Got Bad News...

[Peer81]

Put enough cloth around the yokes inside the diff so the metal and get to your bearings. If the yokes are out you can remove the case and then it is much easier to remove the center shaft. All the shims are between the case and the bearings pressed on them so there is no way you can loose one or get it wrong.

Greetings Peter

 

[HammerDown]

Put enough cloth around the yokes inside the diff so the metal and get to your bearings. If the yokes are out you can remove the case and then it is much easier to remove the center shaft. All the shims are between the case and the bearings pressed on them so there is no way you can loose one or get it wrong.

Greetings Peter

True, I just didn't want to mess with those bearing caps at all!
Do you know the torque rating for the bearing-cap nuts?

Thanks, Ray

 

[Peer81]

@ home I do. Will look it up tonight!

Greetings Peter

 

[HammerDown]

@ home I do. Will look it up tonight!

Greetings Peter

Thanks Peter, also need the batwing bolts too. Mine weren't very tight.

 

[Peer81]

The bearing cap bolts are torqued to 60-70 lbs.
Backlash tolerance is .005" to .009" but cannot vary more than .003" between points
Pinion preload is 6-9 inch/lbs.
If you remove the bearingcaps the case should still be fixed inside the housing. You have to free it by tapping on it with a plastic hammer. If you can remove it without a problem then it doesn't have enough preload
Carrier front support is 65 ft. lbs.
I don't see any info on the batwing bolts to the diff housing.

Greetings Peter

 

[HammerDown]

The bearing cap bolts are torqued to 60-70 lbs.
Backlash tolerance is .005" to .009" but cannot vary more than .003" between points
Pinion preload is 6-9 inch/lbs.
If you remove the bearingcaps the case should still be fixed inside the housing. You have to free it by tapping on it with a plastic hammer. If you can remove it without a problem then it doesn't have enough preload
Carrier front support is 65 ft. lbs.
I don't see any info on the batwing bolts to the diff housing.

Greetings Peter

Thanks for that Peter, but what are you calling the "carrier front support"?
"Pinion preload is 6-9 inch/lbs."...is that turning 'just the Pinion' or with the diff fully loaded with yokes installed?
It appears my pinion nut is center-punched in several places to lock it on.

BTW, removing my posi center-shaft was a bastard, but it's out!
Also, pounded out the stub axles/yokes...pics tomorrow.

*Looks like I'll pulling the Pinion Gear, rumor has it a lot of debris get into the pinion bearings...going to check those.

 

[HammerDown]

Yoke Ends-Pass/Fail?

*For a 80-82 I have no idea what recondition Yokes will look like...I would hate to spend money on yokes when mine may very well be fine.
Anyone know for sure if the raised area I have on the Stub Axles are still usable?
The oil spiral can clearly be seen.
From the clip to the hardened raised area I have some .130
The raised hardened area to the softer flat is some .008-.009
*From wearing into the center-shaft there were some burrs along the splines, with a file I removed those and put a slight bevel on the end.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

What does the end of the other yoke look like? My experience is with earlier diffs, never seen a 'spiral' like that before.

 

[HammerDown]

What does the end of the other yoke look like? My experience is with earlier diffs, never seen a 'spiral' like that before.

Both have the same exact spiral, I tend to think it's there to draw-in oil between the center-shaft and axle tip.
Maybe something they added between 80-82?
I've also heard 'usually' the stub axles wear and not the center shaft...maybe not in my case?

 

[HammerDown]

Ok, so yokes WILL be replaced, but where to get them is the question...I know I DON'T want parts reconed from Loanstar...and that seems to be where the majority all come from, or "someone has a friend that recons them"...how's that for an answer!

Bearing cap looked like it had a crack, it wasn't and easly sanded out.
There are what appear to be a few micro cracks at the inner-diff driver-side bearing area...nope, simply sanded away...all piss poor casting from GM!
All inner bearings and races, even Pinion bearings and races look great!
Used white grease to show ring/pinion wear pattern...can't say I like the full heel-toe pattern on the drive-side but again, the diff never made any humming or whining sounds.
And, because the bearings are pressed-on getting to the shims are NOT going to happen > a really dumb design GM!

 

[Peer81]

Thanks for that Peter, but what are you calling the "carrier front support"?
"Pinion preload is 6-9 inch/lbs."...is that turning 'just the Pinion' or with the diff fully loaded with yokes installed?
It appears my pinion nut is center-punched in several places to lock it on.

BTW, removing my posi center-shaft was a bastard, but it's out!
Also, pounded out the stub axles/yokes...pics tomorrow.

