Rear end problems.....

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H

HemiDave

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Jan 13, 2008
Threads
15
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66
Location
Austin, TX
....and my truck is broken, too!!:rolleyes:

There is a noise and binding that almost stops the truck at slow speeds. The noise is a popping sound and happens as the truck seems to strain and then release from a bind in the drive train. I thought it was the bearing that holds the drive shaft, but the situation is the same after replacement (needed to change it anyway..).

Is the rear end going out? Fluid level is about 1/2" below the fill bolt hole.

I had a friend walk along the side of the truck as I backed out of the driveway then pulled back in. He said it was definitely from the back of the truck...

Anyone have a stock 'chunk' to sell cheap?:D

Thanks!

Dave
 
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Id bet its a ring and pinion. drop the fluid...I bet its chunky.

And yup, just pick up another 3rd and drop it in, no big deal. Most junk yards wont sell the 3rd on its own, you have to buy the complete axle, but its still cheap...about $100 around me.
 
Will it have to be a 4x4 truck it comes out of?

Man, I just got a bunch of parts to do a big tune up (plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, battery cables, etc.) and then this. I plan to start sanding on it soon for a repaint, too. Been seeing a tan, restored 2nd Gen driving to work most days. It looks great! Mine needs a freshening up, too! :D

Any other options or anyone know a good local junkyard?

Thanks!

Dave
 
Craigslist $50 to $100 for a thirdmember.

Remove the rear driveline and drive it in 4hi and see if it goes away. If it goes away its the driveline. If it still does it then most likely the rear end. If you have a rear carrier bearing then Im going to assume you might have a rear CV shaft. If the truck is lifted tall it could have a notchy/broke cv joint/knuckle that is binding/crunching.

Pull the drums off and look for brake parts loose or catching.

Most likely the rear diff tho.
 
Truck is stock height. I was considering a 2" lift...

Yeah, I may disconnect the drive shaft and take it for a spin. It just might not do it as easily without power to the diff. It almost stopped the truck when I pulled into the driveway...

What years would be a direct swap? What is the stock gear ratio? 4.11?

1985, SR5, EFI, 5 speed, 4x4, Xtra Cab, no mods. I just put a new radio in it, too...:crybaby::D

Thanks!!

Dave
 
Should be 4.10s if they are original. Any 4 or 6 cyl diff with 4.10s from 84 to 95. A 6 cyl diff will need the driveline flange redrilled or the flange swapped with your old one. A 79 to 83 diff will work too but needs the flange drilled or swapped too.
 
Chop Shop said:
Should be 4.10s if they are original. Any 4 or 6 cyl diff with 4.10s from 84 to 95. A 6 cyl diff will need the driveline flange redrilled or the flange swapped with your old one. A 79 to 83 diff will work too but needs the flange drilled or swapped too.
Click to expand...

That's what i needed right there!!:clap::beer:

I took a pic of the VIN and was going to start looking up the codes. There is a guy selling parts from an 83 but I think I'll hit up the junkyards first to find one I can just swap out. I need to get this truck working since the Dodge doesn't have a heater....:doh:


Thanks!

Dave
 
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But... that's what I'm saying. I've swapped V6 diffs into 4 cyl trucks, no driveshaft or flange mods needed. I still have the factory stock driveshaft in my '87 now, with a Tacoma e-locker in the rear as well, no problem bolting it up.

Maybe I'm missing something.
 
Chop Shop said:
If ya change the slipyoke with the flange its not a big deal.

Trail gear lists the triple drilled flanges for "both 4cyl patters and v6 pattern".

I know the CVs are lot differnet in size.
Click to expand...


Ditto... I put Turbo rear in my 84 truck and had to do that.

It was the front slip of a SWB dive shaft. Slipped right on the back of my 2 piece LWB DS, and matched the Turbo flange.
 
Hey dave, you check all your U joints?

before I drained the fluid I would put it up on jack stands and pull the drive shaft and spin the flange by hand. you should be able to drive the rear wheels just fine by hand. It'll confirm a bad ring and pinion real easy.
 
Chop Shop said:
If ya change the slipyoke with the flange its not a big deal.

Trail gear lists the triple drilled flanges for "both 4cyl patters and v6 pattern".

I know the CVs are lot differnet in size.
Click to expand...

