During last winter (Thats January for Non-Texans ) I had a rear wheel bearing go out and basically welded the race to the spindle on the rear-end. I cut it off with a torch and boogered the spindle a little with the torch, but not bad. I polished everything back up, the new bearing fit good, and I re-installed everything.

Fast forward to over the weekend. I was hauling 20 rolls of hay, and I start hearing this chirping noise coming from under the bed on the same side and the original problem. I got to my destination, got unloaded and headed back to the house and parked it. I have not had a chance to pull the hub, but I am betting my cutting skills from last January are coming back to haunt me.

My question is this: If that is my problem, I am going to just swap the whole dang rearend. I would like to go with a rear that has disk brakes. Has anyone done this and if so how hard was the fabrication and what year model vehicles should I look into for a donor?

As always, thanks in advance.

 

dont jump to conclusions it maybe something rong with brakes this time with all that hay you did use your brakes didnt you
i had similar prob took the rear end cover off turns out it was a spring in the hub rubbing

 

Agreed. I am trying to stay positive. Was just trying to form a "plan B" in case it was from my botched work. If anyone knows a good donor rear end with disks please share. I searched with no luck, but I am not very good at searches either......

 

If it was a squeak-squeak, it may just be a bad u-joint--easy to check, anyway.

 

If you want a new rear end go with a Dana 80. You could get one from a 94-02 diesel with a manual trans, and it will most likely have 3.54 gears already in it. If you want disc's you've got to get one from an 02 and up.

 

Why are you wanting discs specifically? It greatly limits your options. The Dana80s have 13x3.5 brakes, and putting it in my 92 greatly improved the braking over the D70.

Daniel

 

To be honest with you, I am intimidated by working on drum brakes. I am of the opinion that disks would handle the heavier loads I seem to be pulling better too. Am I wrong?

 

The main reason I would like rear discs is that to even see my brakes, I have to pull axles, wheel-bearings, etc.; whereas, disc-brakes are outside of all this and can be serviced without disturbing the bearings.

I have seen that some of the later model rear drum brakes have drums that can be slid off, without messing with the axles.

I don't know if the Dana 80s are of this configuration, or not.

The main reservation I have with discs is the wimpy park-brakes, or total lack thereof.