Blowed up the rear diff

[T-Bagg]

Remember this trick.

Damn.

On into the night.

Shit happens. Not exactly what you want to be doing in the desert though. The truck we pulled the rear end off of, all the hardware was corroded on. Took half a day to get the ***** off. Geez, it was hot. Finished putting it together late the next morning under the hot ass desert sun. Then drove back to San Diego, three hour drive. Made it back in time to shower, eat and go in to work a 12 hour shift on night crew. Just got off.

Got the new axle on, same gear ratio but no locker at all. While the truck is rolling I have time to weigh my options. Take my busted rear end, and rebuild it Bionic Man style, better, faster, stronger. Build it up nasty as hell.
Or, go balls out and get a 14 bolt and convert that. The junk yard I got that new 10 bolt out of had a good number of them. If I go that way, might as well convert to disc also.
Or, go 12 bolt.
Or, there is a company that makes a 12 bolt diff carrier that bolts onto a 9" housing. Meaning if the problem ever comes up again, I could just swap the diffs, Ford 9" quick. But that shit was expensive. I'll post a link for that when I find it again, but I'm tired now since I've been awake for 24 hours now. It was Currie I think.
What ever I do, I'm going 4.10.

So, guys, help my decision making process. Giving some pro/cons, opinions.

What should I do?

I'm going to sleep.

 

[grimm]

Holy shit, that sucks. I'd go the 14 bolt route. You probably would not have to worry about blowing your shit up again. I've read so many articles, heard so many stories now about how tough the 14 bolt really is. Just my opinion though.

Anyways, sorry for your blown diff, but now you have a story to tell about working for hours on end in the hot desert swapping out axles.

 

[bowtiefreak]

go with a 14 bolt

 

[h0tr0d]

Man! That's quite a story...thanks for the pics too. Were you pretty far from the place where you got the axle from? Were you wheeling with the guy in the red truck, or is he just like a badass friend who will come rescue you in the middle of the desert...lol

 

[mikeyboy]

thats some work shop

 

[retorq]

Strange is the company with the bolt in 12 bolt/9inch combo.

http://www.strangeengineering.net/catalog/pdf/079.pdf

 

[T-Bagg]

Strange is the company.
The guy in the red truck is a friend I always go wheeling and camping with. Funny thing is it's usually his truck that breaks. But I decided to push it with some rock crawling. It was just the one rock. Biggest rock on the trail. Was almost over when the tire let go and dropped off and started the bounce.

If you can't tell, he has no bed.

The thing holding up my truck is my spare tire carrier. Which I rescued from the trash only a few days before this trip. Stripped the rust and painted it. Somebody made it and made it tough as hell.

So. Will a 14 bolt mate up to my leaf springs and shocks or will the housing need modifications? I'm thinking I want the 14 bolt with the 10 1/2" ring.
Are the yokes on the input the same size as the 10 bolt? I'd imagine not. Could I trade yokes or would I have to modify the drive shaft?

 

[grimm]

A 6-lug 14 bolt semi-float axle with the 9.5" ring gear is a direct fit from a 88-98 4x4 donor truck. All you would need for the swap is a conversion U-joint. I'm not exactly sure though if a full-floater from the same year range is a direct fit, but I would guess so.

 

[96ProCompTahoe]

don't think the FF is a direct swap.

go with the 14 bolt SF.


one of these days when i have the time and money to do more to the hoe im cramming some 1 tons under it.

 

[Shaggy]

Damn that sucks!

 

[T-Bagg]

I think I'm gonna go axle hunting this weekend. As I build this axle, what locker do you guys think I should go with. Up front I think I'll go Detroit locker with the 4.10 gears. But into the 14 bolt, I want either an ARB Airlocker or Eaton ELocker. I plan on mounting a compressor to this truck in the near future.
Whatcha think?

 

[crmzendrgone]

EATON FTW.

I have an EATON TRUTRAC in mine right now.

 

[96ProCompTahoe]

i have the auburn e-locker in mine, and it worked great minus the shop not installing the coil retainer. idiots.

 

[T-Bagg]

I looked up that Auburn e-locker. I like the limited-slip feature.

