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Need Some Info Quick (RE: Drive Shaft Yoke on REar Axle)

B

BrianDamage

1/2 ton status
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My '87 has been eating up u-joints for the past year, and I think I finely figured out why. I noticed that there was dope dripping out from behind the nut that holds the yoke onto the rear axle. The yoke had a little slop in it. What's the best way to get that to to stay tight? I tightened the nut the best I could, but I noticed itlooks like there is a plug/bolt in the middle of that nut that has a torx head on it (I think so anyway...it's got alot of grease on it)....do I need to tighten that also? I didn't want to go turning it and have something come loose in my chunk...gotta drive to work tomorrow. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
Your pinion bearings are shot. Time for new ones or a whole new rearend. Tightening the pinion nut will do nothing but wreck it even more.
 
You need to replace the crush sleeve inside the differential. That pinion nut is what properly preloads your pinion bearings and is a one-use item.

Unfortunately you have to completely disassemble your rear axle in order to replace it and it requires quite a bit of torque to crush a new sleeve.

Most like if you're in the same condition I was in a few years back, the nut has loosened to the point where the pinion gear starts eating the ring gear though, then it's pretty much time for an axle swap or a 100% rebuild of the rear axle.

If you continue to drive on it, it will break. You're on borrowed time right now if you've had it come loose a few times already.
 
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Your pinion bearings are shot. Time for new ones or a whole new rearend. Tightening the pinion nut will do nothing but wreck it even more.

[/ QUOTE ]

Read my mind. /forums/images/graemlins/rotfl.gif

EDIT:

It's 3/4 ton swap time.
 
Probably just easier to swap in a new rearend, if the pinion bearings are shot, no tellin what else is about to go out the window....
 
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It's 3/4 ton swap time.

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I was kind of thinking about that /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif (looking around to make sure that wife's not around)


IF I did that, I would think it would probaly be best to go ahead and change my gear ratio right? (I'm on 33's now) I think I have 3.43's (they're stock anyway..I have it all down in my other computer, but I don't have access to it right now).

Would I HAVE to change the front & rear at the same time? Or could I change the rear now and the front inthe next month or two? I couldn't do a full 2 axle swap / 8 lug rims without charging it and I don't want to have to do that if I don't have to.
 
You could always swap both axles and convert the front to 6 lug with your current outers temporarily, or just leave the front to be done when you get the cash.

When I did my 3/4 ton swap I had to do it that way because I was in high school and broke. Took me almost two months to do the swap, then I had to convert it to 6 lug because I couldn't find my 8 lug stuff!

If I were you, I'd do what I did and find a pair of 3/4 ton axles with 4.10s in them already. That way you get the good gears and stronger axles at the same time.

Go for the full floater the first time around out back, too. Don't cheap out and use a semi floater for two years like I did, only to swap now to the mighty full floater. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
You need to replace the crush sleeve inside the differential. That pinion nut is what properly preloads your pinion bearings and is a one-use item.

Unfortunately you have to completely disassemble your rear axle in order to replace it and it requires quite a bit of torque to crush a new sleeve.



[/ QUOTE ]

I've never seen a new crush sleeve fix worn-out pinion bearings /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

If the pinion nut is tight and there is still movement, than the bearings are toast.
 
If you are broke and need to keep it on the road till you can afford 3/4 axles just replace the pinion bearing and crush sleeve /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
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