Count of Monte Crlo

iTrader: (2)

Ok i used the search function and couldn't find real definitive answers to this question. First how do I know that my rearend is broken? Second, how do I know it is about to break? I know people often hear loud booms or clunks, or whining. The past day or so I have increased maybe a little more play from side to side in my car, the car wheel hops on turns all the time sometimes not under a lot of throttle. Also it seems to bite the pavement a little less hard on acceleration and it is not due to tire tread. When you rear breaks does it just lock up and won't work at all? I also hear at low speed maybe a quiet whine, but I'm thinking that may be the trans, not sure. Its an A4, the rear is a stock 3.23. Thanks for the help

SladeX

I've had two go without warning, one go with kind of like a tick from the back before going, and my current one IS doing the bearing whine...

If you get any kind of warning before the break, consider yourself lucky. Consider yourself fortunate if you can limp the car somewhere after the break, and consider yourself screwed when it happens at 3 am in the middle of nowhere and you get your car to a stop.

Consider yourself with horseshoes up your *** if your rear goes, you loose it or an axle or it locks up and survive whatever possible crazy accident that can happen if it locks.

Fear the 10 bolt grenade. Not that I'm trying to scare you or anything.

Count of Monte Crlo

iTrader: (2)

ok... so it just locks or, or continues rolling and you cannot accelerate like if your tranny broke? Are those the 2 scenarios?

SladeX

the locking one is a very rare case, most of the time it just grenades and it free spins. If it's a light break ie some teeth went, it may be drivable in the sense you limp it home at low speed and it sounds like hell coming from the rear.

Count of Monte Crlo

iTrader: (2)

hm ok, so loud noise is always the key then to knowing

DlXlE

iTrader: (2)

The front diff just went out in my truck a few days ago. (All time 4wd gas guzzler) It had a whine coming from the front left, I honestly thought it was a wheel bearing. On my way home later that day... loud pop but the whine was nearly gone. Limped it home the diff was burning up. It ripped every tooth off the pinion gear. Hopefully I will have it back together before the weekend is over with less than $150 in parts

kc533

iTrader: (1)

You're not too far from me....I've got a spare low mileage 10 bolt laying around that I just removed from my car if you ever need one.

Count of Monte Crlo

iTrader: (2)

thanks for the offer, I know these rears go a lot so i am just trying to prepare myself since I don't know the history of the car

SOMbitch

iTrader: (8)

kc533

Ur avatar =

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

I remember when my friend's diff went out. . . It sounded like a tree falling. . .

The teeh just got ripped off the ring.

SonicBoom

iTrader: (1)

I could be wrong, but what you are describing sounds more like a suspension problem than a drivetrain problem. Not to mention that since you have the A4, it's likely that your transmission will break long before the rearend.

Just my .02