David Copperfield, please meet Sherlock Holmes……………….

[Runs With Scissors]

So a while ago I found this during a routine “suck and fill” style gear dope change…...

I basically buried my head in the sand, took my chances, and headed out west to whack some Prarie Dogs

Well for the life of me, I couldn’t think of what it was.

I mean there was a “little” (almost imperceptible) noise coming from some where, but this is a pretty big chunk of steel……and as the pictures raced through my mind, I could not figure out what it was/is.


Well the “Day of Reckoning” has arrived.

I pull the cover off and it’s immediately clear what has happened.

David Copperfield has made my “retaining bolt and retainer” disappear…….

It should look like this.

It is immedialty “crystal clear" that the chunk of steel on the magnet, was a part of that “anti-spin” clip.

But now that begs the question……”where the hell is the rest of it?” (Calling Sherlock Holmes…..Calling Sherlock Holmes…….)

So I commence to tearing it apart and find a few “clues” along the way.


First I notice this “gash” in the carrier…..

Then I notice another “gash"

Things are not looking good at this point.


So I inspect all the bearings and pull the carrier apart…..

The “aft pinion bearing” is pretty much “toast”.

The race is equally F’d up.


However,…..strangley enough the “forward pinion bearing” and the carrier bearing are relatively unscathed.

I might even venture to say that all the other bearing could be “re-used”, but I am neck deep in this and the bearings are all already bought, so…….They are going to get replaced.

 

[arml]

Is that a crack?

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Well I put my "Sherlock Holmes Hat” on and here is my theory/guess/deduction.

I think that the retaining bolt, after about 1/4 of a million miles, just “fell out”. (for some unknown reason)

This caused that retaing clip and bolt to get between the carrier and the “pig” causing the “gash’s”.

Eventually that combo of steel parts was “flung” into the opening at the top of the following picture…..(That opening feeds oil to the aft pinion bearing.)

The pinion bearing then began to “grind/crush/eat" the bolt (and retainer), eventually grinding them to “dust”.


This seems the most probable explanation in my head. But I am open to other theories….



Well now I begin to remove the other bearings with my new “bearing removal” tool.

Then begin to press in all the races.

Just by “coincidence” some of the “bearing tools” that I made for the rear diff, are fitting the front.

like below

I do have to resort to making one press tool, but that was it.



I remember hating this style of bearing seal, and it’s giving me a bit of a “tough time'

But I eventually get both of them in.

For whatever reason, this new seal keeps popping off that spring……I tried it a number of times, but in the end I had to run to the store and just decided to replace it, even though it's “new"

Now it's just a matter of properly “torquing’ that damn crush sleeve.

This “torque multiplier” has come in very handy, and makes crushing those sleeves, very easy.

I got that “pinion turning torque” and the “backlash” set to “dead nuts” perfect.

so its time to reassemble her.


So as I pick up the starboard axle shaft/hub assembly….I feel a “clicking”……Hmmmm??????

I could have sworn I just replaced this side not too long ago…….But I’ll be damned…….

Apparently one of the cups was not getting grease…M______________R!!!!!!!

That bitch was toast…….So another 100 dollars, and a day later, my new “greaseless Spicer U-joint” show up…..


ATTENTION!!!!!!! For those who have never “read" the Spicer Greaseless packaging (like I didn’t the first time I used one) You MUST keep the caps in the order they came.

HEY SPICER…..Thanks for putting those directions in BOLD, BRIGHT letters for the guys that don’t read the directions, becasue they have been replacing U-joints since Jesus was a Corporal……a$$holes……..


Now I have one that was put on keeping them in order, and one that I f’d up and mixed them, so I guess we will see the difference in “life” between them.

here it is “all dressed up, but nowhere to go"

The End!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Is that a crack? View attachment 162368

I inspected it pretty closely, so I am realtlvly sure that was a casting line…..

But now you have me worried…..LOL

 

[BBFarmer]

Well done my friend..... Glad you were able to get the ole girl all fixed up!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm going to say the more likely option is someone has been in that axle and put the retainer wire in place and simply forgot to put the bolt on it.

 

[NorthwoodsLife]

High pinion Dana 30s are good to have. But the bolt and clip I never remember seeing.

I hope that you put in a Detroit locker or True Trac since the carrier was toast.

Might as well put on a big lift, regear the diffs and roll on 37s.

 

[Hugo Habicht]

It's very simple where this bolt went.

It has been chewed up.

Plenty teeth in there...

 

[Garvini]

Your posts are always great

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I'm going to say the more likely option is someone has been in that axle and put the retainer wire in place and simply forgot to put the bolt on it.

If so, then they snuck into my garage at night and did that, cause I drove it "off the lot” when it was brand spanking new, and haven’t touched that axle since...

 

[Runs With Scissors]

Your posts are always great

Thank you for the kind words sir!

 

[Runs With Scissors]

High pinion Dana 30s are good to have. But the bolt and clip I never remember seeing.

I hope that you put in a Detroit locker or True Trac since the carrier was toast.

Might as well put on a big lift, regear the diffs and roll on 37s.

I can never keep up with what years they put what axles in, but this year they were using AAM 9.25’s.

Been rolling those 310’s since the day after I brought it home. (Although I did recently switch from Goodrich to Kenda’s….which have been a faboulus tire BTW)

 

[xrocketengineer]

Good Job! This reminds me of when my Mini broke its differential. It was probably because I have the high output engine (65HP ) or because the spider gear pin "was made out of chocolate" like some people say of that vintage Mini.
I had to get a rebuilt gearbox from the UK from the top expert, Guess-Works. The owner is John Guess.