new or rebuild rear alxe

[inthechateau]

Hey all, been a while since posting here as I am still deployed. When I get home i hope to get my 96 4x4 Tahoe back on the road. One of the biggest problems is the rear. at almost 300K miles I know things are getting loose back there and I am not having a lot of luck finding a source for a new rear assembly. Guess I'll be looking for a shop that can do a full rebuild? Not sure yet which way to go on this one. I want to keep this truck and run till the body falls off the frame. ABS light on is another issue to work but I'd like to find a rear assembly to get her back on the road during my home comming leave. Would apreciate any sources near the east coast of Maryland. Take care and really miss home.

 

[SunlitComet]

Dissamble the axle and check it for straightness. If all is good, super clean it up and repaint and reassemble with new gears, bearings and seals. Maybe even upgradethe axles as well.

 

[83 Bimmer]

Dissamble the axle and check it for straightness. If all is good, super clean it up and repaint and reassemble with new gears, bearings and seals. Maybe even upgradethe axles as well.

+1

 

[_Dylan_]

What do you mean by "getting loose"?

You probably need new u joints or your g80 is taking a dump.

 

[inthechateau]

I have had several problem with the rear differential. The nut loosened on the yoke and I did not find it until the bearings were toast. Pulled it apart, new pinion bearings, crush spacer, seal and lock nut. Torqued the nut until I got the proper bearing preload and tossed a new U joint in for good measure. I must have changed the gear mesh after that as it developed a slight gear noise. Not bad and did not get how after driving 50 or so miles so I let it go. On a cross country trip between MD and MO the seal blew out on me in the middle of OH and I lost most gear oil. I had a indy shop help me out with a seal and oil but now the noise is very noticeable and a definite clunk on load unload condition. I have not set up a rear in years and no longer have a shop to do that kind of stuff. What kind of shops are doing rear set ups now? I asked several local tranny shops and no one touches them in MD. Dealer wants to sell me a new $4,000 assembly. I can get a new rear hub to hub from Rock auto for a lot less than that.

 

[SunlitComet]

Blew out what seal? Is the diffy vent clogged up? Try searching for a "driveline" shop.

 

[inthechateau]

duhhh me, I never thought to check the vent. But the way it is growling now, and I want to keep the truck for a good while longer.

 

[xanatost]

Do you do any wheeling?? If so then I would rerun the vent hose up and into the cabin some where. If you are keeping the truck and you go wheeling then I would just switch out the rear end. One less thing to worry about in the long run. Just my .02$

 

[inthechateau]

Tost, I will look into re running the vests for sure. I'd like to replace with a new rear if I could find one. More searching when I get out of Europe and back home.

 

[retorq]

Torqued the nut until I got the proper bearing preload and tossed a new U joint in for good measure. I must have changed the gear mesh after that as it developed a slight gear noise.

I have not set up a rear in years and no longer have a shop to do that kind of stuff. What kind of shops are doing rear set ups now?

Of course you changed the gear mesh, you should have pulled everything back out and check the pattern or pulled out the old sleeve and shims, measured and used a solid spacer with shims to achieve the same backspacing, then you just need to worry about preload.

You can setup a rear with it still in the truck, I've done a few including the one in my truck now, you just have to have the right tools, know how and patience. The Chevy 10 bolts today are the same as they were back in the day when you set one up before I'm sure ...