Axle problems

[jastamjas]

While driving I started hearing a loud banging and when I look under the truck I seen the diff was turned upward. The spring perches were still flat. I think the axle plugs broke. Has anyone seen this happen. It’s a Dana 44

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Never saw sucha thing before. Does it move if you wiggle it or does it seem locked looking up like that?
Remember there's fluid in there so don't lay under it when you wiggle it.

[jastamjas]

Well I can get it to move a little bit. I was driving up a pretty long hill when this happened. Good thing it’s 4WD and the fronts worked. It’s has the 305 V6 so I am trying to wrap my head around how it had enough power to do that. It’s not like I had slicks on and dumping the trans brake on a 800HP motor.

[AZKen]

I suppose you are saying the "Plug Welds" broke, if there are any, allowing the tube to spin on the diff housing. The tube is pressed in and can have various welds or pins.

The diff will rotate due to torque a little bit during acceleration as springs flex.

If it was still rotated when stopped, then maybe Ubolts are lose.... or you have done a modification to the pinion angle.... or Ujoints.....or a combo of those. But you say perch was still at level to floor. Did perch weld break?

Those don't break/spin unles extreme 4X4'ing.

Also, did you just do some work back there? Something was done. New Ubolts, painted diff and older shocks with new bolts? Any geometry changes? Monster tires?

[jastamjas]

All I did was change the fluid clean and paint the diff. I got new u-bolts because the truck sat for so long. About the only thing I changed was the diff cover gasket.

[AZKen]