I can't remember ever having to change a flat tire, but it happened today.

Yesterday, we were in the Spring Runoff Rally in Hastings, organized by Louis Cabardos and PMSC, and afterwards, we went to Bobcaygeon to stay with the mother-in-law. This morning I discovered the flat (a nail). I swapped the Hakka out for a no-name snow tire I had in the trunk. No problem.
We headed home to Georgetwon. Jane noticed the smell first, after we had been on the 407 for a bit. I smelled it as well, and pulled over to check. Definite oil smell, but nothing out of the ordinary.
But then the car started a little bob to one side every once in a while. Hmm, it's windy, but not that windy.
Then the twitch became regular (like the back end stepping out a little), and I started thinking about tire sizes. I exited the 407 at Goreway.
Noticeable smell as well when we stopped. And as we neared home, I think I was hearing a whine (sort of) as well.

I've swapped the tires over to the Bridgestones as I had been planning to do after the rally anyways.

Hakka circumference - 79", no-name circumference - 76".
So, have I fried the rear diff?

Bruce

I think your centre diff may be gone as well....sorry to say Bruce, what happens when you turn a tight circle in a parking lot?

When my centre diff was going in my RS it felt like it was getting tighter and tighter (like a rally diff) so when turning into parking spots i could feel the diff slowing the car down as it didnt want to turn

I assume both the rear and centre should behave the same as they are both Viscous LSD units

Or maybe I didn't get lucky. It lasted 4 days before it went. I was backing into the driveway and it was as if I had backed into something. I parked it for the weekend (Lanark), then checked it that Sunday. An ominous clicking told me to park it.
Between rain, work, more rain, cutting the grass when it stopped raining, and other stuff, I worked away at getting to the centre diff. It's always the little things that hold you up - inaccessible rusty exhaust bolts for one. I drained the oil and found a small piece of a gear tooth on the magnetic plug - not good. Yesterday, I finally cracked the extension off the back of the transfer case and half of this ring that's on the big end of the diff fell out. The rest of the ring was chopped up into nice kernel sized pieces.




A couple of bearings on the drive and driven shafts are shot as well. Transfer shaft gear teeth are all good, so the piece came from the tranny, I guess.



I still have the original RS diff to put back in (it was a WRX diff that I fried), and I'll have to see Dan for some bearings or complete transfer shafts.
I intend to pull apart the diff, just to see what it's like, and I'll post photos if anyone's interested.

It be interested to see since I think my diff is in the process of doing the same thing.