The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts T170 2speed rear axle fluid questions?

Ok gotchya well I got a bit of time to measure this and take it in cuz im flat busted on my budget for this project right now. I'm currently finishing the pop up brake job that took my last 100bucks of my project funds I set aside for it. But once I do get the shaft fabbed my truck will be ready to rock n roll for a while with all fresh brake hoses and a few new lines that were seized to hoses. So now only thing left for a complete brake system overhaul is the "new" rear end wheel cylinders, and a couple brake lines that are in ok shape that I didn't have to remove. The master cylinder,hydrovac, front wheel cylinders, and all the flex brake hose have been overhauled. My truck should be stopping good for a while till the rear cylinders spring a leak.....

How do you know these lines are in ok shape? They rust and fail from the inside out...the outside might look new, but if you haven't replaced them, how do you know their condition??? Going down a hill with a loaded truck and loosing your brakes due to a line failure would not be fun for you or those around you!

Be safe, lines are cheap and easy to do AND you have the system apart for the rear swap...no beter time than now!

Mike B

Yeah I have that on my list for next time I open brake system for the rear wheel cylinders. I already have everything closed up and air bled. I'll be opening it up sometime this summer when extra funds can be shifted it's way for the rear wheel cylinders and I'll finish the brake line overhaul....

Now I am a bit confused about this drive shaft issue I brought up. When I brought it up I had the truck jacked up and the right side tires off so I had no weight on the rear end while driveshaft was hooked up. Anyway I finished painting rims and put them back on to lower truck to do the measurement.... and when I lowered it, i had my dad lowering the RR jack as I was watching that slip joint section and as a the trucks weight sat on itself (as if a load were put on) the slip joint actually pulled out(giving me lil under a 1/4" more room). So if I had my truck loaded it wouldn't bottom out. Only way it would bottom out is if I got air coming over a hill and the rear ends weight pulled it down but once I landed it would pull out not bottoming out. I'm not planning to jump my truck Haha just a way to explain my findings. I guess I could say it would only bottom out if I jacked the whole rear end by frame allowing the rear ends weight to hang down freely on springs, would the driveshaft push in and bottom out. I'd have to be driving reckless on a bumpy road to get the truck galloping like a horse to get that to bottom out. So I'm not 100% I need to have my driveshaft cut..... what do you guys think about this??? Cuz I'm confused now. I do not want to cut my shaft if it doesn't need that. Any other way to be sure of this ????

After posting last message I crawled under my f600 with a eaton rear end two speed... and the slip joint section on it has less space then mine does now so I'm 95% sure now that when its loaded it pulls out of splines(showing more of the spline shaft). Or my f600 would bottom out when its loaded and it's all original. I know im comparing Ford to chevy which is probably a no-no to some ppl Haha. But the way driveshafts operate and adjust can't be different. If they are the same set-up that is. Now my f600 has two front shaft sections going to trans where my c50 only has one shaft going to trans from the rear ends shaft. But I would assume the back section that connects to rear end adjust the same way on both trucks.

Why not ask the experts at you local drive shaft shop???

Take the center of u-joint to center of u-joint measurement like I said before. Then take the drive shaft center of u-joint to center of u-joint measurement with the slip splines installed and compressed tight. Give both of those measurements to the shop and ask them if you have enough travel...you're making this harder than it needs to be...

Mike B

Well like I said before i dont have anymore funds to spend on this so I'm just TRYING to explore my FREE options here. Some of us dont have as deep of pockets as others. so your exactly right I am making it harder then it needs to be, but thats because I have no more money to spend on it for the easy solutions. Which leaves me in no other place then right here asking for help but if you want to put me outta my poor misery I'll accept donations to just take it to someone. Lol. I'll get a quote and have them bill it to you.... what's the account?

I was hoping someone that has done this exact swap would chime in. Cuz im sure there are other ppl installing 2 speed rears in there trucks that are set up like mine.

Mike, take a deep breath, now try to look at things from our side. Three pages of back and forth exchanges with mostly excellent advise. Some of which you have taken and some you have ignored. Almost everyone here knows what it means to be on a budget and the kitty has run out. There is a time when you have to admit you’re in over your head and don’t have the means or expertise to finish the project. When that happens you have three choices, put the project on hold, get hands on education or pay the professionals. As for here at Stovebolt, maybe, just maybe no one has encountered your exact situation. All the good folks here have seriously tried to help you to the best of their long distance ability. Don’t shoot the messenger just because he delivers the reality check that you don’t want to hear. It’s really, really, really time to let this thread Rest In Peace. Have a great day y’all.

I wasn't shooting anyone. I was just making it clear that I didn't have money to spend on what he kept suggesting( take it in to someone) that's it. I'm not angry was just stating my situation. If he didn't have any other advice besides what I made clear I couldn't afford he could have just not posted. Sorry I financially joked with him like that, didn't realize it was offensive.

what other advice have I ignored? I'm here to learn and ask questions which i thought this site was designed for. Why would I ignored helpful advice? I might end up taking it in when I have the money but right now im just trying to explore the free options is all. Im sorry for waisting your time if that's how you see it.

But thanks for the positive advice I did get.

I have always used power steering fluid in the 2spd motor housing,and is sealed separate from hypoid gear lube. Weld up axle tube used arc welder