Pumpkin Mystery

[Rubicon Josh]

While changing the oil in my front diff, I found one single needle from a needle bearing stuck to the magnetic drain plug. I opened the cover expecting to find all kinds of damage but everything looks mint, like it did when it rolled out of the factory. I have no idea where the needle could have come from or how it got to the bottom of my pumpkin without causing any visible damage. It is hard to inspect the spider gears due to the rubicon locker, but from what I can see there is no damage in there either. I don't have a schematic of the locker assembly so i don't even know if there are needle bearings used internally. The closest needle bearings I can think of would be in the u-joints, but I can't see how one could find its way inside the pumpkin.

Any suggestions as to how this happened would be appreciated. Also  I wouldn't mind hearing what some of the more experienced wrenchers have to say about what they would do in this situation.

Thanks.

[Rubicon Josh]

Guess it is a mystery afterall.

[bae146]

Nice find....  To bad it makes the mind go crazy trying to figure out where it came from.  Anyway I have never seen a needle bearing like that inside a front diff.  I have never pulled appart a front diff with the rubi locker, but I am guessing that there is nothing to be worried about.

[4Banger_madness]

its most likely from the locker assembly im sure ther are bearings like that in there i would get it checked if one is out the rest will most likely follow

[FiEND]

prob just because they spin and become a little magnetic.  they also end up everywhere in garages so can easily show up in unexpected places.

[Waytec]

It drives fine no nose locker is working. All you can do other then fully tarring it down is drive it until starts giving you an issue. As a great mechanic told me once, "sometimes the best way to diagnose the problem is drive it until it spits a part number".