Just returned from a 450 mile road trip and found gear lube leaking from the passenger side rear wheel. I pulled it apart and found the tab washer had sheared at the tube keyway and the loose piece appears to have been chewed up by the outer wheel bearing which because of it's gererous nature shared it with the inner bearing. It is past time for drums and the cheap shoes I bought are all heat checked. I also have lost one of the self adjuster cables because it broke. I am in the process of replacing all four bearings, both drums and the self adjuster hardware. The biggest hurdle seems to be cleaning the rust and metal crumbs from inside the axle tube. Any suggestions would be helpful. What I am trying to avoid is pulling the third member. Can the third member be removed and replaced without reshiming as long as I don't touch the pinion? Also I read that it takes a case spreader to do this. Does it really?

 

I just finished the right side wheel assembly on the rear. I replaced the inner and outer bearings, seal, nyloc nut, and tab washer. This time I used a liberal amount on blue loctight on the nut threads. Hopefully the nut will stay put until I want it to move. In addition I replaced the brake shoes, self adjuster hardware and the drums. I flushed the axle tubes out with my pressure washer and then ran lots of rags thru the tubes until they were clean. I took brake clean and flushed the bearings and spider gears as best I can and wiped out the inside of the differential housing. I followed this with a lot of WD40 to prevent rust until I can get the other side done and get the axle installed. When the other drum and inner bearing set come in tomorrow I will finish the left side. After I get the left axle installed I will check the differential again for debris and clean as necessary before installing the cover. I sure hope I won't be doing this again for a long time. The pinion shaft turns easy but there doesn't seem to be any play. The gears look very good as if some PO replaced them before I bought the truck. If I don't know anything else, these parts are expensive.

 

You don't need the case spreader. I just rebuilt the traclock/posi in my 92 and didn't need a spreader. You could use a piece of allthread with a fender washer on it to scrape the inside of the axle tube.

 

Thanks for the reply. I didn't mention it in the previous post but I did take a magnet on a stick and dragged it thru the tubes several times until it came out clean. I have run out of money this month and have planned on doing front brakes and rotors next month. If I can afford it this summer I want to install some type of limited slip or locker in the rear. I will most likely replace the bearings on the carrier and pinion shaft then. The FSM makes it sound so complicated. I have not done a complete differential rebuild yet so all this is new ground for a 62 year old retired machinist.

 

Took the day off today but not by choice. My favorite part house let me down. The inner bearing won't be in until tomorrow even though there are two sets not 30 miles from here. He ordred them from the warehouse in NC before checking. Oh well, it gave me time to get the passenger side ready and I got a chance to mop the kitchen floor. Besides tomorrow it will be a little warmer.

 

Cheez Loueez, what a day. My XYL had errands to run with her sister. My son was at work so I had the whole day to finish by myself ................NOT. Phone ringing off the hook, nosey neighbors asking questions, managed on my own to ruin a new seal, new wheel bearing was to tight on the axle, most of the day was Bleep!

Still I managed to get the rear end and wheels back together even though I haven't adjusted the brakes yet. I found the hole in the oil gauge line and replaced that. This time I made sure the line won't chafe on anything. All in all I guess it could have been alot worse. At least I did not do any permanent damage. Just a little nick on the finger while cleaning goo off the rear end cover.

The total cost ran about $750 but I have a warm fuzzy feeling regarding the trucks rear axle and brakes. Moral to this story:

Don't put off maintenance if you can help it. It only costs more later.

 

I had a major malfunction. In my quest to clean the axle tube I apparently clogged the oil passage. I took the truck on a test drive and all went well. I drove it about six miles on various roads and speeds, no problems. The next day I took off out in the country and half way to my farm the left rear wheel locks up. Slowly at first so I suspected I had the brakes too tight. Imagine my surprise the next day when I pulled the hub and all the rollers from the inner bearing fell out and they were dry as a bone.

This time I made sure oil was flowing before I bolted the axle up tight. That little lack of attention cost me another $135.00 and a day of down time. Not only that I need to get another rear hub. The inner bearing cone is to loose.