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- 2023 Ford Bronco Black Diamond 4DR
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Apologies, this gets wordy, but I want to make sure I cover as much detail as I can to hopefully get a solid response.
I just picked up my Bronco after the front differential failed about a month ago. Everything seemed ok, but then it didn't. Some background to put sounds and such into context.
When the original failure occurred, I was on a decently steep muddy hill trying to reverse up it as I could not do a safe turnaround. Not making much progress I broke out recovery boards. In 4L things started slipping again despite the boards and then I heard this metal-on-metal sound from the front end, seemingly the driver's side, as if two gears were trying to move and they lost connection and rubbed on each other instead. I get out and look for something maybe getting caught on the CV axel or in general, but everything appeared okay. I thought maybe it was the wheel on the recovery board or the board moved and rubbed on a metal part. Seemed strange with the sound, but gave it another go. Again I lose traction and again that noise happens, except this time it is followed by a loud crack. It didn't take long to realize I essentially had no front power and was not getting out without help. Kinetic rope and a buddy got me up the hill and free to attempt driving. There was a clear metal-on-metal sound as I drove, but this was more like smooth metal rubbing on smooth metal, not the gear-on-gear type rubbing I heard before. I was able to drive it slowly back to camp and eventually to the dealership. Every now and then it would seem to bind making the vehicle sort of lurch, and it would let out another crack sound, though not the same raw almost exploding crack as when it broke on the hill. One other time while driving back and the next day on the way to the dealership, it barely made any noise and actually would have seemed fine if I had not known what went on the day before. Putting it into any sort of 4wheel was clearly a bad idea and immediately pissed it off.
Ford diagnosed it as a broken front differential based on their testing, borescope, and metal bits in the fluid. Eventually, a new FD came in and they replaced the broken one, road-tested it, and confirmed everything seemed good.
I then went and picked it up a few days ago and took it on some easy trails. Everything seemed okay. Used 4H/4L a couple of times, though nothing I really needed to use 4H/4L for. Then I high center myself on a crappily reconstructed culvert crossing. The passenger rear wheel was off the ground, driver's rear wheel was touching but in mud with minimal if any traction. The driver's front was firmly on the ground and the passenger front had some traction as well. I put it in 4L to see if I could slide forward enough to get the rear wheels firmer and... metal on metal sound from the front driver area. Same exact noise as what occurred before the exploding cracking sound last time. I immediately stopped trying. Break out various tools to try and get freed and eventually decide to try it again having stacked some stuff to help the rear tires. Very slowly I increase RPMs and as it starts to lose traction it does the sound again. At this point, I am convinced the FD is blown and just trying to get the F out of the woods. Breaking out my heavy duty come along, I actually freed myself with a lot less effort than I expected. Coming off the culvert mound, I hear a sound similar to when it seemed to bind and lurch when I was driving it to the dealership last time. Still not the explosive cracking sound though. This was maybe 10-15 feet past the recovery point and then nothing. No more sounds, everything seemed fine. I ended up finishing my weekend and the next day before driving 3 hours home and everything seemed okay. I didn't dare put it back in 4H/4L mind you, but otherwise no strange noises or hint that anything had gone wrong. I've driven it a few more hours since then as well.
I'm not knowledgeable about front differentials and CV axels, so I am only guessing what the problem might be. It seems like any time the differential needs to actually put in effort something that connects to it with teeth slips off and just rubs on each other. I am not going to push it until I actually get it at least near the dealership, but it would be great if anyone had a solid idea wtf is going on with it so I could point the dealership in the right direction. Did they maybe miss that the driver CV axel teeth are rounded or broken in some way?
I just picked up my Bronco after the front differential failed about a month ago. Everything seemed ok, but then it didn't. Some background to put sounds and such into context.
When the original failure occurred, I was on a decently steep muddy hill trying to reverse up it as I could not do a safe turnaround. Not making much progress I broke out recovery boards. In 4L things started slipping again despite the boards and then I heard this metal-on-metal sound from the front end, seemingly the driver's side, as if two gears were trying to move and they lost connection and rubbed on each other instead. I get out and look for something maybe getting caught on the CV axel or in general, but everything appeared okay. I thought maybe it was the wheel on the recovery board or the board moved and rubbed on a metal part. Seemed strange with the sound, but gave it another go. Again I lose traction and again that noise happens, except this time it is followed by a loud crack. It didn't take long to realize I essentially had no front power and was not getting out without help. Kinetic rope and a buddy got me up the hill and free to attempt driving. There was a clear metal-on-metal sound as I drove, but this was more like smooth metal rubbing on smooth metal, not the gear-on-gear type rubbing I heard before. I was able to drive it slowly back to camp and eventually to the dealership. Every now and then it would seem to bind making the vehicle sort of lurch, and it would let out another crack sound, though not the same raw almost exploding crack as when it broke on the hill. One other time while driving back and the next day on the way to the dealership, it barely made any noise and actually would have seemed fine if I had not known what went on the day before. Putting it into any sort of 4wheel was clearly a bad idea and immediately pissed it off.
Ford diagnosed it as a broken front differential based on their testing, borescope, and metal bits in the fluid. Eventually, a new FD came in and they replaced the broken one, road-tested it, and confirmed everything seemed good.
I then went and picked it up a few days ago and took it on some easy trails. Everything seemed okay. Used 4H/4L a couple of times, though nothing I really needed to use 4H/4L for. Then I high center myself on a crappily reconstructed culvert crossing. The passenger rear wheel was off the ground, driver's rear wheel was touching but in mud with minimal if any traction. The driver's front was firmly on the ground and the passenger front had some traction as well. I put it in 4L to see if I could slide forward enough to get the rear wheels firmer and... metal on metal sound from the front driver area. Same exact noise as what occurred before the exploding cracking sound last time. I immediately stopped trying. Break out various tools to try and get freed and eventually decide to try it again having stacked some stuff to help the rear tires. Very slowly I increase RPMs and as it starts to lose traction it does the sound again. At this point, I am convinced the FD is blown and just trying to get the F out of the woods. Breaking out my heavy duty come along, I actually freed myself with a lot less effort than I expected. Coming off the culvert mound, I hear a sound similar to when it seemed to bind and lurch when I was driving it to the dealership last time. Still not the explosive cracking sound though. This was maybe 10-15 feet past the recovery point and then nothing. No more sounds, everything seemed fine. I ended up finishing my weekend and the next day before driving 3 hours home and everything seemed okay. I didn't dare put it back in 4H/4L mind you, but otherwise no strange noises or hint that anything had gone wrong. I've driven it a few more hours since then as well.
I'm not knowledgeable about front differentials and CV axels, so I am only guessing what the problem might be. It seems like any time the differential needs to actually put in effort something that connects to it with teeth slips off and just rubs on each other. I am not going to push it until I actually get it at least near the dealership, but it would be great if anyone had a solid idea wtf is going on with it so I could point the dealership in the right direction. Did they maybe miss that the driver CV axel teeth are rounded or broken in some way?
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