10 Bolt Rear Axle Oil Change w/ Factory Limited Slip

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

85K10

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Posts
196
Reaction score
6
Location
Florida
First Name
James
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
5.0
This is a project coming soon im my garage. Good write up.
 

85K10

Full Access Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2011
Posts
196
Reaction score
6
Location
Florida
First Name
James
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
5.0
Fill til it comes out of the bottom of the hole and replace and tighten plug.

About how much gear oil did the rear take? Also what oil weight should be used to do front and rear?
 

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD
I don't have the LS additive for the rear listed as I just rolled with the gear oil. If you want to know the additive I am sure somebody here will chime in with the correct type and how much.
 

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,012
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
I don't have the LS additive for the rear listed as I just rolled with the gear oil. If you want to know the additive I am sure somebody here will chime in with the correct type and how much.

Not sure which LS you have John, I just know its not the Gov-Lok junk. Likely an Auburn LS unit. But, if the book or that unit requires the LS additive, don't fugg around and get it in there. You just might be tearing up and wearing out your LS clutches if that's the type of unit it is.
 

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD
Not sure which LS you have John, I just know its not the Gov-Lok junk. Likely an Auburn LS unit. But, if the book or that unit requires the LS additive, don't fugg around and get it in there. You just might be tearing up and wearing out your LS clutches if that's the type of unit it is.

How do I tell? Can you help? Do the pics here tell?
 

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,012
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
How do I tell? Can you help? Do the pics here tell?

I'll see what I can figure out. I say better safe than sorry and put it in. It can't hurt if its not needed. But, I think I tried to identify that unit before and the closest I came was an Auburn unit. We'll see if the Auburn unit requires it.
 

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD
Thanks.
 

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,012
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD

89Suburban

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2010
Posts
24,515
Reaction score
5,783
Location
Southeast PA
First Name
Paw Paw
Truck Year
2007
Truck Model
Chevrolet Tahoe LT
Engine Size
5.3, 4WD
I am bumping this pic up so we can see it.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0083.jpg
    IMG_0083.jpg
    96.3 KB · Views: 367

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,012
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
OK, so now I think I get how this works now. Those cone shape spiders that go onto the axle gear wedge themselves in the carrier housing with the force of the springs. So over time, the cones have wore down and now wouldn't engage the carrier like a wedge. So what he did, was took some meat off the back of the coned gears, so they could push further into the carrier and get the wedge affect again. This would be a good fix, but each time you turn down the cones, you're pushing the cone deeper and deeper into the carrier housing and eventually the springs are not going to push that far with enough strength. You'd think he could buy new cone gears and be good as new again if the carrier housing hasn't opened up the cone holes any more. But buddy, I think I'd go ahead and get the additive to reduce the wear on the cones and the housing where the cones wedge against it. Or, maybe even run synthetic gear oil.
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,101
Reaction score
23,954
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
I don't know what it is, but it sure ain't factory.
 

HotRodPC

Administrator
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Posts
47,014
Reaction score
9,012
Location
OKC, OK
First Name
HotRod
Truck Year
85 K20 LWB
Truck Model
Silverado
Engine Size
454 - Turbo 400 - 3.73
You don't think his Auburn is factory? I'm just about 100% certain its an Auburn LS unit, and it appears to be an OEM unit. There is a difference in the OEM units and the aftermarket units. I remember that the last time I was researching this. Can't remember now for sure. Seemed like the carrier was squared off or rounded edges in one of the other. There is a difference though.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,116
Posts
909,461
Members
33,611
Latest member
RNFL
Top