Update:
Scouted the local junk yard for 14 bolts. Unfortunately there were none around with the 9 1/2 inch ring gear(SF, 6 lug, easier swap.) But, there were about half a dozen 14 Bolt rear ends with the 10 1/2" gear set. But also the 8 lug pattern.
So it looks like the conversion will be a bit more difficult but I'll have a stronger rear end. And all of them were untouched, save one that was missing about 10 bolts from the cover.
I think my donor truck is going to be a 1996 2500 Suburban.

This should help though,
http://www.geartechhd.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=2&pos=0

I'm going to go back tomorrow with a tape measure and my tools. And I think take a an axle.

 

[T-Bagg]

Independence Day update:
Went back today with the ol' tape measure, the most scientific instrument I own. And it seems all the mounting surfaces are the same size and same distance apart. Even the yoke appears to be the same size. So, I started pulling.
Learn from me and I suggest 2 -3 people even if those other two are only to help lift/watch for spiders. I read this thing weighed 550 pounds, I was hoping it was an exaggeration. It was not.
Did I ever tell you guys I don't like spiders. Especially shiny ones.
Bring a couple cans of BrakeKleen and WD-40. This will help loosen the hard ware and kill spiders.

The donor truck. A 1996 2500 Suburban:

The axle:

Mother ******* spiders. "How's WD-40 Taste, *****."

Mother ******

I pulled and ditched all the brake stuff. Since 1: The shit is huge and 2: I'm going to convert it to disc. The drums come off just like ours, though these were rusted on. Some WD-40 and my 3/4 drive ratchet hammer broke 'em free. The E-Brake cable and that little clip there, yeah, that clip. He's an *******.

*****.

These u-bolt nuts were 15/16" The shock bolts were 21mm.

This one played the game, "Wait 'til you turn your head and I disappear so you worry about wear I am the rest of the time you're here."

One side off.

What the ****?!

Almost. I left the brake lines on the axle. That little union there is held to the bracket with a 1/2" bolt and the lines were 9/16" wrench.

She's free.

In the Esca-Hoe. Next to the blowed up old 10 Bolt.

Best side by side/size comparison you're gonna get for now. Because I don't feel like muscling either of those around anymore.

These thing was a pain in the ass to get into the 'Hoe. The 10 Bolt, if I had to, I could load by my self. The 14 bolt, you will not be able to load by your self. Unless you're like, Jay Cutler's big bro or some shit.

What's the definitive way to figure out the gear ratio. I was told these came in either 4.10 or 4.56 but I'm 80% sure this is 3.73. Which will make the change over easier.
Auburn ECTED - Locker or ARB Air Locker?

Now if only Gear Tech HD would get around to EMailing me back.

 

[grimm]

Nice man! Looks like you found yourself a good axle. So are you planning to keep the 8 lug setup, or fab up a 6 lug conversion? Nice pics too. It would be pretty awesome if you took some pics during the swap as well as the final product. BTW, I hate spiders too. They should all be annihilated, haha. I'm no pansy, but damn something about those ***** ass spiders really bothers me. I have a genuine arachnophobia.

Anyways, good luck with your swap. You should be much more happy and feel more confident with this axle. I've heard good things about the Air locker and the ECTED, so I don't know. Someone else will probably have some more info.

 

[T-Bagg]

I'd like to get the conversion adapters from Gear Tech HD. I've heard that name in a few different spots. Hopefully they decide it's cool to Email me back sometime soon.

I'm going to try to snap a few more pictures through out the process.

 

[crmzendrgone]

Sweet pics. Look like fun. Can't wait to see and hear how your install goes.

I know how you feel about spiders. I have a 77 Chrysler Cordoba I was pulling the engine out of an I killed 9 count them 9 black widows. one that was just hanging out on the drive shaft was about half the size of my palm I took a picture but don't know where it is now. But a good propane torch gets them real good.

 

[96ProCompTahoe]

nice find. i've looked at several trucks that have that axle under them but was told it was a different mount. have to remember to check back to see how your swap goes.

i can't lie, i ****** hate spiders as well. they are good and find if im not laying on the ground with them...

 

[T-Bagg]

nice find. i've looked at several trucks that have that axle under them but was told it was a different mount. have to remember to check back to see how your swap goes.

Go out to those trucks with a tape measure and see what you find. That's what I did. It's not incredibly accurate but it'll work.