My truck is so tough...

[smack]

actually, it's so not that when I pulled my rear diff cover off to investigate a leak I found that ALL 10 ring gear bolts had sheared off and were rolling around in the bottom!!!?? Anyone ever seen that? Granted it's just a 10-bolt, but I had Chevy put it together only two years ago and only recently have I started to pull a boat (only 21 feet). Come on, a 10 bolt can handle that, right?
One other thing, I put in a true-trac and one of the four side bolts had sheared off also -- there's little stress there I think. After five drill bits and two broken extractors and even taking apart the other three to get grips on it I ended up just putting JB weld on the top of it and called it good.
Anyone??

'87 Jimmy

 

[Thumper]

Hey! I am having the exact same prob with my 12 bolt. I have 4:56 gears and a Tru-Trac in it. My ring gear bolts are always loosening off, as well as the 4 bolts in the trutrac. I have tried everything to keep them in. Strongest Locktite I can buy, anti vibration lock washers, new bolts, even had to replace the ring and pinion and they still came loose. My next step is to drill and lockwire the bolts. If they come loose again I am going to freak.
I wonder what it is, till now I have never talked to anyone who had the same prob.

Mike


<font color=blue>Thumper
85 Fullsize Jimmy

<font color=red>Aint Skeered!! </font color=red>

 

[smack]

Oh great, that's not what I want to hear! At least I'm not alone. I can't understand why the four-true-trac bolts would have an effect on the ring gear bolts. Maybe these true-trac's are defective in some way, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm???

'87 Jimmy

 

[6.2Blazer]

I had a Tru-Trac in the rear 10-bolt on my '90 for about 4-5 years and around 30,000 miles (I just replaced the 10 bolt with a 14FF last winter). I never had any problems but I am getting ready to pull the 10-bolt in and part it out, I'll check the torques on all of the bolts to see if any are loose.

 

[smack]

Yeah, let's see if someone else has the problem!

'87 Jimmy

 

[BurbinOR]

I have heard of the True-trac side bolts coming loose/breaking. So, was the truck driveable with the 10 bolt ring gear bolts out?????????

<font color=blue>'79 ONE TON TPI K5 - See it at---&gt;<a target="_blank" href=http://www.blazzinor.rockcrawler.com>www.blazzinor.rockcrawler.com</a>

 

[smack]

Well I had to drive to and from work -- only about 20 mile total when the bad leak started, but who knows how long it went with them loose in general. I couldn't find the ring gear bolts that were short enough so I bought the longer ones and put three -- yes three -- washers apiece on each bolt with a hell of a lot of locktite. I pulled that boat three times and drove on it for a month before I got the right bolts and ripped it all apart again.

'87 Jimmy

 

[KRAZIE87K5]

Don't you folks even feel bad for jury-riggin' you poor rigs up like that?!!!

3 washers! 10 (YES TEN) bolts SHEARED OFF! DEAR JESUS!

Poor trucks... gotta wonder what you people do to those things to get them to not like you so badly!

YIKES!

<font color=red>GOT MUD???</font color=red>
My license plate reads:<font color=blue> 8 YR SUV</font color=blue>
<a target="_blank" href=http://24.10.209.54/bigolk5.htm>http://24.10.209.54/bigolk5.htm</a>
454/TH400/NP205 - 14BFF/D60/w/ 4.10s

 

[smack]

Do I feel bad?? No I think not. As a matter of fact, I think my truck owes ME a few indescretions now and again as payback for the countless and I mean countless hours I've spent on my back in the freezing cold and muck. One after the other, the tireless fight to have all things work at once.
The longest lasting and least expensive vehicle I ever owned was a '69 Galaxie convertible that I bought for $400 and after $500 and some sweat the wretched thing endured 8 years of neglect and even 2 years of a cold beast infested barn. Not once did it leave me stranded and having never even checked the rear diff on it I wouldn't be surprised if that 9 inch didn't have a drop of fluid. Oh I cried a thousand tears when that baby got hauled away at last.

'87 Jimmy

 

[smack]

Oh and I put the washers on AFTER the bolts sheared off!

'87 Jimmy

 

[michaelm]

10 bolts RULE!

 

[Philly87]

I've sheared the bolts off of my true-track twice!!! Go figure. I've never hurt the ring rear bolts though. I'm starting to get a vibration in my rear end again too. Maybe its time to pull the cover.

 

[Jason73K5]

Sounds like it's time for a 14 bolt!

73K-5: TBI350/TH-400/NP-203/14FF/D44
Topless, doorless and no tailgate!
Fresno, CA

 

[chevyracing]

I hope this does not sound stupid but a possible cause of the bolts coming out is the ring gear and carrier mating surfaces were not dry and clean during assmbly. If that is the case the bolts were never really seated all the way down and when the rearend grease heated up it cleaned out between them and left the bolts loose. Torque and vibration finished it.

Like to go sloppin' 'round in da mud in a rapid fashion....=)

<a target="_blank" href=http://coloradok5.com/gallery/albun31?&page=1>See my pics here</a>

 

[smack]

No that's not stupid, anything's possible. It's my bet though that Chevy overtorqued them, they stretched and therefore came loose. I unfortunately didn't torque them myself and as a result I'll probably have to rip it apart again down the road. I'd love to put in a 14bolt but money and time don't allow yet, plus, I'd want to keep my 10-bolt up front and that means I'd have to upgrade to 30spline axles if I wanted to salvage the true-trac from the back, changes the spindles, etc. The price keeps goin up an' up and if that's not enough, I'd want to drop a locker in the back for the 14. Anyone used something other than the detroit locker?? There's the detroit gearless and the quick lok both for almost half the price. Anyone??

'87 Jimmy