If all else fails, get a bigger hammer. That advice still holds the test of time. Good work! 

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took about a 6" chunk of 4 X 6 with a 5/8 hole drilled right along one edge to fit the lug pattern, and 3-4 mild body blows from a 16lb sledge. I could see the splines showing on the outside of clips before my shoulders were past the license plate
Thank you all
gonna assess housing and axles for damages and make a pro/con list for Helical Carrier -vs- 14 bolt 3.42 G80 w/25k miles?
Might start new and see if some of the guys on here who have done one or the other will offer some insight
I like how you labeled your parts.![]()

Thanks.. 100% honest: it was more out of cautious concern to ensure that it works here in a couple days than it was experience. That and Meticulous OCD Syndrome.
Im just glad I was alone when picking out the marker colors! Took me like 10min, felt like an hour lol......Wanted to use Red for Right >> then thought Red wouldn't show up well enough >> then spent another couple minutes trying to think of another color that starts w/R that would be bright enough >> settled on Rorange >> a couple more minutes trying to think of a color that started with L (smh) >> and ended up using Lhite![]()
Decided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.So what's the latest on this project?
I would do that swap asap.Decided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.
Been back at it since about 545 this morn. Trying to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, locate the tools needed, and not miss some little detail that could be a problem like.....the 14 bolt having a larger hub bore or similar.
This will be my first re-gear attempt and I've gone from trying learn how to replace broken carrier/correctly set up R&P -to- how to swap out whole rear assembly and set up front R&P since Friday afternoon. Head just stopped spinning about an hour ago
edit**Would be awesome if someone would confirm that the 14 bolt 9.5 is the better choice?
Sat I was locked into the Truetrac, then I read a couple long threads on here about the 14 swap and the general consensus seemed to be that the 3.42 over the 3.08 was > the Truetrac over the G80
How about the 3.42 9.5" vs the 3.42 8.6"??
If you're doing that much trailer towing over the hills, the 9.5" is a no-brainer. @swathdiverDecided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.
Been back at it since about 545 this morn. Trying to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, locate the tools needed, and not miss some little detail that could be a problem like.....the 14 bolt having a larger hub bore or similar.
This will be my first re-gear attempt and I've gone from trying learn how to replace broken carrier/correctly set up R&P -to- how to swap out whole rear assembly and set up front R&P since Friday afternoon. Head just stopped spinning about an hour ago
edit**Would be awesome if someone would confirm that the 14 bolt 9.5 is the better choice?
Sat I was locked into the Truetrac, then I read a couple long threads on here about the 14 swap and the general consensus seemed to be that the 3.42 over the 3.08 was > the Truetrac over the G80
How about the 3.42 9.5" vs the 3.42 8.6"??
Thank you for being directI would do that swap asap.
Thank you!If you're doing that much trailer towing over the hills, the 9.5" is a no-brainer. @swathdiver
Thank you for the reminder, this is exactly one of the little things I was referring to above that falls under the "know exactly what I'm doing" statementYou may also have to have the ECU flashed for the new gear ratio. The transmission shifts and speedometer will be effected. A tuning device like a Diablo or a custom tune can take care of this. I've never seen a gear ratio option in the Tech2 menus, so not sure if that or a dealership would be able to do it.
This is what I did, I did the job myself setting the lash and it's been like 40k and there are no issues at alldo yourself a favor and put a eaton detroit trutrac in there and you won't have this problem again. ya they cost a little extra but they are worth it.
No sir, Used pry bar(gently) to squeeze cracks in carrier back together a little then drilled one large hole along the edge of a 6-8" chunk of 4x6 post so it would fit lug pattern, gave it a couple whacks with a 16lb sledge and that moved axle shafts in far enough to suck the clips off with magnet. It was back on page 2... But thank you for making sure!My eyes aren't playing nice today, are the c-clips still stuck inside? Once that center block is out, you can use a come along like LS1FRC suggests or have someone push against it while you're in there with a magnet. Don't push too hard and knock the truck off the jack stands though! Ratchet strap sounds better than what we did!
I have a set of 4 of those same jack stands. They work well and have performed great for last 6 months since I got them.
This is a debatable and fluid statement I'm about to make but: They're the best bang for your buck jack stands ever made for retail sale
I've not examined any High high end jack stands in my life but after a thorough examining of these, I can't see too many ways they could be made better than these things are
That looks like the asphalt tamper I haveHAHAAHa I didn't remember saying the debatable and fluid part of that post. At least I'm finally learning to CYA or CMA.
Thought of this exchange we had when I saw this companies stands last night. Not sure what happened to their two legged stands though, the Renn Stand?? They're no longer available on their website. Safety issues maybe? They look pretty innovative but I would have to think it would be hard for anything with two legs to be more stable than something with four
The stand they have available on their site now (bottom pic) looks like it would be real nice for use on softer surfaces and would neatly tuck away under a seat between deployments.
I love finding small companies that use good ol American ingenuity to make useful stuff, that works like it supposed to
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12" x 12" Compact Jack Stand
Get commercial-grade stability with the Safe Jack 12" x 12" Compact Jack Stand. Designed to achieve your desired height efficiently and safely.safejacks.com

I LIKE THOSE! Those are my colors.. There's still a few American Made out there but I don't think Jeffazon will sell them.. Two weeks ago I finally talked my lady into not renewing out prime! Took 5yrs but I finally got through to her lol.I just ordered a set of 3 ton stands by Hein Werner from Amazon last night. I had a bunch of money/points saved up at Amazon and got them free shipped for around $25. I have been working on some smaller vehicles lately and needed a couple of smaller stands. That I could find, these are the only ones still made in the USA.