Well, I went to change my diff oil today because it hasn't been done, 159k on the odometer, and found chunks of something on the magnet. I've driven about 6k on the truck and don't believe I did it because I would've noticed. But I was needing a exploded diagram of a limited slip differential. I'm fixing to just throw a stronger magnet in there, throw it back together, and drive as-is. (I have to go back to Tulsa tomorrow)

It's in a 1999 Dodge Dakota 4x4 SLT with a 8.25" 3.55 rear end. It's got a tone ring next to the ring gear that's got some awkward wear on it too. What's the tone ring for? And I'm pretty sure what the chunks were for was something with the limited slip. Looks like they came out of a hole in the ring gear on the left side.


EDIT: This is the same thing.

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj186/Tonsoffun3203/3637173887_bd985098c5.jpg

http://i272.photobucket.com/albums/jj186/Tonsoffun3203/4247782595_95eec165e9-1.jpg

I think whatever fell out and broke was out of a hole similar to the one pictured.

if the chunks look like the little square pieces on the cardboard, then yes your limited slip is falling apart. the same exact thing happened to my D35. the only warning was some humming coming from the diff, nothing major happened. but i know it happened while i owned it, just no idea when. there was no sudden noise.

essentially the same LSD
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://jeep.zerok.ru/images/d-liter/differential-dana-trac-lok-and-power-lok_html_4fbb1c4a.jpg&imgrefurl=http://jeep.zerok.ru/index.php%3Fpage%3D80&usg=__pu_oNdwU6KefIMLzA31Ykru9DOQ=&h=280&w=827&sz=71&hl=en&start=16&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=viIrXxAbSZHN9M:&tbnh=49&tbnw=144&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtrac-lok%2Blimited%2Bslip%2Brear%2Bdifferential%26um%3D 1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1