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Front axle might be lunched... help?

D

Ddragggon

1/2 ton status
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allright, I think my front axle might be history, for the basic reasoning that with both hubs locked, I can still spin the driveshaft freely... if I recall properly, locking both hubs should make the axle act like the rear axle, and make the front driveshaft only move with the front wheels....

any ideas what could be broken? I'm planning on ripping the cover off later this evening, after I get back from my parts truck... both u-joints are still solid, and I can reach in teh knuckles and lock them into the hubs.

-Rich
 
When you turn the driveshaft can you see the axles move? It could be your hubs.
 
[ QUOTE ]
How is the slip joint? ive had several strip out on me.

[/ QUOTE ]the whole front driveshaft assembly seems to be in proper working order. the whole thing rotates from the transfer case to the axle yoke.
[ QUOTE ]
When you turn the driveshaft can you see the axles move? It could be your hubs.

[/ QUOTE ]nope, as I said, I can reach into the knuckles, and lock the axleshafts with the hubs, ( axles won't spin when hubs engaged) [ QUOTE ]
Mine did the same thing when I blew the spider gears out of it... Pull the cover and see if there is any shrapnel.

[/ QUOTE ]probably what mine'll turn out being... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif not something I'm looking forward to finding out for sure.

how hard is it to replace spiders on a 1973 HD D44?

-Rich
 
Yeah sure sounds like a diff problem. Hope everything works out. On a good note its a new experience you learn something new everytime you break something new. Good Luck
-Brian
 
<font color="green"> With an open diff something as simple as a broken axleshaft will cause the shaft to spin freely with no apparant motion at the wheels or steering joints. </font>
 
yeah, I figgure its either a broke shaft, or blown diffy... I dunno which would be worse... a clean break shaft, or blown spiders... either way, I'm probably looking at a doublebarreled assload of money. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'll know this afternoon when I peel the cover off, ( gotta get me some sleep: workin the graveyard shift and all means its sleepytime for me now.

-Rich
 
I'd cross your fingers and pray that it is a broken shaft, you should be able to find a replacement at most any wrecking yard. It will also be a whole lot cheaper than having to get new gears/ carrier/ guts/ pay for set-up/ etc. Changing the shaft is quite simple, you just have to dissassemble the outers and slide the axle on out (although then you will have to fish out the broken piece)
 
If its a broken carier or gears let me know, and I will help you out on the install, and get you a good deal on parts.

Dan
 
allright, I pulled the cover, and after the 20 or so ounces of muddy fluid came out, I found what I was hoping most for. the carrier is fully intact, but the long side spins freely with the driveshaft. on the `bad' side of things, as I said, only about 20 ounces of fluid came out, ( if even really that much) and it was quite brackish and about the same color as mud. ( it did smell like gear oil at least) so, I hosed the damn interals off with carb cleaner, and revealed a bit of a rust problem on the carrier, and bearing supports. all the mechanical surfaces appear to be rust free, and the spiders/ring/pinon are rust and pitt free. after the thorough carb cleaner douching, I hit it with some PB blaster to help break up the rust, as well as prevent flash rust from setting in on it. I suppose I'll start looking for some axleshafts, balljoints, and whatnot, and see if I can't get me a running 4wd setup again. ( might get some bombproof CTM U-joints, although they didn't seem to be the problem here... )

I suppose the broken axle shaft part would account for the whole feels like its pulling in 4wd while on flat dirt roads, but doesn't transmit any power on hills, and surfaces that're covered in sand/scree.

I wonder how long that thing's been broken for... I don't recall ever hearing a loud explosive shatter, or anything like that, and I've been taking this thing up and down idiotic obstacles like its not only a 4wd, but a locked front and rear rockwell 4wd...

on a positive note, I now know for sure that I have 4.10 gearing ( 45 11 on the ring) and that my rear gov-loc unit is still quite functional. ( apparenlty thats the only reason I was able to save my a$$ last time I sank in the sand: the Gov Loc decided to join the party, and both wheels started kicking. ) with luck, adding the proper Traction goop to the flud I'm dumping in the rear will keep the gov loc happy, and properly working.

before everyone jumps on the `gov Loc bashing wagon' please keep in mind that to get rid of it will require I basicaly get another axle, which I don't really feel like doing right now. on top of that, its working, and has saved me from a slow sinking death on several occasions. even if I decide to either upgrade to a detroit, or to disable it, I've got the wrong kinda carrier to put a detroit in. ( gov lock has 3 spider gears, standard open has 4)

oh well, so sad now.

-Rich
 
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