Rear axle C-clip removal guidance?

[Rocket Man]

If all else fails, get a bigger hammer. That advice still holds the test of time. Good work!

 

[89Suburban]

View attachment 391230


took about a 6" chunk of 4 X 6 with a 5/8 hole drilled right along one edge to fit the lug pattern, and 3-4 mild body blows from a 16lb sledge. I could see the splines showing on the outside of clips before my shoulders were past the license plate
Thank you all

gonna assess housing and axles for damages and make a pro/con list for Helical Carrier -vs- 14 bolt 3.42 G80 w/25k miles?

Might start new and see if some of the guys on here who have done one or the other will offer some insight

I like how you labeled your parts.

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

I like how you labeled your parts.

Thanks.. 100% honest: it was more out of cautious concern to ensure that it works here in a couple days than it was experience. That and Meticulous OCD Syndrome.

Im just glad I was alone when picking out the marker colors! Took me like 10min, felt like an hour lol......Wanted to use Red for Right >> then thought Red wouldn't show up well enough >> then spent another couple minutes trying to think of another color that starts w/R that would be bright enough >> settled on Rorange >> a couple more minutes trying to think of a color that started with L (smh) >> and ended up using Lhite

 

[89Suburban]

Thanks.. 100% honest: it was more out of cautious concern to ensure that it works here in a couple days than it was experience. That and Meticulous OCD Syndrome.

Im just glad I was alone when picking out the marker colors! Took me like 10min, felt like an hour lol......Wanted to use Red for Right >> then thought Red wouldn't show up well enough >> then spent another couple minutes trying to think of another color that starts w/R that would be bright enough >> settled on Rorange >> a couple more minutes trying to think of a color that started with L (smh) >> and ended up using Lhite

So what's the latest on this project?

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

So what's the latest on this project?

Decided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.
Been back at it since about 545 this morn. Trying to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, locate the tools needed, and not miss some little detail that could be a problem like.....the 14 bolt having a larger hub bore or similar.

This will be my first re-gear attempt and I've gone from trying learn how to replace broken carrier/correctly set up R&P -to- how to swap out whole rear assembly and set up front R&P since Friday afternoon. Head just stopped spinning about an hour ago

edit**Would be awesome if someone would confirm that the 14 bolt 9.5 is the better choice?

Sat I was locked into the Truetrac, then I read a couple long threads on here about the 14 swap and the general consensus seemed to be that the 3.42 over the 3.08 was > the Truetrac over the G80

How about the 3.42 9.5" vs the 3.42 8.6"??

 

[OR VietVet]

Decided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.
Been back at it since about 545 this morn. Trying to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, locate the tools needed, and not miss some little detail that could be a problem like.....the 14 bolt having a larger hub bore or similar.

This will be my first re-gear attempt and I've gone from trying learn how to replace broken carrier/correctly set up R&P -to- how to swap out whole rear assembly and set up front R&P since Friday afternoon. Head just stopped spinning about an hour ago

edit**Would be awesome if someone would confirm that the 14 bolt 9.5 is the better choice?

Sat I was locked into the Truetrac, then I read a couple long threads on here about the 14 swap and the general consensus seemed to be that the 3.42 over the 3.08 was > the Truetrac over the G80

How about the 3.42 9.5" vs the 3.42 8.6"??

I would do that swap asap.

 

[Geotrash]

Decided on 14 bolt 9.5" w/3.42 and front R&P swap -instead of- putting an Eaton Detroit Truetrac carrier in my 10 bolt. A little more work and a couple hundred more $$(at least until I sell my 10 bolt), but I tow one of 3 trailers a couple days a week avg, always have a few hundred lbs in the truck and do it on steep winding WV roads. There's plenty of 100k mile or less 14's available within flat rate shipping range. Confirmed a couple yesterday morn, then had to take my lady to work and take her car to buddies body shop to recalibrate the BCM so her seat and steering column would move again. Lost about 6hrs there.....it's always something lol.
Been back at it since about 545 this morn. Trying to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing, locate the tools needed, and not miss some little detail that could be a problem like.....the 14 bolt having a larger hub bore or similar.

This will be my first re-gear attempt and I've gone from trying learn how to replace broken carrier/correctly set up R&P -to- how to swap out whole rear assembly and set up front R&P since Friday afternoon. Head just stopped spinning about an hour ago

edit**Would be awesome if someone would confirm that the 14 bolt 9.5 is the better choice?

Sat I was locked into the Truetrac, then I read a couple long threads on here about the 14 swap and the general consensus seemed to be that the 3.42 over the 3.08 was > the Truetrac over the G80

How about the 3.42 9.5" vs the 3.42 8.6"??

If you're doing that much trailer towing over the hills, the 9.5" is a no-brainer. @swathdiver

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

I would do that swap asap.

Thank you for being direct

 

[5StarCustmSolutns]

If you're doing that much trailer towing over the hills, the 9.5" is a no-brainer. @swathdiver

Thank you!

Just started asking myself "how much better is it really?" Enough to go through the extra hassle of pulling front diff when rear is already wide open and trying sell 10 bolt afterwards etc....

 

[gooffeyguy]

You may also have to have the ECU flashed for the new gear ratio. The transmission shifts and speedometer will be effected. A tuning device like a Diablo or a custom tune can take care of this. I've never seen a gear ratio option in the Tech2 menus, so not sure if that or a dealership would be able to do it.