Rear tires "skip" when turning hard

[Awdboost]

I haven't taken the car in yet...not until Wednesday. I trust what you guys are telling me so, I'll just tell'em to repair/replace the center diff.. Just incase there was some cofusion here, I just took it to the eagle dealer for a diagnosis not to fix it...another shop is gonna do that.

Thanks for the help! Like I said before, I'll keep you guys updated. Oh, just 1 question before I go...about how long should it take for them to replace the diff.?

You need to take the center diff apart to see what is broken. Also My advice is to send the trans out to TRE and have him take it apart and repair it. The gears might have spider cracked and the trans fluid covers that stuff up well.. I replace my center diff just to have the gear that ride on it break on me taking out my new 1200 dollar quaife. (with isn't warranty by them). About 6 months down the line. If you are upgrading go with the 4-gear spider diff. Stay away from Quaife.

 

[POlarSource]

My car does the same thing... Ummm... Im not too worried about it sence it is the least of my problems... Good luck.

 

[2gredspyder]

my car did exactly the same thing, sent the tranny out to shep and it turns out that it was my center diff that was bad.

 

[AWDGreenMachine]

Well, ha ha, I still haven't taken my car in. I'm a little worried that the shop has no idea what to do. I want it done right. I figure that now, I'll just drive it till it breaks. Anyone know where I could have the diff welded in the Ontario/Fontana/Chino Cali. area?

 

[Nanan]

My car did the same thing kinda, the rear dif was locked up so the inner tire would skip when I took hard turns. My problem wasnt the center dif it was the rear dif was locked up due to running with little to no fluid in it for god knows how long.

 

[91Bomb]

I took my car to a dealer for the t-case recall, and it locked up again 2 miles from the dealership (on the way home). At that point they blamed my *newly rebuilt* tranny. We suspected the center diff, if anything, and I briefly looked into having Aamco diagnose the issue. Their quote for diagnosis alone was pretty low, like $400 maybe? It'd be way cheaper at a place like that then at the dealership. In the end we took it apart ourselves and saved even more, but if you don't know the transfer case from the center diff, taking your tranny apart yourself isn't recommended.

I just stumbled across this post and thought I'd include a link that shows my experiences with AAMCO -- I posted it on the A/T forum here a short time back and is worth the read for anyone considering AAMCO:

see post #17
www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175806

(and the problem ended up NOT being the tranny after all. So much for dealerships being the *best* at diagnosing and fixing your car.)

I used to have the same theory about the dealer being the best and most knowledgable when it came to fixing our cars -- but after experiencing 4 or 5 different Mitsu dealears it really changed my mind.
That was back before I got online and discovered DSM sites like this one -- now I wouldn't piss on a Mitsu dealer if it was on fire and my bladder was holding a Big Gulp

 

[graf703]

I'm sortof getting desperate to diagnose my car's center diff problem... How did the repairs turnout?

**hijack**

So my car started off acting like the center differential was welded.... popping, skipping... u turns are impossible.. .Then one day it stopped doing it... now winter is here and i can dump the clutch in the snow and have just one front wheel spin... Also, when I put the new engine in the ouptput shaft to the t-case slides in and out.

So is this the vc or the spider gears? How much does a vc cost new? Thanks for any help!!!

 

[jtmcinder]

Without the spiders, there is no way for power to get to the front. The center VC (when it's working) connects the input to the rear. A blown center diff produces RWD (until the center VC dies). Many a 1/4-mile run in a DSM has been completed as RWD.

Spinning one front is what one would expect if the center VC were dead, but the rear VC was OK. The front diff is open, so only one of these will spin. If the rear VC is healthy, then the path of least resistance is for all power to go to one front, as opposed to both rears.

With regard to the rear hopping, there are two possible causes. It could be a seized center or a seized rear. It is easy to diagnose this yourself with a set of jackstands. If you don't trust the local shops, do the tests yourself.

- Jtoby

 

[4pistons]

when I put the new engine in the ouptput shaft to the t-case slides in and out.

The output shaft should not come out. If you can pull ALL the way out then the little retaining ball is missing. If it moves excessively (it should only have a few thousands play at most) but does not come out then your side gears and/or spider gears are damaged. Either instance needs to be fixed or you'll be looking at more damage and repairs soon.

So is this the vc or the spider gears?

It looks like you'll have to drop the trans and inspect all of it. It could be either one or both.

How much does a vc cost new?

You can find them used for as little as $20 and I think TRE was clearing out some new ones for about $50 a while back. Check around to all the DSM vendors before you even think about a Mitsu dealer!

Rick - '91 GSX

 

[Talesin]

Road Race Engineering is relatively close to Ontario... just down at the 5/605 interchange. Only down side is the huge waiting list. :b

On a side note, how hard of cornering are we talking? I mean, my back end will step out if I try to hit a 15mph hairpin at 35 and keep out of understeer.. just feels like the tires are gripping on the edge of the shoulderblocks, then slip, then grab again, 'hopping' the rear end around the corner. Repeat until the turn is done, or moving at around 20mph when it smooths out and grabs the road stably again.

 

[Ryan95tsiAWD]

The center VC will cause this as well. I pulled my tranny apart for the same problem and replaced the center diff. Put back togehter and still the same thing. pulled the tranny apart once more and replace the VC, car now turns smoothly again...well except for the blown motor i have to rebuild.