OK, this is REDICULIOUS, cant get up slushy driveway with AWD?!

[3kgt2dsm]

yea, i cant get up my own driveway, theres nothing but light slush on it, and it looks like im only spinning one wheel in the rear. along with only one wheel spinning in the rear, there is a popcorn maker in my transmission along with what appears to be a slipping clutch. btw. i have the LSD rear end and im only spinning the driver side rear? any help please this is getting frustrating

 

[DSM4me44]

I sometimes have that problem too, but mines due to the fact that 3 out of my 4 tires have practically no tread left.

 

[2-0turbo]

You might have tranny problems, but more likely, you have the wrong tires. Tires make a HUGE difference. If you are running anything "performance," you are going to suffer. All-season is better and dedicated snow tires are the best. My AWD was practically uncontrollable on summer Hi-perf Bridgestones in the snow. Very scary!

One more thing. The viscous couplers do require wheel spin (side to side and front/rear) to heat up and lock. So, no matter what tires you've got, you are going to get some wheel spin.

 

[3kgt2dsm]

thanks for the replies guys, however, the tires are not the problem, i have an AWD car and only one rear tire is spinning, and my transmission or transfercase or whatever, is making a popping noise really bad, and its like my clutch is slipping. i need some help so i can drive the car. thanks!

 

[fastezz]

axle is my vote

 

[Sean485]

Definitly check the axles first as thier the easiest. As a given if one rear tire is spinning and you have an LSD rear the other rear should be spinning with it and if its not and the axles are good then the diff or at the very least the LSD portion of the diff is shot. As for the front, a broken axle on either side, blown front or center diff, or bad VC could cause the front to not be spinning with the rear and would will kill the VC if it isn't already.

 

[3kgt2dsm]

thanks for the help guys, the car makes the popcorn sounds only when the clutch is out and at slow speeds or when the tires are slipping, this sound like the Center differential? that would require a tranny replacement im assuming?
thanks for the help .
i know the axles are in need of replacement, as the CV boots are torn and grease is alover the place. also its about 4 degrees here in sunny rochester NY. so i wonder if that would have caused something to break?
any additional help is greatly appreciated. thanks again

 

[Sean485]

If the axles are still one piece then you can do some troubleshooting...

Put the car in gear, engine off and up on stands and rotate one front wheel by hand, the other wheel should rotate the oppisite direction. If it doesn't then it wont tell you much other than there is something internally wrong with the trans and its going to have to come out anyway. If the other wheel spins freely in the oppisite direction without any bad noise then the front diff should be ok and to suspect the center diff as the VC doesn't normally make noise when it goes out, ussually its broken spider gears in the center diff that do that...

If your lucky the metal fragments didnt get too far and you can just replace the faulty diff, if thats whats wrong, and be on yoru way. If the fragments have been in there a while it might be a good idea to just get a used trans or rebuild the one you have.

To test the rear diff put the car up on stands again, out of gear, and spin the driveshaft to the rear diff by hand, both rear wheels should spin in the same direction at the same speed. When you do this one or sometimes both of the front wheels should also rotate. If only one rear wheel rotates or they spin at diff speeds or directions then the rear diff is bad.

Do these tests and then see where your at

 

[3kgt2dsm]

Just an update, I have been doing much research. and heres what I found

MY EFFIN PASSENGER AXLE HAS BLOWN TO PIECES!!! I dont know if its cause the CV joint boots were shot and there was 0 grease in em, coupled with the -5 degree weather we had a few weeks back, and me drifting through snow packed parking lots, probably BLASTED that effer.

anyway, Ive been so fedup with the popcorn noise and slipping of clutch that I just got my hand down there and jiggled the driveshaft, and let me tell you. it moved quite a bit.

ill be replacing that bizzach tomorrow. hope for good weather for me.
brrrrr.....

 

[Defiant]

Here's hoping.

Now, don't try to kill the new one.