10.25 complete axle replacement

[Oelmensch]

10.25 complete axle replacement SPOILER (Broken Axle)

Truck got hungry last night and apparently ate the rear end (Whoo! 54 miles into ownership ); yoke spins freely while the tires could care less. To my knowledge it is/was a 1st-gen 10.25 4.10 open diff that came with the truck in my signature. I'll pull the rear cover to see what ultimately failed, but I don't have high hopes for it not being terminal for this unit.

I found a complete drum-to-drum rear axle assembly off a 1988 4x4 dually which was in an airport truck that had 3500 (not a typo) miles on it and is an upgrade to a limited slip differential for nearly junkyard price. I've read/been-told that I'm better off swapping in a known good axle rather than going through the joy of doing a complete R&P setup (which I haven't done previously, but am reasonably capable) and there were annual servicing records for the truck since new (airports like reliability with their ground equipment too I guess) so this would be a pretty handy upgrade since I'd planned on doing seals/bearings in my existing unit later this summer anyways.

Three questions:

1. Is there any reason that (rear) axle shouldn't be a bolt-in affair? From what I've read the only difference between the two is the new one would be a LSD, which really only changes the fluids procedure. Both should be full-float assemblies, etc.
2. Any pitfalls in the swap/exchange to be mindful of? I'd assumed the yoke on my current unit is shot and might need the drive-line re-balanced with the new one, anything else?
3. Do we have a good swap guide/article on the forums to reference? I'd dug around a bit, but 45 pages of returns with most being related to going from one rear end to another got tedious quick, but my search-fu might have been weak.

Thank you for any/all advice/help; I'll take plenty of pictures if there isn't already a reference and post them here as I go.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

You're talking about changing over the entire axle right? not trying to use the differential and pinion in housing? The only diference i would think would be the possibillity of different drums/shoes size but i think at DRW got the larger pads, and if it had an ambulance package which has something to do with the emergency brakes. I dont think the drive shaft or transmission (manual) yokes have anything to do with the balancing of the driveline. You might want to replace leave shackles and brackets at this time if yours are at all questionable. Those bolts can be hard to get off, i've had some my 1300ft lb impact wouldnt loosen and just ended up having to cut and replace.

 

[Oelmensch]

You're talking about changing over the entire axle right? not trying to use the differential and pinion in housing?

Yes, complete axle swap, no changes to the new internals of the R&P/LSD unless something doesn't check out on the new unit.

I hadn't considered looking at the shackles, but you're right, this would be a good time to check them out, maybe change the shocks too. Maybe even remove that gooseneck hitch if it isn't welded into place.

 

[typ4]

Check out the axle thoroughly, if it was in a bobtail pulling heavy cargo cans it could be hammered.
I worked on gse for 13 yrs, it gets abused.
Just a heads up.

 

[Oelmensch]

Check out the axle thoroughly, if it was in a bobtail pulling heavy cargo cans it could be hammered.
I worked on gse for 13 yrs, it gets abused.
Just a heads up.

It was supposedly in a deicer, which around here means pretty infrequent use and lots of idle time if/when it was needed, but I'll be sure to check it out for warning signs of abuse.

 

[typ4]

Much better.

 

[FarmerFrank]

Find out what the frame width of the donor truck is. If it's a Can and Chassis model then the axle is narrower. Yours should be like 37-38" and a C&C is 34"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[towcat]

overall, the job "can" be pretty straightforward for the home DIY mechanic with moderate skills. the biggest issue is powering through corroded fasteners and brake lines. outside of that, the job is pretty straightforward IF you do not open up the internals.
in a nutshell, you have three basic axle groups. everything is simple if you are removing your old assembly and replacing the "like" assembly.
1) SRW(single rear wheel) pickup. be sure to determine if you are ABS or not ABS. look for the electrical connector on the top of the centre housing.
2) DRW(dual rear wheel) pickup. once again the options above applies. Also, confirm your brake shoe width. for DRW pickup it should be 3.5" iirc.
3) SRW and DRW chassis cab. these axles are for commercial chassis only. not only are they the narrowest of the three, the mounting pads are narrower compared to the pickup chassis. in short, very little between the pickup chassis rears interchange with the commercial chassis rears.
in short. if you are one of the above three groups, your life will be the least complicated if you stay within the group. since you are a DRW pickup, you will need to find a DRW pickup with rear. anything else will get complicated. A used DRW pickup rear may cost some $$$$ but generally cheaper than attermpting to change out the gearset yourself. post up any other questions here.

 

[Oelmensch]

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Those are the pics from the listing. I'll be free in a few hours to crawl under the truck and measure the existing setup for reference before I head out and check the same dimensions on the craigslist axle. Having been a dedicated deicer vehicle I think there is a reasonable chance it might have been chassis and cab, but I suppose I won't know until I take a look.

I assume my current setup is/was ABS since I have the ever-present Antilock Rear Brakes yellow indicator on the dash; I'm not familiar enough with things yet to say if what looks to be a connector/sensor in the top shot is the VSS or an ABS sensor. I'll snap pics under mine while I'm measuring everything and see if there is any indication one way or another. Any significant consequence to going from an ABS unit to a non-ABS or otherwise?

BIG thanks to Towcat & typ4 for your posts! That information with those details are exactly what I need (wasn't aware of the C&C version until then) and could have made an unfortunate mistake (though I intended to measure perch width in the first place because I'm paranoid).


++UPDATE++
(because I dislike double-posting or repeat posting...
Axle is from a cab & chassis setup, seller gave me the measurements, everything was a couple inches or so inside the same measurements of my unit, and that was with the seller saying he bent the tape to make contact rather than having a second person help without contacting the differential.

Pick n pull local (literally a few blocks from my house, classy) has a single '88 dually rear axle in right now, more than a little stripped (entire passenger side is down to the bare tube and the flange, no axle) and in unknown condition. I'd think best case I'd want to re-bearing that unit if I used it at which point I might as well avoid having to strip my existing parts off the current axle to rebuild/complete that unit. Unless something comes up sooner than later, looking like I'll be redoing the existing setup, plenty of reading to do.

Thanks again for the reference info, Towcat & typ4, you just saved me a big headache and unwanted fun-budget delays!

If anyone in the Portland, OR area has a C&C in need of a rear end, the one on craigslist with the axle on a pallet is a good deal and he'll go down to at least $175, but I think you could get him lower without trying very hard. Don't buy the engine though, I want it as a buildable spare .

 

[typ4]

Since you are in Portland, I can fix your diff, may even have parts. Sterling gearsets are easy. I think I have a 410 set . and I have a mint open carrier.

 

[typ4]

By the way, pull your yoke, it may have stripped the splines.

 

[towcat]

Since you are in Portland, I can fix your diff, may even have parts. Sterling gearsets are easy. I think I have a 410 set . and I have a mint open carrier.

you will be big $$$ ahead with Typ4's help.
you're lucky he lives close by.

 

[Oelmensch]

Since you are in Portland, I can fix your diff, may even have parts. Sterling gearsets are easy. I think I have a 410 set . and I have a mint open carrier.

PM sent.

 

[typ4]

OK, I have never seen a pinion spin that easy. something is really busted. It will be interesting to see whats up.

 

[compressionignitionrules]

that diff in the pics is from a cab/chassis F350, different frame width/different location of spring perches, different width housing wheel face><wheelface.

not a bolt in, infact you couldn't even bolt on the inner duals.

fix what you have if you can. I have several spare diffs you are looking for but I am in SW Ontario, about 4hrs NE of Detroit. actually I tossed the last one in a load of scrap, but it was a 3.55 open.