Rear-end Problems! They Just Keep Popping Up.

[SC300Drifter]

Whats going on guys. I got out of my car yesterday and noticed the smell of burnt gear oil, so I crawled underneath my car and checked it out. Everything from the center of the diff to the left was covered in gear oil. I am still awaiting to get the car off the ground to fully inspect it as it is too low to get underneath. I am not sure where the fluid is coming out at or why for that matter, so if anyone has had a problem like this I would appreciate some info. I know my rear subframe bushings are shot, and I plan on buying (or making) the Supra aluminum hard mounts. When I grab 2nd or 3rd gear there is a very very loud clunk/knock that comes from the rear-end. That has been going on for about 5 months, so I have been trying to take it easy on it until I can find the dimensions for the bushings. About 2 weeks ago I had a buddy go on a drive with me and when we stopped he said that sparks were coming from my rear-end but couldn't pin point exactly where they were coming from. In the 2 weeks I have had 3 people see these sparks as well. I go through a set of rear tires a month and had just replaced them before the drive so I know it wasn't belts from my tires. When I got underneath my car to check out the differential I noticed that the inside of my wheel has a wear mark from my toe rod (i think thats what it is), its the closest thing to the inside of my wheel. I am not sure how everything is flexing enough to allow this to happen seeing as how I am using the stock wheels, so clearance should not be an issue. I compete in drift events regularly and drift daily so I know that is definatly not helping the fact. To sum it all up my rear bushings are shot, my right side toe arm is rubbing on my wheel when I drift and now I have no diff fluid. Can anyone give me an explanation or some advice as to what is going on here? The car is my primary drift car and I intend to keep it that way so not drifting is not an option. With that said, I could really use some advice. Thanks guys.

[SKperformance]

Sounds like you bent a control arm and that has also caused the bearing on the diff to give out from the force.

Seems like a new set of control arms an alignment and a new diff is in your future.

Look for toms rear support braces and get some urethane bushings as the stock setup is no where near close enough to support the loads you are putting on it. The sparks are more than likely for the control arm rubbing the wheels. Stop driving it immediately before you do even more damage and loose parts going down the road and total the whole thing.

[SC300Drifter]

Sounds like you bent a control arm and that has also caused the bearing on the diff to give out from the force.

Seems like a new set of control arms an alignment and a new diff is in your future.

Look for toms rear support braces and get some urethane bushings as the stock setup is no where near close enough to support the loads you are putting on it. The sparks are more than likely for the control arm rubbing the wheels. Stop driving it immediately before you do even more damage and loose parts going down the road and total the whole thing.

When I get underneath the car everything looks symetrical, I was just under there last week putting new end links on my rear sway, I dont know how I missed the marks on the wheel. I know my bushings feel exactly like a marshmallow, seriously, never felt anything like it. Im not so sure that I do have a control arm bent though. Do you have any idea what I could measure with a set of calipers to find out if it is bent? I have a tendency to drift left hand corners alot faster than right hand corners, and it is the wheels on the passenger rear that has the marks on it. I am almost wondering if maybe my wheel bearings are going just enough to work with my bushings to allow that toe rod to hit the rim. There is about .5" space between both toe rods and the lower part of the wheel, but I would say that the scars on it are about .100". My diff seems to be holding up fine, after doing some more research I guess I need to just pull it out of there and RTV a new "gasket" on there, but seeing as how fluid is only on the drivers side of the vehicle I think there might be an axle seal that is shot. I could see that being a possibility because from the looks of it when I set a drift to the left the passenger rear wheel is flexing .5" which would push/pull the drivers side wheel outwards, away from the diff giving it the opportunity to spew oil all over the place. I have been doing alot of compression drops to set the car before the corner, so I think that might have stressed the rearend beyond its limits. I will post some pics of whats going on later today. Thanks for the prompt response.

[SC300Drifter]

Well heres what I found out. My diff cover wasn't the culprit at all, my axle had actually pulled out of the differential housing allowing it to spill fluid out. The only thing I can thing that would cause this is just simply all the bushings in the rear end are actually working against me now . I primarily drift left hand corners on my daily drive so I guess it all makes since seeing as how my toe link is rubbing the inside of my stock wheel on the back right so naturally the left wheel would be pulling away from the car with those kinds of forces being applied. Either way it is definatly time to get some heim joints and hard mounts every single place possible. Has anyone ever ran into this kind of problem? I attached 2 pictures, one of my axle just like it was when I initially saw it, and the other is of where my toe link is rubbing the wheel. They are both very unclear pics, but it gives a better idea of whats going on.

[SKperformance]

As i presumed your alignment angles are getting beyond the stock ones and has caused bearing damage which has lead to a broken seal as well.

Re build the axle and find out exactly why that corner is getting out of whack so much.

[SC300Drifter]

As i presumed your alignment angles are getting beyond the stock ones and has caused bearing damage which has lead to a broken seal as well.

Re build the axle and find out exactly why that corner is getting out of whack so much.

The seal is still intact and sealing quite well now that the axle is back in the differential housing. What bearing are you talking about? The wheel bearing? Why would the wheel bearing affect my axle seal? Im a little confused on your advice? I appreciate your input though, most definatly.

[jzz30]

a dead wheel bearing can cause the rim to touch the suspension components. also if your car is super low it can cause the axles to pull out under suspension movement

[SC300Drifter]

a dead wheel bearing can cause the rim to touch the suspension components. also if your car is super low it can cause the axles to pull out under suspension movement

If the car is on the ground and you violently shake the left or right wheel you can feel slight play from side to side, but if I have the car off the ground and shake the wheel I cannot feel even the slightest bit of play. I dont have any strange noises coming from either wheel either, my diff started to howl when it was leaking fluid but it has quited up now. If the vehicle is lowered wouldn't that give the axles even more travel? My axles arent completly horizontal and stock hieght would set them at a decent angle. I just cant see wheel bearing play or ride hieght with stock bumpstops allowing these factory parts to touch. Maybe I am just too damn hard on this thing. Is there a clip on the end of the axle much like a standard cv for a front wheel drive vehicle? Thanks for the tips guys.

[SKperformance]

Actually i was talking about the bearing inside the diff holding the axles. If the axle seals leak it is only from the bearing being shot and expanding the gap behind it allowing the fluid to leak past the strached seal and worn bearing.

[SC300Drifter]

Actually i was talking about the bearing inside the diff holding the axles. If the axle seals leak it is only from the bearing being shot and expanding the gap behind it allowing the fluid to leak past the strached seal and worn bearing.

Ah I see, now would that be from the car being lowered and the cv pushing into the diff housing? Do you know how much this bearing costs or a good place to pick them up? Thanks, I was lost there for a minute. I have drifted about 8 corners since I put the axle in and it still hasnt popped out.