Posted: Oct 23 2005 at 3:21pm | IP Logged

Beware 05 Frontier owners who off-road their 4WD...

One of the guys I know in our off-road club has substained major damage to the front aluminum differential housing and internal gearing. It seems that he had impacted the bottom part of the front 4WD differential on some hard ground and/or rocks inwhich resulted in seriously cracking open the differential case, leaving a large hole in the back of it. Unlike the 01-04 Frontier 4WD models which have steel front differential housings, the new 05 design has an aluminum front differential case/housing.

This type of damage (especially if gone undetected) will cause leakage of the differential fluid and binding of the differential gears beyone the point of repair. It makes no difference if the vehicle is in 2WD or 4WD as turning of the axle and open differential without lubrication will distroy it quickly. Needless to say but this type of incident/damage would also cause the owner major expense to have it replaced as well.

Best advice at this point if you plan on 4wheeling your 05 Frontier, is to invest in undercarrage armor to help protect the exposed front aluminum differential case/housing before you end up like this...

Posted: Oct 23 2005 at 10:14pm | IP Logged

..

... If the truck is not in four wheel drive and the front hubs are unlocked it would seem it would still be driveable.

... Two of my 4x4s have solid axles front and rear. I drive my Frontier with a slightly more gentle approach to obstickles. 

Posted: Oct 24 2005 at 9:16am | IP Logged

True Don, although drivability is not a question in this case, lack of differential oil/fluid due to damage like the above pictures of the aluminum diff will only result in ruining of the differential unit/gears if in use and unnoticed. Besides the spider gears still have to rotate in an open diff position. 

Here is what Marcus (owner of the 05 Frontier) said the dealer told him now after developing vibration while driving in 2WD.

"Quote" well, I just want to give you an update
fri. before I went to pick up my part I was having trouble with major vibrations I went to the stealership and talked with several managers and was told now that i should not be driving at all (which I was told at first it was ok just not in 4 wheel). Further inspection it has alot more damage do to binding with no fluid
so I had major problems with this! Filed a claim on insurence, and talked with 1800nissan1 and filed a claim we shall see. "Unquote"

duh...

Posted: Oct 24 2005 at 4:29pm | IP Logged

..

SC;

… I have a 30year old 401cid V-8 Jeep Wagoneer that I‘ve had for 20 years of off-roading. The front and rear Dana D-44s are really great and never a problem.

But!... I also have a ‘99 V-8 Grand Cherokee 4x4 Quadra-Drive (three vary-lock LSD's). It came with a Dana D-44A in the rear and it’s a piece of crap with problems (been reworked five times at the dealership). I called Trac-Tech (Detroit) and ARB and they both said they weren’t going to build lockers for it because it was to weak to take the strain that the lockers put on the housings.

IMHO the Rear End in my ‘99 Frontier V-6 4x4 is better than the D-44 in the 2005 Frontier.