hmm. we never even removed the axle nuts. we were able to get enough play in the system by removing one lower control arm nut and prying the shaft out of the diff and removed stuff from there. so i hope we're ok...ahah.

So aaron...we never did put back any "half shafts" or anything like that...are we forgetting something?

Aaron! You rock! Called him twice last night during the 5 hour diff pull. He saved us twice. haha. Horrible job. very dirty. i have grease in my hair.

PM Sent...starting the project in 30 minutes.

Aaron, trying to sort through your very thorough cardomain blog to help make the diff replacement process easier...any tips or how-to's would go a long way with me! Thanks! Wait. Somebody actually reads that? Now I feel like I need to do a better job of updating it. Um...yeah. read practically the ...

Bearings seem to be just fine. I will drain the diff fluid today and check for metal filings. Leaving for Traverse City, then on to Escanaba for the rest of the weekend. So I won't be able to perform a diffdecomty as Aaron calls it (lol) until next week. Wish me luck. Thanks for the help. I'll be cr...

Aaron and Dean...thanks for your much-needed help. The van is up...turning the tires...nothing appears to make noise or be very wrong. It doesn't even feel like there's much drag on them. of course they are turning in opposite directions. Aaron, haven't yet drained the diff to check for metal filing...

I would jack the front end up and check everything out. Check the hub bearings first. Then look to the front diff. Check the pinion for play and check the oil level. Check the u-joints on the front prop (drive) shaft. When my hub bearings went it was a low growl that progressively got worse until t...

Are you sure that it isn't one of the front unit bearings? I had one slowly go from an occasional odd sound to full on grinding over the period of about 2K miles. It sounded real bad. When accellerating, the sound would sometimes completely go away. It was odd. Could be. But it doesn't go away when...

From personal front diff destruction experience, sounds like it. Ugh. So should I bust it to pieces like you did and put the parts back that hold the bearings in place until I can afford a new one? More importantly, I have to drive to Michigan's U.P. this weekend...if it goes completely, what happe...

Darren,

Thanks for the fender fillers! I'll install them on our van and post pics! Thanks again too Jim!

Since we've owned the van (for three months) I've changed out the diff fluid front and rear. The van had a pretty noticeable "grinding, whirring" noise around the front end since we purchased it. Changing the diff fluids out didn't change it at all. It's now starting to get worse and I can...

Logan wrote:I'll take the old cladding....... :-)

I would have given it away happily. But the removal process was nearly impossible without destroying the cladding. If anyone here is actually successful removing their cladding without damaging it, please do tell how you did the impossible!

Yes, do you need a pair? That would be me. Jim and I have been pming each other about this over the last few days. He just pm'd me you thread! If you still have those stock fender fillers, I'd love to relieve you of some clutter :) how much do you want for them shipped to Stevensville, MI? Can you ...

ok...so we forgot to remove the tape on the rear.