*Looks like I'll pulling the Pinion Gear, rumor has it a lot of debris get into the pinion bearings...going to check those.

Sorry for the late reply. The carrier front support is the front of the diff that connects to the chassis (where your rubber was crushed so to say)

For the pinion. Using a inch pound torque wrench as shown, the pinion rotating torque should read 15-35 lbs. in with new bearings. Torque the pinion nut to 200-220 lbs. ft. I'll do a little more research on the 6-9 inch lbs pinion preload, think that number came from Mike but I have to find my notes.

I would just keep the yokes as "spears" not that you'll ever need them again. I'll post a picture what mine looked like when first opened 10 years ago, in comparison yours looks like new!

For your bearingcaps. Remember that ALL of the are unique! As the casting of the housing was different every time, the solid cap would sit higher or lower inside the casting so the holes for the bearings are at the same place but the where the caps connect to the diff housing isn't! Remember that the drivers side bearingcap takes all the load as the carrier wants to rotate to the rear (all the force on the cap) and on the pass. side the rotation force is towards the front so the cap isn't taking that much load. You can also ask Mike to make you a new cap but that is lots of work and as you still have the original engine (and the bearingcap doesn't look that bad) you can take your changes with this one.

This is what mine looked like:

And the new billet (made as Mike discribed) bearingcap:

Ow I got all my stuff and Tom's.

Greetings Peter

 

[HammerDown]

Today I drove 80 miles round trip to pick up my stub axles and new center-pin as well as a few other items and also had my TA bushings pressed-in.
Can't say I like the reconditioned stub axles...very disappointed in how they look.
To add, while driving there my pick-up truck now has a busted windshield from a large dump truck tossing a stone.
Just disgusted.

 

[Mac]

Today I drove 80 miles round trip to pick up my stub axles and new center-pin as well as a few other items and also had my TA bushings pressed-in.
Can't say I like the reconditioned stub axles...very disappointed in how they look.
To add, while driving there my pick-up truck now has a busted windshield from a large dump truck tossing a stone.
Just disgusted.

I've had the busted windshield/dump truck before. Even though I had the license number, my insurance company wouldn't budge.

What's up with the stub axles?

Mac

 

[HammerDown]

The one yoke was pounded out so hard not only is the face distorted but the underside is cracked.
Upon closer inspection there is a nick where the oil seal would ride...this will be a leaker.
I've reached out to the the retailer to see what my options are.
Aside from my wore ends, my yokes were in great shape, not beaten to death to get out and no nicks or pits on the seal/bearing area.
*I'm requesting he 'identify' and send 'my' Yokes to his re-builder and return them to me.

 

[Mac]

That's just nasty!! You must have been ready to chew lightning and s--t thunder. ad

Now you get to test their customer service... Let's hope they make it right!!

Mac

 

[Peer81]

Hello Ray,

That ain't a pretty sight. Hoope you can change them for good ones!

Greetings Peter

 

[HammerDown]

Well, the retailer sent 'my' stub axles to his re-manufacture (someone in Florida).
I requested he initial my yokes so I would get the same two back...I can only hope he did this.
Once again, it's a waiting game.

 

[Mac]

It sounds like the retailer is taking you seriously. Good show!!

Mac

ps: I wonder if the retailer is sending them to Van Steel? They're in Florida.

 

[KANE]

View attachment 16347View attachment 16348

:ugh


Wow!

Yeah- I'd seriously consider sending them back and requesting my parts and my money.


Granted... things slip past quality inspections all the time. It happens. But this? These are bad. Real bad.




That stinks. I know you've got to feel like you've taken a step forward and then two steps backward.

 

[HammerDown]

For the pinion. Using a inch pound torque wrench as shown, the pinion rotating torque should read 15-35 lbs. in with new bearings. Torque the pinion nut to 200-220 lbs. ft. I'll do a little more research on the 6-9 inch lbs pinion preload, think that number came from Mike but I have to find my notes.
Greetings Peter

Say what...my nut is aluminum > that puppy would split apart at that torque!
See below pic, before taking it apart I indexed the nut, pinion shaft end, the yoke and the diff...all at 12:00

With a large pipe wrench on the yoke and a breaking bar on the nut I had to stand on it to break the nut lose...counted 9.50 turns to 'off the nut' The splines were dry, no factory sealant.

Just reinstalled the pinion gear, and used Permatex #2 on the yoke splines.
Again, I used the pipe wrench and breaker-bar to tighten but now it's off about 1/16" counter clockwise (9.1/4 turns) don't know why but, all shims are where they were originally.
Maybe because of the goop on the splines?
Update...got the nut to align up...just pulled the breaking bar a little harder!