New Ford 8.8" Limited slip....won't budge! What's wrong?

TWOOD · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 05:00 PM

Ok, I got the car on it's wheels and was goinmg to roll it around in the garage inpreparation to putting it on a trailer tomorrow morning to take it to a painter.
Rolled it back about 3 feet. OK. ROlled it forward about 1½ foot amd it locked up. Jacked the rear end up and the right wheel won't budge. Left wheel moves about a half inch. Checked the bolts on the rear universal and they clear just fine.
I'm clueless. HELP anybody!

Ant · #2 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 05:20 PM

It would be a good idea to pull the rear cover and investigate! LSD units dont normally stop the car moving in a straight line, even when the are faulty or too tight!

Hal Copple · #3 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 05:32 PM

If you have a Tremec, they can lock up, there are hints on how to remove the shifter cover, and put the shift rods back right.

See if you are clearlyl in a neutral position, and not locked in some gear.

all the best....

fsstnotch · #4 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 05:47 PM

Will the wheel roll backwards again or is it totally locked up?

It might be the TKO issue but I don't think that would affect a single wheel.

TWOOD · #5 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 05:56 PM

Thank you AJ, Hal, and fsstnotch for the quick responses and suggestions.
Right after I "paniced" and started this thread, I call my neighbor who has far more car knowledge than I. He was puzzled at first, but came up with the cause in about 15 minutes.
It wasn't the differential nor the transmission.
It was clearance between the brake caliper and the junk wheel I had on the car to send it to the painter. You would have thought that I wouldn't have been able to move the car at all, but the wheels must be not in the same plane as the rotor and would only bind in one spot.
Easy fix! Just added two washers on each stud and moved it out about 1/8".
Everything is fine! Life is good! I owe my neighbor some drinks, but cheap payment.
My knee jerk reaction was, I've got a new differential that I bought with the car from CRII 2 years ago and I cannot even call them to discuss the problem with them right now.
Turns out that the real problem was only with my "head space and timing".
Anybody that ever cleaned a 50 caliber machine gun in the army will understand that comment.
Thanks, again to all who "gave this problem" some of their time in thought.
Tom Now it's off to the painter tomorrow!! Woo Hoo!

fsstnotch · #6 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 06:29 PM

That was what my next question was going to be! haha I've had that happen to me before but with a set of known good wheels. what had happened was the top caliper bolt had vibrated out so when the car was moving forward, everything was fine. But when the car went in reverse, the caliper would roll off the rotor and I'd hear a loud clunking. Took a minute to figure out what hte heck was going on because when I'd rotate the wheel in reverse by hand, it would push the caliper off! lol Finally I had my wife back the car up while i watched and it was obvious. Just glad it was the top bolt and not the bottom or that wheel might have bound up and sent me for a ride! haha

Glad you figured it out.