would be remote at best.

Just my thoughts.

[djvx]

You can use a variety of weights. The shop manual on page OB-8 and OB-9 has a usage chart.

As for the cleaner in the diff fluid that wouldn't happen from what you described. The axle is solid and there is no fluid that runs from the diff to the CVs. You may have had some seep into the housing from the breather tube, but I think that possibility would be remote at best.

Just my thoughts.

Thanks MileHigh, I looked again at it and the passenger side green cup is right up by the diff, so with that side's cv/axle pulled out it does not create an opening into the differentials fluid area? I know the drivers side has the green cup farther away. Ok Makes sense kinda wish I would have looked in it when I had the cv out. anyway Im gonna throw another post up with more details. Thanks again I was actually in line at NAPA with fluid, siphon pump in hand but your response came just in time for me to reshelve my items & leave.

[djvx]

My grindy steering feeling & sound comes from just turning the steering wheel even if Im in park. It's more prominent if Im driving slowly and turning sharp but I definitely feel it even when just steering & not moving. Having just done my cv's twice in 4 months I think it could be needing an alignment but other than that Im CLUELESS. Is there a steering pinion/worm gear? I did check my ps fluid all good. I parked it so my front wheels were on ice also so there was little resistance on the tires, the less resistance lessened the sound and grindy feel but it was still there. It sounds & feels its worst when turning sharp while slowly moving though. Also the feel of this seemed to start after I did the aftermarket cv's, and it continues even after putting the factory cv's back in after rebooting.

[Triathlete]

Jadam,
Have you pulled the hubs and checked the splines on the shaft? Also while there make sure the clip that holds it in place is still there. If the clip has broken, come off or is missing when you turn the shaft will pull back and possibly damage the splines on the end of the shaft and cause your noise during turns. It is easy to pull the hub cover and check...a 15 minute job. Have you changed cv's? Maybe the retaining ring was not installed correctly on the inner side of the outer cv? A little messier to check but worth a shot. That ring not being in the slot would allow the balls to move outward excessively during a turn.

[Triathlete]

Djvx,
Your issue sounds like it is with the steering pump and or box. I would pop the hood and have someone turn the wheel while you listen. The pump and box are both on the driver side of the engine bay. I know when my fluid gets low (I have a leaky hose) it gets noisy when I turn the wheel. You might have a pump or steering box going out.

[djvx]

Djvx,
Your issue sounds like it is with the steering pump and or box. I would pop the hood and have someone turn the wheel while you listen. The pump and box are both on the driver side of the engine bay. I know when my fluid gets low (I have a leaky hose) it gets noisy when I turn the wheel. You might have a pump or steering box going out.

Tri, thanks I will do that. There's surprisingly a low amount of threads regarding steering issues. It certainly sounds & feels like its on that drivers side towards the front.

[zadam123]

Well today I changed my transfer case fluid and to my surprise no more gringing when turning and no more tod issues fingers crossed. It's might have just saved me cause a mechanic told me my front differential bushings were no good, my wheel brings no good and was gonna charge me a fortune for a 15 dollar fix.

[djvx]

Well today I changed my transfer case fluid and to my surprise no more gringing when turning and no more tod issues fingers crossed. It's might have just saved me cause a mechanic told me my front differential bushings were no good, my wheel brings no good and was gonna charge me a fortune for a 15 dollar fix.

Transfer case isn't the differential, correct?

[Triathlete]

Correct. Differential is the "punpkin" between the left and right axle shafts. The transfer case is mounted behind the transmission and is what selects between 4hi (tod) and 4lo.

[djvx]

But earlier he said he was going to change the diff fluid not transfer case. I don't think he really was clear about what he did.

[djvx]

Well today I changed my transfer case fluid and to my surprise no more gringing when turning and no more tod issues fingers crossed. It's might have just saved me cause a mechanic told me my front differential bushings were no good, my wheel brings no good and was gonna charge me a fortune for a 15 dollar fix.

Zadam, So it wasn't the differential it was the transfer case? Please verify.