Limping Along with Oil Staved Front Dif

[tony blais]

Posting for friend that has a '04 TB long wheelbase who discovered that the front dif has run dry, so the dif is on borrowed time. He is contemplating cutting the axle halves so they no longer are splined into the dif. The hub side of the axle halves will still be inplace as he feels that the hub bearings need to be preloaded as supplied by the large nut. The question is whether the drive shaft that's between the dif and transfer case can be disconnected effectively making the truck a 2(1) wheel drive?

Thanks for any response.

 

[mrrsm]

Tony... This suggested Video is NOT My Personal Endorsement as any Official "How-To" ....It's just a General Overview of what needs to be removed... and other Members probably have done this in other ways... but at the very least... it will give you an idea of what needs doing in the Most Basic Approach to solving the immediate problem:

In a Follow Up Video... This Dude Removed the CV Shaft *Remainder* and he Removed the Transfer Case, too... a nice Weight Saving effort (Ooops... NOT the Transfer Case... BUT the Front Differential... The OEM Transfer Case STILL remains installed in the Dude's SUV) :

THIS Video show what a NIGHTMARE messing around with the Passenger Side of the Vehicle Drive Coupling can become.... so if yours does NOT separate...Like the First Dude Suggested... JUST Leave it alone:

 

[TJBaker57]

The hub side of the axle halves will still be inplace as he feels that the hub bearings need to be preloaded as supplied by the large nut.

Not required at all. The 2 wheel drive models are factory supplied with the exact same front hubs with NO AXLE shaft of any kind in the hub.

 

[tony blais]

Thank you all for the info, much appreciated.