Small metal balls found in front differential (possible ball bearings)

It cold be small pieces of metal coming off of the clutch plates inside which I've pointed to in the pic. I really wouldn't worry about it to much, the car is 13 yrs old an is going ot have some wear. As long as it continues to operate ok and not make any noises let it go. Or drive it til it breaks which may be years from now.

That is the only thing I can think of as the clutch plates that I pointed to are steel and from wear they may begetting worn round andfall off or they are getting mashed in the gears because they are small it won't hurt it to much. If it were bearing material they are very hard and when they go bad they peel off, kinda like chrome peeling if you have ever seen that. Regardless I don't think it is something to be worried over and just drive it.

YOUR PIC NEVER ARRIVED

MY HYPOTHESIS IS THE BALLS ARE "CAST IRON SPLATTER" FROM THE CAST IRON CASE BEING POURED

ALL OF THIS CRAP GOES THRU WASHED, ETC TO CLEAN 'EM UP AFTER THEY ARE CAST

SOMETIMES THE SPLATTERS ARE SORTA WELDED/ STUCK TO THE CASE INSIDE AND OUT. DRIVING HEAT (EXPANSION / CONTRACTION)/ BOUNCING/ GEAR OIL FLOW AS THE GUTS TURN INSIDE MAY HAVE DISLODGED THE ONES YOU SEEHECK, THERE MAYBE OTHERS "STUCK GOOD" STILL ON THE CASE

SEE-UNS HOW YOU HAVE POSITIVE TRACTION W/ CLUTCH PACKS.I FEEL SURE YOU WILL REQUIRE SOME KINDA "FRICTION MODIFIER" ADDITIVE TO GO ALONG WITH THE GEAR OIL (SOMETIMES IT COMES IN A BIG OLE TOOTHPASTE TUBE AND MAY TREAT UP TO TWO QUARTS OF GEAR OIL. DO YOUR HOMEWORK!)

MAKE SURE YOU PUT THE RIGHT STUFF IN AND IN THE CORRECT AMOUNT !IF YOU DON'T THE CLUTCHES WEAR AWAY AND YOU WILL GET MEGA SLOP IN THE ROTATION OF YOUR PINION YOKE (LIKE A 1/4 TURN BEFORE IT CATCHES THE RING TO MOVE (FWD TO REV)

I, MYSELF, TRUST SHOWN/ SEEING THE SPECS IN WRITING. NOT FRED YELLING TO MIKE, ACROSS THE STORE, "HOW MUCH ADDITIVE DOES THIS FELLER NEED?"

HERE'S A PIC OF A REAL EZ WAY TO INSTALL YOUR GEAR OIL. THE PUMP IS LESS THAN $5 AT A PARTS STORE

WHEN THE FLUID LEVEL REACHES THE FILL HOLE (ON LEVEL GROUND) AND STARTS RUNNING OUT--GIVE IT TWO QUICK PUMPS AND STICK THE PLUG BACK IN FAST. DIGGING IN THE HOLE WITH YOUR PINKY FINGER DON'T CUT IT FOR CORRECT LEVEL. CORRECT LEVEL IS WHEN YOU PULL THE PLUG OUT FOR A "LOOK SEE" AND THE FLUID "JUST STARTS TO FLOW OUT!"

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THE MEDIC

I still th ink it is the cast that the medic talks about or the plates breaking down. As far as making noise your clutch plaltes are sticking but the additive should stop that from doing it unless they are locked together that would be your noisethe 2 oz won't hurt a thing it'snot enough to make it overflow. But the sticking plates is why the noise as they stick then release then stick so it will growl like. Won'thurt anything just noisy so you might try another bottle of additive to see if that helps it.

