Can i drive 14 bolt without carrier?

[usar17]

I like to do as much work on my own as possible, to both add personal value and to save money. Thanks to mother natures cocaine storm of a winter thus far I have come to find my rear 14 bolt FF doesn't have a locker.

My thoughts (and what I'm asking you guys if it is acceptable):
Pull the diff. Rebuild the axle. Install the locker in the carrier. Bolt the hubs and cover plate on without the carrier installed. Drive it to a drive line shop. Have them place the diff and adjust accordingly.

That way I'm rebuilding the axle and only paying for someone to properly set the gear and opinion.

 

[foamypirate]

How are you planning on bolting your ring and pinion to without a carrier installed?

EDIT: Duh, 4WD. Missed that part, haha. I was wondering how you were planning on driving without a ring gear/pinion, lol.

I'm not too familiar with the 14 bolt, but it seems like without the carrier, you wouldn't have anything supporting the axles on the inside where the carrier would go?

 

[usar17]

No no no. Well the pinion is attached to the housing itself. The ring would stay on the carrier. I literally mean bolt everything back up just without the differential assembly I'm it.

 

[usar17]

so the pinion would free spin in the housing. And each axle would be free spinning

 

[foamypirate]

Ok, gotcha! That makes more sense. I'll let one of the more experienced axle guys chime in here!

 

[bucket]

You wouldn't even need to install the axles.

But I only see it working if it's just a short distance. The hub bearings are lubed by the gear lube getting splashed around by the gears/carrier. The pinion bearing would also be lacking lube. How long of a distance and at what speeds?

 

[usar17]

Ummmm....hmmm its a 20 minute drive from my house to the shop. Speeds up to 55 tho. Back roads would be 35 max. Take longer tho

 

[bucket]

I might try the low speed route, but that still would be iffy I think.

 

[usar17]

And a side bar....if I were to go to a junk lot and pull a G80 locking diff out of a late model 14 bolt Chevy, Would that work in these axles?

 

[usar17]

I'll see if any of the closer shops can handle differentials. Its 20 minutes to the nearest 4x4 speciality shop.

 

[Konas new ride]

How about this.. pull the rear drive shaft (mark where all of it should be) and pull your axles, pull your carrier. slap your wheels back on.. Nothing inside spins. Just your wheel bearings!!! I wouldn't want my axles in there spinning freely.. yes they might have a flange at the end of them but i'm not sure i would take that chance still.. i would rather make a cover for the end of the axle.. toss some gear oil in (keep your old gear oil to fill er back up.

EDIT.. make sure if your pulling your rear drive shaft that your tcase is not a slip yoke.. That it's a flange.. PLEASE don't burn up your tcase..

 

[usar17]

Lol its a slip yoke or that would have been the plan

 

[usar17]

Filling it back up with the gear oil would help the pinion. But doesn't help the axle bearings.... :/

 

[usar17]

the main reason i ask this is because im gonna drop a locker in when i rebuild it. Now i have seen mixed statements about having the whip and backlash checked after doing this. I know i have to take the ring off to break open the carrier for the locker to be placed.

How crucial is it to check whip and backlash before driving it? could i install the locker, fill it with the used gear oil, drive it to the shop to check r&p wear and have them fill it with fresh oil?

 

[89Suburban]

Just to add my 2 cents here we have our heavy trucks towed with the axle shafts pulled and they use a piece of plywood to bolt on with the lug nuts and keep the axles ends sealed. Not sure about doing it with the carrier/ring gear missing. The oil fill line is above the bottom of the pinion and wheel bearings aint it? Wouldn't that be enough lube to go that far?