Hey guys..
I been hearing strange Noises from my car.
I lifted one corner up and with a flash light and moving the tire i can see the Front end of the DIFF Moving up and down!! My quess is some sort of DIFF mount that has gone bad? But the real Question is, Is this a big deal to fix? Or can it be tightend down? And has anyone had trouble with DIFF Mounts?
the reason why i ask is i cant really see everything right now. and its been awhile since i got way under the car to see how the Diff is Mounted.. And i am hoping it sis an easy fix..

its a 88 gxl btw

 

Do you have a pinion snubber installed?

 

The front Diff mounts are very well known for going bad. They easily tear and will making a nice clunk noise on acceleration and deceleration.

The cure for this is replacing mount with a new one and installing a pinnion snubber that will limit the movement of the diff. A solid mount doesn't work well b/c it can rip the subframe's sheetmetal the diff mounts to.

To replace the mount you'll need to loosen the rear subframe and lower it to get at the front mount bolts. You do not have to completely remove it, but not impossible but chore.

Good luck

 

If it came from a factory with one. maybe. I dunno what that is.. Sounds like extra support

 

Pinion snubbers are basically a rubber nub bolted above the diff's nose.
As the car accelerates the diff nose wants to rise, the snubber prevents this.

Not a stock factory part.

 

got it.. thanks.. So sounds like a huge job? How long does it take to take the whole subframe out? or down? No way to fix this problem with out taking tons of stuff out? God this is gonna suck.. Maybe it would be faster to just install a snub.

 

Wish it was now.. I dont even know what the stock Front mount looks like. I know what the two mounts in back look like.. Im just not sure if its just rubber? or a bracket? i have no clue.. All i hear is metal tapping like threads moving or rubbing

 

Go here to see Mazdatixs' pictures...

 

search front differential mount, there is a good write up on here with pictures too!!!

 

not really all that hard to drop a subframe and diff its the first thing i did to my 7 i did it in about six hours and that was with super rusty bolts and with no experience and some bolts had to be cut off make sure you have a few floor jacks available the subframe is heavy when it comes down on your chest lol

 

Only 6 hours? heavy? There has got to be another way. I can change an engine in 7 hours or less.. dang..

 

lmAO!

Hope you're not by yourself, in which case 6 hours would be a blessing.

I just finished re-installing my subframe/diff w/ new mounts and it took like 20 min to get it into place w/ 2 friends and 2 jacks. If I were just dropping it, replacing the mounts and putting it back it would have probably taken about 4 hrs. But I repainted it, installed camber links, put quick connects on the wheel sensors, and had the diff rebuilt so it's taken about 2 weeks, lol

 

did you guys happen to miss where i said it was my first time doing so and actually it to six hours to pull the whole rear outta my parts car and install most of it in my DD but after i figured it all out i can lower the subframe to get to the mount nuts in about 15 mins lol

its was the first time that took me 6 hours

 

well it would be my first time doing it.. So i want to make sure i do her right. ya know. So i would be taking my time too. should i undress just the front of her first and pull it down? Did you try just taking the two subframe bolts off the front and lower the front down? maybe i can hire a small person with small hands eh?