Need info on rear diffs.

15188 Views 46 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Shawnotron, Feb 19, 2010

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · Jan 19, 2010 (Edited)

Hi, I am new to these forums, but have found a ton of useful information here in the past so I am back for more. A week or two ago I posted a question in the introductions forum about a funny noise I was hearing from under my truck. I also posted a link to this video showing when I hear the sound in relation to when I step on the gas and what it sounded like.

I took my truck to a local mechanic to have him look at it and tell me for sure what it was. It turns out most of the fluid leaked out of my rear diff and without knowing it I have run it next to bone dry for some time now. They filled it back up, but it's much too late and the damage is done. They recommended I get a new rear end, though I am not sure if this means just the rear diff, or more than that...? I was also told that it would be $700 to $1200 in used parts alone, not including the labor to have this done.

My question to you experts here is, is this something I can reasonably do on my own in my garage? Will it really cost $700 to $1200 in used parts just to get it done? I am feeling ambitious and don't mind spending the time to do this myself if it will save me money.

It would also help me a great deal if someone could tell me what exactly I am looking for at a junkyard. I know frontiers come with a variety of rear end configurations and I certainly don't want to buy the wrong stuff when I go shopping for parts.

The sticker in my door jam says I have the CA46 axle.

Any help you folks can offer would be super appreciated, thank you for your time.

Edit - One other question. My understanding is that the rear diff is something that is always in motion when the vehicle is. If this is the case then why does my truck only make the sound when I am stepping on the gas, and fall silent when I am coasting?

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Mathster

· #2 · Jan 20, 2010 (Edited)

what tools and equipment do you have in your garage and how mechanically incline are you.
for the most part, you can replace the whole axle with a couple jack stands, and basic hand tools. just unbolt from the springs, unbolt from the drive line, unbolt the swing shackle on the springs, disconnect brake lines, abs wires, and breather tube and remove.

as for the noise, you hear it when you are accelerating because of the way the gears mesh together. under a load, they load up differently than when coasting or reversing.

penski61

· #3 · Jan 20, 2010

go get a used h233b axle with LSD from the junkyard , you have a c200 axle with 4.6 gear ratio
the h233b is a HG46

to answer your question , it sounds like your pinion bearing is bad which would cause the noise you hear

Mathster

· #4 · Jan 20, 2010

*dons asbestos suit*

if your gonna spend a grand, might as well get a D44 complete with locker of your choice if you offroad any.
Yes, I know the H233B is a superior axle, just less options for locking it.

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 20, 2010

penski61 said:
go get a used h233b axle with LSD from the junkyard , you have a c200 axle with 4.6 gear ratio
the h233b is a HG46

to answer your question , it sounds like your pinion bearing is bad which would cause the noise you hear

If I get the h233b it will be a different gear ratio wont it? If I changed the ratio in the rear, wouldn't I have to change the ratio in the front to match? Can I just switch to a different rear end like that, or would more work be involved?

As it stands right now, the junkyards around me are saying that the closest c200 rear end is in North Carolina (I am in New Hampshire), and that I am looking at $1300 for a used one (they are $1200 new from Nissan). They do seem to have a ton of the rear diffs by themselves though, and for much cheaper.

How much harder is it to change out the differential only rather than the whole rear?

@Mathster... I don't have a lot of experience with vehicles, but I am good with tools in general, and I learn quickly. I have access to every kind of tool that could be required.

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penski61

· #6 · Jan 20, 2010

you can get an h233b with 4.6 gear ratio , if your spending $1200 on a used axle you need to keep looking

if you are looking to re-build the c200 axle and want a locker , arb has an air locker for that axle

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 20, 2010

What year and model does the h233b come from? The junkyards don't know anything about the axle codes, they go by make and model. This also makes me unsure of everything, because it seems that the same year and models of frontiers can have different rear ends.

Mathster

· #8 · Jan 20, 2010

you will need to pull the axle (even if you rebuild) since you have never setup a differential (then again, neither have I) so you can have the diff setup properly.

the H233B can be had in the same gear ratio as the C200.
the H233B also has the advantage of having a third member so it can be removed without removing the whole axle.

