Thread: Finding metal pieces in the differential plug?

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This truck ran fine with no noise coming from the 9 inch Ford rear end. Sounds great and runs great.

I drained the differential and removed the plug. Inside the hollow of the plug I just found these 2 little pieces of metal. They almost look like a roll pin cut in half? I have no idea what these are or where they could have come from.

Definitely two pieces of roll pin, but I wouldn't assume it's a single pin sheared in half. Could be the ends from two pins. Either tear down and investigate else considering it runs fine, quiet and whatnot... don't.

I'm thinking those are your options.

Is this where these pieces came from and how difficult is it to fix?

On my race cars, I always used a magnetic drain plug. At least that would retain any small pieces of metal such as that, and prevent it from recirculating through the gears over and over.

I just popped the differential out of the housing and found the rest of the two broken pieces laying in the bottom.

What can I soak this differential in to get it clean so I can look at damage if any? The truck ran fine before tear down and made no strange noises FWD or REV.

Is there a video on here or somewhere else that shows disassembly? How to install the pin and roll pins? I can't find one.

It looks like the cross pin rotated and broke both roll pins that hold it in place off. One pin left holding everything together. May just have gotten lucky?

It looks like the carrier housing is shot? The third roll pin looks like it was getting ready to go and the cross pin was wobbling around in the hole.

Looks like you found it just in time.

Roll pins install with a big hammer and a punch. Easy.

It might be necessary to drill out the holes to the next size pin, if the holes are wallowed out.

I'll find out when I get home but I think the carrier is toast.