I picked up a Dana 80 axle up that came out of a 1994 Dually.

I installed it and had a local heavy truck shop go into the differential to re-stack the clutches. When they opened it up, they found that there was no fiber left on any of the clutches, so we ordered a new set.

They finished it up on Friday afternoon, and straight from there I drove from Plover WI to Northbrook Illinois.

I noticed a couple times that when rounding a sharper corner, the rear end would CLUNK quite severely. I figured that maybe the clutch packs weren't broke in yet and were still a little grabby.. I was wrong.

Straight driving was fine.. no noises no nothing.

On the way back home, my speedo stopped working.. hmmm.. well we did switch the sensor out from a 98 dana 70 to a 94 dana 80.. so maybe the sensor was going bad..

A short distance from home, I stopped to fill up and I heard another bad clunk after I finished the turn.. Looked at the diff cover and it was punctured and leaking fluid a bit.. I had nothing to check the level with (I only carry 1/4 & 3/8 ratchets with me) so I limped it back..

Got it to the shop that did the differential and they say a spider gear broke in half, then fell to the bottom of the differential and ground all the gears of the abs ring, effectively disabling my speedo.

Could they have messed something up when they put everything back together when changing out the clutch packs?

 

I don't know thats a hard call right there, you could see what they would do for you but switchin those clutch packs around is kind of tough on the rear and axle but she wont slip much. So something's gotta go.

 

it prolly didn't help pullin that sled.... maybe they packed the clutches TOO tight... i know when i did my expedition (ford 8.8 posi) i shimmed it up TIGHT.... it was so tight i had to pry on the axles to get the c-clips to slide in place.... then for about a month i could hear the axles beating on the center pin that goes through the carrier when ever the weight would "sway" the truck... BUT knock on wood nothing has broke.... prolly from lack of power.... but she'll spin both wheels on wet grass all day long.... and sometimes on wet asphault...