The h233B is on the quite a few frontiers, x, and pathys. early on had 31 spline and have more locker options, later had 33 spline. 2000 seems to be a crapshoot.

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 20, 2010

Thank you all for putting up with all my questions here. I read online that the H233B came with 4.625 gear ratio (31 spline) and 4.636 (33 spline), which is what I have for a ratio. These numbers are close, would either work, or do I specifically need 4.636? Or would any rear axle off a truck with HG46 written in the doorframe do?

Sorry to be asking so much, I just want to be sure of myself before I go spend a bunch of money on something I don't need.

fusionfronty99

· #10 · Jan 20, 2010 (Edited)

1300 bucks for a used axle? haha holy **** there raping you

used 233s go for 200 to 300 bucks tops, i payed 130 for a rust free one last year

and im with penski, i bet its your pinion bearing... did you go to another shop? sounds like there raping you too... no way its 1200 for parts... i mean common... the best locker in the world is 800 and a rebuild kit is 300... thats still less then what they quoted you and you only need the rebuild kit from what i mentioned above

99 to 04 frontiers had the h233b... 98 had just the c200, but its hit or miss on 99 to 04 if you have a c200... the c200s have a removable rear diff cover

heres an h233b

Shawnotron said:
Thank you all for putting up with all my questions here. I read online that the H233B came with 4.625 gear ratio (31 spline) and 4.636 (33 spline), which is what I have for a ratio. These numbers are close, would either work, or do I specifically need 4.636? Or would any rear axle off a truck with HG46 written in the doorframe do?

Sorry to be asking so much, I just want to be sure of myself before I go spend a bunch of money on something I don't need.

your gonna want the 33 spline, the 31 spline was used in HBs and gen 1 pathfinders, they use different brake lines, are a bit narrower and have different pinion flanges

the 33 splines are on 00 and up frontiers, they are on some 99s, but you could get lucky (like me) who got the rare 31 spline HB axle on a frontier (its a bit wider then the HB axle tho)

btw, any door tag with a HG46 will be ok

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Frijolero

· #11 · Jan 20, 2010

Its called HG46 for the "4.6" gears in it, so yes, any truck with HG46 on the door will have 4.6 gears in it.

Mathster

· #12 · Jan 20, 2010

we haven't touched on the spring over vs spring under options available for the h233B axle.

fusionfronty99

· #13 · Jan 20, 2010

Mathster said:
we haven't touched on the spring over vs spring under options available for the h233B axle.

easy, just get it out of a 4x4, all of them are sprung over

Frijolero

· #14 · Jan 20, 2010 (Edited)

True that!... Its going to have to come from a 4WD Frontier only in that case because he has a 4WD.

fusionfronty99 said:
easy, just get it out of a 4x4, all of them are sprung over

OK! you need to stop beating me to answering these questions.:laugh:

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 20, 2010 (Edited)

You guys are all awesome, you have been so helpful. Thank you.

What is a pinion bearing? Have you watched the video of the noise that I linked to? Does that sound like the problem?

Also, are all the h233b's limited slip, or is that something I will have to check for?

Frijolero

· #16 · Jan 20, 2010

All H233Bs are LSD but dont expect much, they break free at like 6 oz.in. LOL

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 20, 2010

Frijolero said:
they break free at like 6 oz.in. LOL

What does this mean?

penski61

· #18 · Jan 20, 2010

no not all h233b are lsd

Frijolero

· #19 · Jan 20, 2010 (Edited)

penski61 said:
no not all h233b are lsd

I take it back then. I thought they were. Sorry

Shawnotron said:
What does this mean?

Just me making fun at how weak the stock LSD is. Oz.in. as opposed to the lb.ft. that torque is actually measured as.

Shawnotron

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 20, 2010

I see.

Is there a way for me to tell if it is LSD or not? Would it be better to chose one over the other. I don't do very much offroading aside from 2 or 3 times a summer, and it's never very serious. I do drive in the snow a lot though, so extra traction would be a big plus.

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