So there is a knocking noise in my rear diff. its been there for month and months. i drained it and cleaned it out to find a washer sitting in the back on the bottom. its not broke or anything. how did it get there and where could it have come from. its silver dollar size. i think the noise is coming from the pinion gear or bearing. is there a washer there that could have fallen off causing play?

 

Maybe a shim, but those dont come out without the housing being removed. Had any work on it recently?

 

Curious as to why you didn't check months and months ago when you first heard it????

 

Pics?

 

I didn't know where the noise was coming from and i felt it under my feet so i thought TC chain, u joint, wheel bearing. i checked all those and replaced some. i replaced the gear oil but didn't reach in to check for debris. the second oil change i cleaned it out and found the washer


I have had no work done on the rear diff ever. i've owned the jeep for a year now. 9 months with it running.

 

i wish i could. i put it on a paper towel on the kitchen counter and my girlfriend threw it out while i was out. haha here is a link to what it looks like

http://www.cjjeepparts.com/pinion-ma...5-27-a797.html


where does this even go and how could it come off?

 

Oh Snap!!!!

That's a very important item that goes between the side gear and the carrier. Probably fell out when someone was installing the cross shaft.

 

so uhhh what exactly is it and how hard is it to put a new one on. how could it fall out? and what does it do? would it cause a vehicle speed knocking off throttle?

 

Found this on Google images:
You can see it on the spider gear. You'll have to remove the cross shaft and spin the gears to expose the bearing surface.

 

Not hard to do, but if it hasn't been in there for 9 years, you may have some damage.

 

Nine years? I believe it was nine months, LOL. Anyway, it sounds like it's time for a close inspection of your diff. and get the spider washers in place.