L275 4WD issue help!

[boatmover]

Hi Guys. I have an issue with my 4WD and its a little weird!

I lost front drive with a clunk the other day. I jacked up the front and the front diff isn't working. Just that sound of gears not quite meshing. Dropped the prop shaft out and all fine. Whilst the front axel was off the front mounting plate I noticed that the diff was now working! Put it all back together and its not meshing again. Take the front mounting plate off again (allowing the axel to drop an inch or so) and it works.

Any idea what is happening and how I fix it???

Thanks in advance!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Sounds like your going to have to dive into it and look for bad bearings or bad teeth on a gear.
Drain the fluid, if you find any metal debri even metal dust you have something out.

Your issue could be in a drive case too and not in the differential.

 

[rbargeron]

The issue may be worn gear teeth that only engage at the tips, and then only when the pinion moves to one side of its bearing clearance (like when the front support plate is off). It may appear to drive by hand, but might not under actual load. Two parts pages attached.