I posted this in another thread, but I think it's getting buried. Anyway I took video of my driveline...u-joints, ds, 3rd member.

I'm pretty sure the noise is coming from 3rd...I drained it but there wasn't any metal....could this be the bearing where the ds connect...not sure what it's called...if so do I have to remove 3rd...is it pressed in?

not sure this is important, but I have detroit locker in the diff. Also, the truck is undrivable...the chatter turns to a binding/bucking feel even at low speed

 

I've never dealt with this, I would pull the 3rd apart and see whats going on. Could be that locker. Oh and Semper Fi back at you.

 

hey grumpin!

Yeah....I figure I have to pull the 3rd....just was hoping there was something else I could check before I did it.

...when were in?

 

Hi, I was in from 1979-1983. Air wing, mechanic on CH53 A/D's. You? I guess now they call us POG's, sounds derogatory! Hope you get this problem straightened out!

 

That sounds bad. Spider gears or axle bearing failure. Sadly you just have to pull it and examine everything.

 

Sky,

Yeah. I expect to pull the 3rd, but was hoping it might be some thing else.

Grumpin,

I went to boot in '81. I was in the reserves. I was a Naval gunfire forward observer and a radio tech....I always wanted to be a crew chief tho =).

 

showed video to a gear shop...he is almost positive it's R&P. I disconnected DS and manually turned wheel and sound is still there. I removed the passengers side axle and sound is still there. I'm going to remove the driver side axle tonight and 3rd tomorrow.

The gear shop is real good lots of off-road/racing customers, but they are pretty expensive....for new R&P (4.88), 2 CB, 2 Pinion bearings, seals, bench work, ~$800.
I have no doubt they do great work, but I have 460K on my truck. I'm not sure I need to spend that kind of money on the 3rd. My wife is already hinting 'it's time'.

 

4.88 is a factory ratio. Try ebay for a 4.88 diff. I got a great deal on a Detroit Locker with a 4.30 gear. Shop around, no need to $800 unless you really want to.

Its only "time" when the frame is rotted and the body is falling off the mounts, and you're playing Fred Flintstone.

 

sky....it's an after market R&P....

Update: Finally had time to get the 3rd out...it was the pinion...it lost a couple of teeth. The pieces were to big to fit through the drain hole.
https://goo.gl/photos/Q9CCztKmqJCNhJDa9

https://goo.gl/photos/GU2bN9AqVNtnzmHi6

How do I make sure I got all the pieces out of the axle?...ie the shafts?

 

Use a magnet to fish out any other pieces. One of those extending ones would probably work pretty good.

 

I would use a speaker magnet, old t-shirts and some diesel to wash the area out. If I remember right there are two sheet metal dividers, one on each side that slide / clip in.


For safety sake use cut proof gloves or good mechanic rubber gloves under a garden glove, because of the edges inside the housing that will slice you up in creative ways.