Was out tuning the car today and on the last run down the highway we got into boost ( I wasn't driving, I was manning the PC) and all the sudden the car pulled HARD to the left. MY brother was able to hold the car from darting that direction and eased off the gas and pulled into the breakdown lane. Luckily we checked before we got on it.

While it was pulling it began to vibrate hard like the car was on rumple strips. Once the car was stopped we began to move the car and it pulled but there was a high pitch squeal I could hear through the passenger side window. After we limped the 1/2 mile home (with no more problems at low speed) we jacked up the car and found no tie rods, ball joints, broken or ripped CV joints, or any other problems visual.

Thinking possible diff problems I drained the tranny fluid and found no chunks or anything other than a bit of grey on the magnet I ran through the fluid.

I pulled the passenger side axle and it had ALOT of play in the inner cup but seemed to have all of the tripod there. the inner join goes in and out SUPER easy (like a cheap plunger)

The inside of the diff looks normal but the center ring I can move up and down with my finger ( never really paid attention to it before)

My question is how can I check the diff or is there even a way to check it? Could it be the axle poping out of place? I did lower the car lower than normal the other day but we had been driving like that for a while and we were going in a straight line.

Any input would be great.

 

I had the same thing happen to me before at the track. The inboard joint on the axle had broken one of the three arms that ride in the cup. I drove home 30 miles on the other 2 with that horrible vibration. Yours sounds like exactly the same thing. The axle should not have anymore than 1-2 degrees of play in it.

 

in and out? it doesn't turn at all just goes in and out with no resistance.