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DarkoNova
03-01-2010, 01:25 PM
Due to negligence on my part, my rear end basically grenaded itself. For as long as I can remember, there had been a black dirty/greasy substance on the right rear wheel. It basically looked like a little trail of oil with dirt and grime in it. Kind of like what a 40 year old engine looks like, lol. Anyway, I always assumed it was brake fluid with dirt that had accumulated on it. So I checked the brake fluid regularly and it was never low.

Then one night while on my way home from a friend's house, the rear end started making horrible grinding noises. If I pushed the clutch in it got quieter and if I let it back out it got loud again.

You've probably figured out by now that it was diff lube leaking through the brakes onto my wheels...well, I couldn't even make it home that night. Eventually I got to a stop light (literally like...3 miles or less from my house) and when it turned green, I gave it gas...but the car wouldn't move. :banghead:

I took a couple pictures the day after it happened and basically it ran itself dry and the pinion gear got annihilated. Here's a couple pics:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0259-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0258-1.jpg

I wanted to pull it apart today but I can't find the key for my wheel lock. I hate those stupid things. I won't be able to see if there's damage to the axles until I find it. Anyway, I'm basically wondering if it's even worth trying to rebuild it. I'm hoping that all I really need are a ring and pinion and a bearing/seal kit. Do you guys think it got hot enough to maybe warp the axles and/or housing? I've been scouring ebay, forums, and junk yards and I can't find any rear ends that would fit my car.

Matt

big gear head
03-01-2010, 02:55 PM
Which rear end is it? Looks like the 8.5 10 bolt, but I can't say for sure because the pictures don't give enough details about the housing. If this is the 8.5 then it is worth rebuilding. I have built many of these with upgraded parts and they are very strong. It cost some money, but it's worth it if you run it hard.

DarkoNova
03-01-2010, 02:59 PM
Yeah, I should have mentioned that. It's an 8.5". Am I safe in assuming that the axles weren't damaged?

Also since you've built em before, is a pinion depth gauge really necessary for first timers? I'm looking to rebuild it myself to save money. If I have to buy special tools, it probably won't be much cheaper than taking it to a shop.

Matt

big gear head
03-01-2010, 05:33 PM
The axles may or may not be good. The axle bearings run directly on the axle and wear the axle. You will not know if they are good or not until you remove them and inspect them.

I have been building rear ends for about 28 years and I don't use a pinion gage at all. I had one for a while and I got rid of it because it was more trouble that it was worth. Just set the pinion depth by what the contact pattern tells you. It's much more accurate that way.

You will need a dial indicator with a magnetic base, a inch pound torque wrench that reads 0 to 30 inch pounds, a press and a bearing seperator. It takes a lot of patients to set up a set of gears. You must assemble and disassemble it many times to get it right. You must know how to set the pinion depth, bearing preload and backlash. You also must know how to read the contact pattern.

DarkoNova
03-02-2010, 03:35 PM
Well I started to take it apart today. Got the passenger side axle out with no problems, but the driver's side doesn't want to come out. It comes out maybe about an inch and then stops. I don't know if I should try to pound it out from the passenger's side because I don't want to damage it. Here's some pics:

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0438-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0437-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0436-1.jpg

Any ideas on how to get it out?

I also took a couple pictures of the axle that did come out. I don't know how to tell if it's bad or not.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0440-1.jpg

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2010/03/IMG_0439-1.jpg

Pics aren't the greatest, but all I had was my phone. Hopefully they're good enough.

Matt

big gear head
03-02-2010, 04:21 PM
Wow, that is one of the worst axles that I have ever seen. It's a wonder that it didn't break. I can understand why the seals were leaking, and I can understand why the other axle won't come out. You are probably going to have to drive the other axle out. Don't worry about damaging it, it's already trash.

DarkoNova
03-02-2010, 05:16 PM
Dammit, if I have to add axles to the list, I don't think I can afford to rebuild this thing. :Alchy:

Matt

carguy502
03-02-2010, 07:46 PM
It might be worth it to grab a junkyard 8.2 and run it as it until you can save up to do the gears, diff, and axles at the same time.

DarkoNova
08-23-2010, 03:47 PM
How exactly do you get the axles out when they're stuck? The driver's side stops after about an inch and I can't think of a way to get it out. I finally have some money to rebuild this thing and I'd like to do it myself to save some cash but I might just cave and try to find a shop that could do it.

Matt

big gear head
08-23-2010, 05:42 PM
I'm assuming that you have the ec clips out already. The axle might be hung on the bearing. See if you can pry the seal out with the axle still in. Then use a large slide hammer and try to beat the axle out. You might have to drive the axle out with the bearing.

DarkoNova
08-24-2010, 09:41 PM
Tried to get the seal out but all I've managed to do is mangle it to hell, lol. I tried spraying a ton of WD40 in there and using a slide hammer to pull the axle out, but that sumbitch isn't moving. :dunno:

I'm at the point where I want to try to cut the hub off the end and just drive the damn thing out the other side. :banghead:

EDIT: And I just called a local shop and the guy said it would be best for me to tow the car to them so they could do the work and then test drive it...because they've had a few instances where they've rebuilt the rear ends and customers have installed them in their cars, only to have the rear ends basically grenade a few days later...doesn't sound like a shop that really knows what they're doing... :hmm:

Aside from that, they wanted like $1700 to rebuild it with new everything. :spank2:

Matt

DarkoNova
10-13-2010, 08:38 PM
Success!!

Had some friends come by and they brought some 1" thick solid steel core, slid it through the housing from the passenger side, and beat the crap out of it with a sledge hammer. After a few minutes of pounding, the axle flew out. :cheers:

So!

I don't have a press or a bearing separator, but there's a local shop that I can take the parts to get pressed on/off. So my question is, if I basically use the same size/thickness shims and crush washer(s), would I have a pretty good starting place for backlash? And does anybody know some cheap places (as in, cheaper than Summit and Jegs lol) to get drivetrain stuff?

big gear head
10-14-2010, 07:12 AM
Start ith the original pinion shim. Don't use the crush spacer until the final assembly. You will have to check the pattern and make adjustments. Be sure that you set the bearing preload the same for each trial assembly. Be carefull when you put the differential shims in. Don't get the ring gear jambed against the pinion gear by using a shim that is too thick on the left side. You are going to need a good installation kit.

DarkoNova
10-14-2010, 09:28 AM
I don't know how I'm going to get the nut off the pinion shaft. I have a super amazing Snap-On impact gun but I have no idea how I'm going to hold the pinion and keep it from turning. I also don't have a welder so I have no way to make my own holding tool. Ideas?

Maybe I could just get a pipe and clamp it down with one of the U-bolts and let it lever itself against the frame?

big gear head
10-14-2010, 11:10 AM
Before I had the correct tool I used a very large pipe wrench to hold the yoke. It works just fine and long as you don't mind a few teeth marks on the outside of the yoke.