Watch out if you replace your flange. You should really re-setup the gears, since your truck has a crush sleeve, not a solid spacer. This messes up the backlash.

My bad experience was having the pinion hit the carrier because of a flange swap.
 
KLF said:
Hmmm... that's not been my experience. Direct swap, no drilling needed.
Click to expand...

Yup I have yet to find rhyme or reason to the flange patterns and what is what.

"N8" said:
Hey dave, you check all your U joints?

before I drained the fluid I would put it up on jack stands and pull the drive shaft and spin the flange by hand. you should be able to drive the rear wheels just fine by hand. It'll confirm a bad ring and pinion real easy.
Click to expand...

Am I missing something? I would think draining the fluid would be the easiest thing to do first, and it will likely tell you what you need to know.

GRM said:
Watch out if you replace your flange. You should really re-setup the gears, since your truck has a crush sleeve, not a solid spacer. This messes up the backlash.

My bad experience was having the pinion hit the carrier because of a flange swap.
Click to expand...

Yup, good point. The crush sleeve maintains the bearing preload and has already been crushed, retorqueing the flange could crush it further and cause the pinion to run too deep into the carrier. Though I will admit ive done it and not had any problems yet. But with the exception of only a few bolts I never really pay attention to torque specs.
 
4rnr said:
Yup, good point. The crush sleeve maintains the bearing preload and has already been crushed, retorqueing the flange could crush it further and cause the pinion to run too deep into the carrier.
Click to expand...

You're thinking backwards. The crush sleeve is there to maintain proper pinion bearing preload, and since by the time the pinion seal is leaking the bearings have worn in, it's a good idea to tighten them up anyway. The only thing that will let the pinion ride into the carrier (short of blown bearings) is loose pinion bearings either from getting worn out, or from the nut backing off.

I usually reuse the pinion nut and turn it past where it was staked before and check for up and down to side to side play in the pinion till it's all gone. It's tough to check the preload with the diff in the truck though, but I make sure I can turn it easily by hand in that small free-play window before the pinion contacts the ring gear. If you tighten it up too much then it will bind up and harm the bearing in the long run. :cheers:
 
2ndGenToyotaFan said:
You're thinking backwards. Yup, your right it'll run shallow


The crush sleeve is there to maintain proper pinion bearing preload, and since by the time the pinion seal is leaking the bearings have worn in, it's a good idea to tighten them up anyway.

^^^not sure where your going there....
Click to expand...

.....
 
4rnr said:
Yup, good point. The crush sleeve maintains the bearing preload and has already been crushed, retorqueing the flange could crush it further and cause the pinion to run too deep into the carrier. Though I will admit ive done it and not had any problems yet. But with the exception of only a few bolts I never really pay attention to torque specs.
Click to expand...

This is completely FALSE.

if the pinion is way overtouqed (think extreme case) and the crushsleeve is collapsed even more it is going to pull the pinion away from the carrier.

The ONLY two ways a pinion head can hit the carrier is if the pinion nut backs off and lets the pinion shift inward or if the small pinion bearing fails/wears/crumbled and lets the pinion shift inward.

People are so quick to blame a crush sleeve for a diff failure. If a crush sleeve fails it can only let the bearings get closer to each other (making a tighter preload)

You have no crush sleeve between you wheel bearings, why do they work?


Even a bottoming out driveline cant push a pinion into a carrier unless the pinion nut or small bearing fails first.

Carrier tattoos are made by bearing failures, not crushsleeves.
 
GRM said:
My bad experience was having the pinion hit the carrier because of a flange swap.
Click to expand...

Then you either set it up too tight/preload and burned up the pinion bearings which then allowed the pinion to run deeper than when in good/tight condition
or
you set it up too loose and it drifted in and out tattooing the carrier.
 
You can't make it run shallow either, you can only over tighten the bearings which will cause premature failure, or under tighten them which will also cause premature failure. Under tightening can lead to the pinion hitting the carrier, but other than that you can not adjust pinion depth without disassembling the diff.
 
4rnr said:
Not sure where you're going.....
Click to expand...



After 250k miles the pinion bearings have worn in about as much as they are going to. On some trucks this means they have loosened up to the point where there is play up and down and side to side in the pinion. This is bad and will end in failure. If you replace the seal and tighten up the pinion bearings they will last longer...
 
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