AWD binding?? Now maybe bad rear end???

[safaridude]

My cousin rode in my Safari and he says what he hears is a bad rear or problem rear end. I did notice the right rear tire is tilted in on the top. Do these normally have rear end issues? I have never had one on any of my other Astros before. What should I look for as far as a diagnosis?
Any help would be appreciated. The van only has 70k miles.

Dave

[chemist]

I don't know. But here are my INEXPERIENCED two cents.

Get to your GM service department and get 4 - 5 quarts of Auto-Trak II Fluid. Do yourself a favor and two extra t-case bolts, because those bolts are weak magnesium and heads round off easily. Drain and fill bolts are bottom and top of t-case, respectively, and are 18mm I think... Get a cheap fluid siphoning pump too, you'll need it. (edit: Not a thin ID tube one either, but rather a spring loaded one with 3/8" ID tubing)

(edit: here's a tip about the t-case bolts: they may be in there way too tight. Do NOT use an impact wrench, and absolutely DO NOT use a 12 pt socket! The end result will be a perfectly round bolt-head. Use a 6 pt socket, and a breaker bar if needed--but BE CAREFUL not to slip off the bolt head slightly and round it...)

Drian the t-case and fill with 2 or 2.25 quarts of fluid--until full. Drive around the block, hit a parking lot, go in a lot of figure 8s or circles in opposite directions. Go about 4 or 6 miles. Then go home and drain and refill.

While your at it change your gear oil in your rear and front differentials, and see what the gear oils look like. Are the differential gears in the rear chewed at all? BTY, here's a rear differential tip: the fill plug is in the back (on the side facing the front of the van), and simply takes a 3/8" drive inserted to turn it.

I'd be real curious as to what the status is when done. I have a 2003 AWD, and the t-case rattles on takeoff from stop if I don't keep up with flushing it...

[LiftedAWDAstro]

Definitely flush the t-case. It should take care of all binding.