THIS INFO IN MY LINK MIGHT HELP TOO

SEE MY ANSWER IN THIS

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/2006-dodge-ram-clunking-noise-rear-differential-axle-turning-right-put-gear

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THE MEDIC

A STANDARD DIFF WILL "PULL" WITH BOTH WHEELS ON FIRM AND HARD SURFACES

YOU CAN EVEN DO A BURNOUT.....AS LONG AS THE FRICTION ON THE GROUND REMAINS EQUAL OR CLOSE TO EQUAL

LETS SAY DURING YOUR BURN OUT, YOU LURCH FORWARD INTO SOME SAND ON THE ROAD.........THE WHEEL IN THE SAND IS GONNA SPIN FASTER DUE TO LOSS OF TRACTION.........THE OTHER WHEEL IS GONNA SLOW DOWN OR EVEN STOP......BECAUSE IT HAS TRACTION

THE SAME IS GONNA APPLY IN MUD......WHEN ONE STARTS SPINNING, THAT'S IT!!!!......YOU ARE STUCK!!!!...........UNLESS YOU ARE IN 4X4 AND THE FRONT WHEELS PULL YOU OUT, OR UNTIL YOUR REAR GAINS TRACTION ON BOTH SIDES

EXTREME!!!.....MAYBE NOT TOO EXTREME.......ONE WHEEL ON THE FRONT SPINS AND ONE IN THE REAR SPINS........YOU ARE REALLY STUCK!.............TIME FOR THE WINCH!
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AS FAR AS POSI-TRACTION/ LIMITED SLIP/ LOCKERS............BOTH WHEEL HAVE EQUAL TRACTION (MOST OF THE TIME) IF ONE WHEEL IS IN THE MUD.....IT WILL NOT SPIN AND THE OTHER SIT STILL......NO NO NO ! BOTH WHEELS WILL CONTINUE TO TURN FORWARD (OR BOTH REARWARD) .......AS LONG AS EITHER WHEEL HAS TRACTION OF SOME SORT.....IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO!

THE "LIMITED SLIP" PART MEANS THE THE CLUTCHES (OR OTHER MEANS) WILL LET THE AXLE (LEFT AND RIGHT) SORTA......BREAK LOOSE/ SLIP/ UNLOCK SO THAT YOUR VEHICLE CAN MAKE TURNS----WITHOUT "DRAGGING" THE WHEEL THAT HAS TO TRAVEL THE LONGEST DISTANCE DURING THE TURN

THE "DRAGGING ACTION" IS WHAT INSPIRED SOMEONE TO COME UP WITH THE "DIFFERENTIAL IDEA" (THE STANDARD TYPE) IN THE 1ST PLACEBOTH WHEELS CAN BE UNDER POWER WHILE TURNING WITH NO DRAGGING

THIS IS OLD.......I SAW THIS IN HIGH SCHOOL AUTO SHOP (IT WAS OLD THEN TOO).......BACK IN 1979 ON A REEL TO REEL PROJECTOR......YOU KNOW, THE ONES THAT WOULD GO HAYWIRE AND CLACK-CLACK-CLACK-CLACK!!! TILL SOMEBODY PUNCHED THE BUTTON TO GET THE FILM BACK ON TRACK

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYAw79386WI

IT REALLY MAKES YOU UNDERSTAND THE "STANDARD DIFF".....IN ONE SITTING!..............YOUR RIDING LAWN MOWER WILL EXHIBIT THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS YOUR CAR

I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHER VIDEOS ON YOU TUBE THAT MIGHT EXPLAIN THE LIMITED SLIP STUFF BETTER THAN ME (BUT I DO UNDERSTAND 'EM!)

THE OLE DIRT TRACK RACE CAR DRIVERS SIMPLY TAKE OFF THE BACK COVER OF THE DIFF AND WELD ALL OF THE GEARS TOGETHER SO THEY WON'T MOVE (PUT THE COVER PACK ON AND REFILL WITH GEAR OIL) THIS GIVES THEM 100% POSI-TRACTION.........BUT NOW THEY "DRAG" THE OPPOSITE WHEEL WHEN THEY TURN.....IT'S DIRT!....IT'LL DRAG WITH NO PROBLEM!

ANY BETTER?

THE MEDIC