SOMEBODY SHOOT ME....I need help

[playin_dirty]

Ive been going through hell on this project truck I bought. /forums/images/graemlins/angryfire.gif Seems like every turn gives me something new, but thats what project trucks are supposed to be...right? /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif Anyways, whats really gettin me is that the rear end (14bolt FF) pumpkin was open when I bought it and had the stock 4.10 gears in a box. Long story short...I upgraded to 4.88 to match the front, and found that the rear carrier bearing cap bolts are stripping the holes at only 85ft/lbs. GM specs are 135ft/lbs. Anyone heard of this happening? Prolly was over torqued once before and now the inner threads are weak. Now I am going to drill and re-tap the holes (avoiding having to get a whole new axle). For those who have done stuff with their 14 bolt...what torque specs did u use? Should I stay below GM specs to be safe? Is there any downside to this? /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif Please help. Im so anxious to get it going. Any help or info is appreciated. /forums/images/graemlins/ears.gif

 

[Hossbaby50]

I popped them on with the impact (cheap one that doesn't put out more then 150-200lbft) until it stopped moving.

Someone around may have a spare housing.

Other then that I would probably drill and retap the hold the next size up. Then drill the caps to take that size bolt.

Harley

P.S. working on the truck never ends. It is always something. When you think you are finally done then your not. Something else pops up.

 

[playin_dirty]

LOL...its a money pit...thats for sure. Im not even gonna think about adding up all the reciepts when Im done. I just want to get it goin and on the trail and go wheelin with y'all. /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif

 

[playin_dirty]

Dont tell me that Harley is the only one nice enough to help a fellow K5er. I need all the advise I can get on this. I dont want to drill/tap the new holes and have the same thing happen because of tigtening to the GM spec torque of 135ft/lbs. Is it ok to leave them at 100ft/lbs?...or lower?

 

[Hossbaby50]

Don't condemn the rest of CK5 yet. The weekends can be slow sometimes and responses can take time. If you do leave the torque at 100lbs I would use alot of locktight to help hold them in place, but it is better to do it right the first time.

Better to do it right and have it take a little longer to get done then have it fail on the trail because you ghetto rigged it.

Can you retap the threads and get them to clean up at all and hold or are they just going to rip out under full torque?

Harley

 

[pauly383]

I may know of an extra bare housing my friend has left over after getting another axle for the open carrier , I will ask him what he is doing with it if you like , no promises as its not mine /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif

 

[ryoken]

how about putting helicoils in?

 

[1-ton]

You could try drilling, tapping, Heli-Coiling it, and then torque it to 130 ft. lbs. As long as you are within 5 ft. lbs. of the correct torque spec it will be OK; but Heli-Coils are not meant for high torque use, so there will be no guarantee that it will hold proper torque.

If you are putting a lot of money into Lockers, gears, bearings, and races, you may not want to chance repairing the old housing because if the caps come loose it could destroy all your new parts.

Someone probably did what Harley did, and used an impact gun on it, but that impact gun was capable of more than 135 ft. lbs. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[diesel4me]

Maybe you could heli-coil it,and run one of those rear end covers that have bolts that push against the bearing caps to help avoid stressing the threads as bad.Sounds like whatever you do,it will never be as strong as it would be with good threads in there.They ought to make "4 bolt mains" for the bearing caps in a rear end too,evidently! /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

 

[Pookster]

Generally, torque specs are designed within a tolerance- Meaning that if they called for 135, that means probably that 125-145 are acceptable. (due to the variences in torque wrenches, especially the non click ones). But if its stripping, i'd consider the other options

 

[playin_dirty]

Thanx for all the help. I talked to a GM rep today and he said I would be fine drilling, tapping, and then using a treated helicoil (to withstand the torque load). Only thing to make sure of is getting the holes drilled and tapped as perfect as I can. Thx for all the advise. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif