So, there I was, off-roading for the 5th or 6th time this summer, doing a pretty easy trail, Spring Creek in Idaho Springs. The first obstacle was a bit of a doozy, had to get tow strapped for the last leg of it cuz I just couldn't make it up with open diff's. So about half way up the trail with a power steering rack thats about to go out (was supposed to be getting a new one on monday, not any more!!!) I'm going up these switch backs, when I hear a "clunk". Guy in back of me who is a good mechanic says "that didn't sound good, let's take a look". Having broken a front axle before, I'm hoping to god it's not that. We take a look, everything that we can
see looks to be fine. Keep going up, hear another clunk. Trying not to be scared sh*tless, I take'r REAL easy, so I'm going about 2 mph, and bam. The truck stops, and I didn't hit the brakes at all.
And so begins my descent into the 7th circle of hell.
With a bunch of mechanics, none of which specialize in bs new-toyota wussy parts, start taking guesses. Could be the hub. Nope, not in this truck! It should be so easy. Could be the CV joint. Nope. Hey, what's that thing that looks like a grenade went off inside of it? OH! It's my front differential!!! So start taking off the front driveshaft (lots of fun lying on rocks and gravel underneath a truck) so I can get the truck out in 2LO, then I start taking off the bolt to drain the front diff, only to find out I exploded it so hard (no idea how) that the drain plug is literally cracked in half, and the inside of my differential looked more like a metal milkshake than the most important thing in my 4WD experience. Ugh. I hate these new cars. Expensive to buy, expensive to play, and expensive to fix.
*edit* The truck is currently sitting in a dirt parking lot in Idaho Springs, waiting for me to either come up with the right tools to take the axles out so I don't ruin them, or a trailer, on Tuesday.