The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 3:55 Rear end gear installation

Before I dive into this project, I guess I need to take a moment to explain how I got here.

As some of you may have read, I was at the ATHS Tri-state show in winchester and won the award for the catostrophic failure just prior to the show. You can read about it here.

Two weeks before the show I was driving my truck as I usually do on Sunday mornings/afternoons. I started down a pretty large hill and took my foot off the gas and was still in 4th gear. I heard a noise that sounded like I ran over something. I pull over and nothing was there. The rest of the way home, every time I decelerate, the clunking noise would return. I spent the next few days trying to isolate it when I thought that it was the u-joint (closed driveline).

I called a great vendor Warren Foster and he had a NORS u-joint and shipped in priority shipping with hopes of making it to the Tri-State show.

It got here and I installed it and took it for a spin, and the noise was still there.

Steve (ndnchf) came over and we went after the syncros in the transmission. As we tried to turn the gear with the top cover off, we could feel a binding. To isolate either the tranny or something in the rear. I disconnected the u-joint, upon disconnection the transmission was smooth as silk and the binding could be felt while turning the u-joint.

I opened the diff. cover and saw the problem....

The Carnage......

You can also look at my album of the u-joint replacement. The good news is I had planned on installing 3:55's but not this soon. I will also start one on the gear swap when the bearing arrive here on Wednesday 10/11.

Did you get a new carrier? The one you have looks pretty bad.

The gouging on the carrier is caused by a bad front pinion bearing. The gears do not look that bad, so if you are not ready to go for the 3.55 gear set a front pinion bearing replacement would get you back on the road.

I have a donor carrier should I need it. I want to go to 3:55's anyway, I have them on hand so I might as well replace them....

The left axle carrier bearing went away on mine and I made the decision to go with the 3.55 gears. I'm sure glad I did. Sure helped a little on gas mileage on the road but hurt me around town.

Thruwurkin

With all the parts on hand, this evening was the start of the whole process. Prior to today all I have done is gather all the parts, (gears, bearings) and loosened all the nuts and bolts the held the differential cover and the third member to the rear axle housing. In addition, from the u-joint saga, I have left the u-joint disconnected and the floor panel is removed from the cab exposing the transmission below.

Here is a link to the section on my webshots page for this thread: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/554887855oSaqDX

First I set the truck so that it does not take a whole lot of garage space but I can remove the axles from the housing.

Next I raised the rearend and secured with jackstands. I remove the tires and drums and placed in the back of the truck.

I removed the differential cover and removed the 1/2" nut that holds the pin in the carrier. I removed the spacer, and then the c-clips holding the axles in place. I slid the axles out about 6 inches so that they are clear of the carrier bearings.

I removed all 4 spider gears using the process shown in the pictures. Simply turn the carrier without the pin in place and the smaller gears will come right out. Then the larger gears that have splines on them slide out as well.

As each part is removed, it is placed into zip-lock bags and labeled to make the installation process easier.

Now all I need is another set of hands to help get the third member out without hurting it or myself.....

New pics of the third member removal on the webshots page....