passenger rear tire is skipping or dragging, differential?

2006 GMC SIERRA
340,000 MILES • 5.3L • V8 • TURBO • AUTOMATIC
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okay first question my passenger rear tire is skipping or dragging when making a right turn at a very low speed. I put the rear axle up it was a little loose so I ended up replacing the seal .and the bearing cuz the differential look good.. took it for a test drive but still having still doing the same thing. I check all the brake lines nothing leaking. I plugged in my ob2 reader. I got 3 codes. it telling me all 3 wheel speed sensors are bad. so I replaced all there sensors. can any help e I'm
Mar 1, 2026 at 10:02 AM
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Hello, this does not sound like a brake problem it sounds more like the spider gears, or the limited slip is locked up. Jack the rear of the truck up and spin the rear wheel on the right side, if the left side spins the same way this will be the problem, I would remove the rear diff cover for inspection, this video can help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F26Kir0OCg

Look for metal shavings in the gear oil and then use a flashlight to inspect the spider gears. Please upload a short video in your response of the problem, so I can see what's going on. Ken


Mar 1, 2026 at 10:25 AM
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thanks for answering back I had cover off last weekend. there shavings on the magnet. my nieces friend came and look at it. he said is good. I just had replace bearing and the seal that's what I did. k drop I replaced it drop it and it did the same thing. I'm check out the video you sent. I was such a hurry it did done. I'll get back to you
Mar 1, 2026 at 10:53 AM
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Sounds good, if you upload an image of the spider gears I can tell if you have a limited slip or not. Also, rotate the wheel clockwise to see if the another spins in the same or opposite direction. This can help us. Also, the differential must have the correct fluid in it for limited slip to help the clutches work correctly.
Mar 1, 2026 at 11:19 AM
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i got my truck lifted up. I hoping you could till with the cover still on. but if I have to take it off I will. I sending a video if the tires spinning together. I reverse it. than forward and I believe you could see when it slips and catches again
Mar 2, 2026 at 11:49 AM
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Thanks for the video but I need to se both tires at the same time, also have the truck in neutral, please take the video from the rear so I can see both, if the truck was in park during this test it is not he spider gears but you can still have limited slip differential. Ken
Mar 3, 2026 at 9:16 AM
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ok I won't be able to get to it till Sunday. but I one I noticed my drive shaft center haves play to it and you see some chrome.
Mar 3, 2026 at 7:48 PM
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Yep, that center support is worn out and you need a new one but I don't think that can make the rear tires skid going around a corner. Thanks for the video. Let me know what happens this weekend.
Mar 4, 2026 at 7:34 AM
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ok I'm going to pop the pumpkin back open so you could look at
Mar 4, 2026 at 10:20 AM
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Lets see if the rear tires rotate the same way as well.
Mar 5, 2026 at 8:38 AM
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what's up ken? I'm sending 2 videos. yes both tires are rotating. but when it's in reverse tires are harder to turn.
Mar 7, 2026 at 5:45 PM
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Hey, how are things going? So I see you do have limited slip to if it is broken it will not allow the rear tires to differentiate, (spin separately). so something happens on the videos I cant see everything, just the bottom half. But, while in neutral if the you spin the right tire clockwise and the left if spins the same way the diff is bad and is what the problem is.
Mar 8, 2026 at 8:30 AM
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so it's bad. is it better getting the whole rear end
Mar 8, 2026 at 8:59 AM
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Yep, that is the way to do it, you might want to check ebay, I have had good luck with parts from there.
Mar 9, 2026 at 7:13 AM
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thank ken. your help was much appreciated
Mar 9, 2026 at 8:52 AM
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You are welcome, please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.
Mar 10, 2026 at 7:56 AM
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what's up ken? I ended getting the whole assembly. but I got a wait like 3 weeks. I was just wondering is there any specific this I should do before installing the rear end
Mar 10, 2026 at 8:11 PM
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Hey, good to hear, just lift the truck up safely on level ground. Also, make sure the gear ratio and the drive shaft yoke are the same on the new differential. Ken
Mar 11, 2026 at 8:41 AM