Question about my rear diff...

[Daurie]

Based on what you say, its not the ebrake. if it was the ebrake dragging, you'd have met resistance from it when you jacked both wheels off the ground, as well as when you'd had only one off.

Thixon are you sure about that? Msgunny said that when both rear wheels were lifted they spun freely but in opposite directions from one another, exactly as an open diff should. It seems to me that whats NOT turning is the drive shaft. That would lead me to first check the ebrake and then onto the transfer case and forward.

I'm also not sure about this but with the transfer case in neutral the input shaft and both front and rear output should turn independently. (next time mines on the lift I will most certianly check this out)

So Msgunny, with the transfer case in N (as well as the tranny)
I feel certain the one wheel should have turned along with the drive shaft, with only one wheel lifted.

With conflicting opinions coming your way, you could disconnect the rear drive shaft and try turning the parking brake drum. With everything in N it should rotate freely. While the shaft is off lift one rear wheel and check out that too. This should give you the answers you're looking for. It will also tell us if the front and rear drive flanges are locked together when the t case is in N like daveb suggested.

[Apis Mellifera]

This may be of some help:
http://ollr.10.forumer.com/viewtopic.php?t=3778

I'd jack up the F and R tires on one side and see if spinning the rear spins the front. It seems plausible that with the TC in N, the front and rear difs my be engaged with each other.

[I Leak Oil]

Jack up rear wheel.
Put X-fer case in 2wd.
Put transmission in N.
Hand brake off.

You should be able to move the wheel. (Go ahead, give it a good shove, this isn't a pillow fight.....)
If you can't, disconnect the DS at the diff and try moving the wheel again. (it's only 4 bolts)
If it doesn't move, it's on the diff. end.
If it does, you've got something else going on up stream.

Jason T.

[Daurie]

I've just confirmed that the front and rear drive flanges are only locked when the levers are in the 4wd position. Yellow down or red back. Red hi -low lever in neutral disconnects everything from one another.

[thixon]

Thixon are you sure about that?
.

Daurie, Actually no, I'm not sure about it. After thinking about it further, you're right. with an open diff, both wheels jacked up, the wheel on the other side would turn (movement transferred through the spider gears). If the shaft was locked, then he would have met resistance with only one wheel up, hence the inability to turn the one wheel. You're reasoning is sound, and I agree. I was just a bit puzzled by the fact that he was certain everything was in neutral, and that the truck ran and drove fine.

[Daurie]

I'm puzzled too.. if it's not the ebrake I wonder what the chances are of a binding pinion bearing? Hows the gear oil level in the rear diff? Condition?

[SafeAirOne]

I'm puzzled too.. if it's not the ebrake I wonder what the chances are of a binding pinion bearing? Hows the gear oil level in the rear diff? Condition?

As discussed earlier, a binding pinion bearing is easy to diagnose--Disconnect rear propshaft, jack up both rear tires (or even just one), and start spinning the prop flange on the rear diff and check for binding/ too much resistance.

If you find any problem, ground the truck immediately and investigate the cause. ---I can confirm that a pinion bearing failure has the ability bring the whole truck to an immediate and difinitive stop (as in your whole axle unexpectedly locks up). I was fortunate and sensed something odd...an intermittent hesitation...when I was Rovering down the highway. I pulled off the exit and almost all the way into a 7-11 parking lot to investigate when the front diff locked up. If I didn't have shoulder belts, I'd probably have an imprint of the steering wheel on my forehead right now.