Cast iron front diff

[caw_86]

I took apart my front diff out yesterday, out of a 98 tahoe with autotrac. was it normal for the long axle housing to be cast iron and the main housing aluminum

 

[yevgenievich]

Diff it self is aluminium housing while the extended portion is iron.
edit: interchanged words

 

[caw_86]

Diff it self is aluminium housing while the extended portion is steel.

I had bought a diff last year to prep and its side housing was aluminum, was a manual 4x4

26007700 aluminum
26061670 cast iron

 

[Schurkey]

Unlikely to be "steel". Almost certainly cast iron.

I remember reading about the iron housing needing rework, or just plain not compatible with the newer-style electric-motor axle disconnects, when upgrading from the thermal actuator.

 

[caw_86]

Unlikely to be "steel". Almost certainly cast iron.

I remember reading about the iron housing needing rework, or just plain not compatible with the newer-style electric-motor axle disconnects, when upgrading from the thermal actuator.

Yes, i did not mean to type steel, it is cast iron, surprisingly it was not covered in rust

 

[caw_86]

Unlikely to be "steel". Almost certainly cast iron.

I remember reading about the iron housing needing rework, or just plain not compatible with the newer-style electric-motor axle disconnects, when upgrading from the thermal actuator.

The electronic 4x4 only has one port, the big one. The manual has second small port for the indicator status