Lateral movement, rear axle.

[singleshot]

New poster here.

1978 C10
Heavy/Big Ten
454
G80 locking diff.

I have a rear axle issue that's got me stumped; excessive lateral movement of my rear axle.

I'm not talking just a little bit, I'm talking enough that the passenger side drum actually started rubbing on the backing plate. This is not happening on the drivers side, just the passenger.

This is a G80, locking differential (if that makes any difference).

I dumped the fluid last night and noted other than being black, no metal shavings to speak of (ran a magnet through the drained fluid).

I am a fairly new owner and was working towards the rear, but haven't gotten there yet. So I have no idea how long it's been since it was drained (probably factory by what I've seen so far).

I have never dug into a rear axle before, so I'm unfamiliar with normal play within the pumpkin; basically side to side movement inside the gear-set itself... Some, none, a little?

Anyway... Any help would be appreciated.. The gear oil has begun giving my shop a whole new odor, and it's not a good smell (in my opinion)....

Thanks

Todd

 

[Curt]

Possibly wheel bearing on that side?Did you try jacking up that side and try to shake the tire?I believe those are pressed on bearings.

Excessive play in the differential,maybe?carrier caps loose,lost shim on carrier preload?If the c-clip was lost,you’d have most likely lost the tire and axle shaft.

I’m gonna stick with the wheel bearing

 

[singleshot]

I know I gave her a shake up and down/front to back, but cannot say for certainty there was none or very little.. the in and out movement was so dumb founding that I could have rushed past this and not truly verified.

I'll head down there right now and give her a "what-fer" and see what she says.



And back..

There doesn't appear to be any play there and both the drive and passenger side appear to be similar.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Maybe the center pin or end of the axle have some kind of wear or something going on.

Make sure the center pin is still where it's supposed to be lol. It could have been gremlins that removed your center pin bolt and the pin somehow perfectly dropped out of the carrier without you being able to notice.

 

[eskimomann209]

Possible the clip that holds the axle in fell out or was mistakenly left out during the last service. Maybe it even sheared off.
Gotta pull the center pin and push the axle shafts inward to inspect it.

 

[Blue Ox]

A pic of the rear gear housing would help so we know which rear you have.

 

[singleshot]

I'll head down there after the coffee kicks in.

I'll pull the pin and inspect it and along with the c-clips. I'll probably drag that axle out and give it the eye-ball also... bearing and such.

As far as pics go? I'm proudly rocking the flip-phone. If I can convince my wife, pics might happen later when she returns from work. She's into all that gadgetry and I'm POSITIVE she'd appreciate the smell of the gear oil finger print I'd leave on that screen.

Thanks for the input

Todd

 

[Curt]

Doesn’t a c-clip axle depart the vehicle if it loses the clip?

 

[singleshot]

I would image she'd shoot right out without the c-clip.

 

[eskimomann209]

He DID say the movement was “Dumbfounding”

 

[singleshot]

Well, that's that..

Drivers side carrier bearing is toast. Easy enough fix, it's cleaned and ready to get the new bearing pressed on.

I believe the reason the passenger side was exhibiting all the movement is because with the driver side bearing basically falling apart, the carrier itself was canted slight causing the drivers side axle to bind in place and only allowing axle movement (in and out) on the passenger side, plus the extra bit due to the bearing cage falling apart.



The carrier had in excess of 1/4" upward movement when moved from it's resting position. So I basically had to lift the carrier to allow the driver side axle to come in enough to remove the c-clip.

I think the reason I didn't have metal shaving in the oil is because it was all in the recess of the axle tube. That should be fun to flush out.

Thanks again for all the help

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Pics

 

[singleshot]

took the carrier down to the shop to get the bearings pressed in earlier today. The wife just got in from work, so no pics.

I will say, the bearings fell out of the cage when I set them in the box to go in. $140.00 for bearings (national) and the machine shop to press them in. I probably could have bought another press set to do this for the cost they are charging me. But how much crap do we need to use once?

It should be done tomorrow. I will replace the outer axle seals and the pumpkin gasket, and I already bought the cleaner to get the axle tubes cleaned out of metal shavings.

That is my life.. No pictures; unless it's dead deer or some other 4 legged creature that's prep'd for the freezer.

 

[Curt]

Well,glad you found the problem.Sorry it’s that.I guess your lucky you caught it before more carnage.

A fence stay with a rag and gas works well for axle tubes.Even better is a binks gun (wash down gun) spraying gas at 100psi.Will clean the ever loving puck outta that sucker.