Transmission binding or reversed in 4wd.

[Tercel__jon]

Just finished my rear axle swap. Have it all hooked up and everything. I put it in 4wd and try and take off and it acts like its binding. Its acting like the front diff wants to drive backwards...and the rear diff forwards. It worked fine with the previous original 83 axle, just the ratios were off. The transmission and now the rear axle came out of the SAME 87 wagon. What gives? Did I magically hook up something backwards? Are the internals of the axle flipped? Is that even possible? Ill try and take some videos. Try cranking in gear and the starter doesnt spin...so something bad is binding.

[Tercel__jon]

Heres the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCfJ6-Y6 ... e=youtu.be

Is it possible to install the center carrier upside down? Or backwards? Because I found the problem. The axle spins backwards.

When looking at the input shaft on the axle thats in the car...a counter clockwise rotation causes the wheels to rotate towards the front of the car. The input shaft is up and to the right off center.

When looking at the input shaft on the old axle that I pulled...a counter clockwise rotation causes the wheels to rotate BACKWARDS to the rear of the car. The input shaft is down and the left off center.


The ONLY possibility is that the carrier is flipped upside down.

[marlinh]

Post a photo of the pumpkin from the front of the car. I didn't think it was possible to install incorrectly, but a photo will tell for sure.

[Petros]

wow, sounds like you created a "push-me-pull-you", the only possible way you can do that is install the diff upside down. easy fix, but do not drive it in 4wd until it is fixed.

the diff input shaft should be on below the centerline of the axle, if it is above, like you describe, it is installed upside down.

How did you manage to miss that? That is a new one, I did not even know it can be installed upside down, I would have thought the bolt pattern would prevent that. I guess not, interesting piece of information that might come in useful in the future. I know some of the air cooled vw guys would flip the ring and pinion over in the transaxle to make a mid engine dune buggy, otherwise you end up with one forward speed and 4 revers.

EAsy fix, drain the diff, pull the axles, pull the driveshaft and than remove the diff third member and flip it over. live and learn.

[Tercel__jon]

Thats the thing man. I never touched the diff. I guess someone went in there and "fixed" something. Heres the picture. All I did was put new brakes on the axle and install it. Simple fix...but wow...didnt think it was possible to screw it up.

[Petros]

Yup, diff third member installed up-side down. It was that way on the car you pulled it out from? sounds like someone really made a mess of it, I did not even think that was possible. You pull the axles by removing the wheels, drums and than unbolt the backing plate (4 14mm nuts you reach through the holes on the axle hub). Than you pull the axle straight outward, sometimes takes some banging with a hammer (a slide hammer works best if you have one). when the axles are pulled out about 6 inches you can than remove the center diff assembly from the axle housing. Be careful you do not damage the wheels seals just inside the axle bearing (you might also check the bearing for smooth rotation by hand, any roughness you need to replace the bearing). I hang the axle so it does not put pressure on the seal, or you can just pull it out all the way. You might need new rear axles seals too, there is a stain on that tire that could be leaky axle seal. If the seals are good

Looks like you are missing the rear anti-sway bar as well. better get that installed soon to.

[ARCHINSTL]

Buy new seals for peace of mind, since Petros noticed the leak; been there, done that.
See https://tercel4wd.com/forums/viewtopic.php? ... ing#p42555
And be sure to look at the photo on the link and also click on the link therein to Petros' mention of the clogged drain holes.
Tom M.

[splatterdog]

Sorry but, thanks for the laugh! I'd like to see how it spins on glare ice.

[Tercel__jon]

Yup, diff third member installed up-side down. It was that way on the car you pulled it out from? sounds like someone really made a mess of it, I did not even think that was possible. You pull the axles by removing the wheels, drums and than unbolt the backing plate (4 12mm nuts you reach througb the holes on the axle hub). Than you pull the axle straight outward, sometimes takes some banging with a hammer (a slide hammer works best if you have one). when the axles are pulled out about 6 inches you can than remove the center diff assembly from the axle housing. Be careful you do not damage the wheels seals just inside the axle bearing (you might also check the bearing for smooth rotation by hand, any roughness you need to replace the bearing). I hang the axle so it does not put pressure on the seal, or you can just pull it out all the way. You might need new rear axles seals too, there is a stain on that tire that could be leaky axle seal. If the seals are good

Looks like you are missing the rear anti-sway bar as well. better get that installed soon to.

All I did was install it in the car. Thanks for the little how-to, Ill get to it this sunday hopefully.

The stain on the tire is from replacing the wheel cylinder (im in the process of completely redo-ing the brakes, unfortunately the site was down before I could remember the mr2 upgrades) also there was a discussion on here a long time ago how it was possible the front and rear swaybars fought each other, not to mention limited articulation offroad. I still have it, somewhere, but it seams to ride just fine and has also helped to reduce understeer too.

Thanks for the info about those little drains. Ill be sure to take care of them. Thanks fellas.

[Tercel__jon]

Do any of yall know where to get the 90* coupling for the speedo cable where it goes into the trans? Mines broke... When I replace it Ill be building a skid plate for obvious reasons.

[xirdneh]

Thats a first
I did not think it was possible
i wonder if the axles lined up and were straight (not angled up a bit)
if they were I would think the bearing would have been hard to get in place

i should have a 90 deg speedo thing out in the shop somwhere

[Petros]

make sure he gets the right gear for the 4.1 diff he has installed, the angled housing should be the same early and late trans, but the speedo gear has a different number of teeth or the speedo will be way off.

[Tercel__jon]

Xirdneh, If you have one that would be amazing! The axle rolls fine, wheels are straight and the tires spin freely when in the air.

Petros are you saying the teeth are in that 90* thing? If so, thats pretty amazing. I thought they were in the trans. Sadly the 90* thing doesnt exist on any 2wd tercel. I checked the 80-82 gen too. :/

[Petros]

the "90* thing" is likely the housing with the bevel gears, that is likely the same. there is a plastic gear that engages the worm gear inside the transmission, these are different for the 4.1 and the 3.8 diff ratio. Either will work, but the wrong one will give you a very large speedo error, like 7-8 mph.

[Tercel__jon]

I dont think it could be that far off...but it explains some things Ive been thinking.