10.25 complete axle replacement

[riotwarrior]

U can leave carrier in truck if 2 pinion. Spider not sure if same with 3...just pull cross shaft an spider gears and side remove opposite side axle first pass through broken side...reassemble in reverse order.

 

[Oelmensch]

Huge success

Pulled the passenger axle and slid the intact axle from that side, loads of nasty came out with it... Thankfully the axle doesn't look bad on that side and the initial shake on the hub was nice and tight. I'll still open it up and inspect the bearings/brakes/seals on that side as well to see whether I think it looks rough or what. Axle tube drooled a little oil when the flange came off, but less than I'd have expected.

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Crawled under the rear end and evaluated the removal options. Turns out the spiders gears are WAAAAY less effort.. 1 little friendly bolt vs 4 big ugly bolts and really important things to not drop or get upside-down/backwards, etc. It wasn't a hard decision.

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Once that was done, it was just a matter of choosing the appropriate drift to push the broken section through the carrier and out the passenger side. I went for the blue one with a broom on the end since 1) I hate that broom, and 2) it was the only thing with the right combination of length and diameter on hand.

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A bunch more nasty came out with the broken axle, though none in the differential so it appears to be coming out from the passenger side tube, awesome. I'll force a couple shop rags down there to try and get that crud out before I put new juice in the axle.

I didn't take any pictures of the removed shaft because it is just a rod covered in grime, not that exciting to see. Plus, I promptly wrapped it in garbage bags and stuffed it in my hatchback to take to the parts place tomorrow at lunch after I got it out.

I'm headed to get the replacement axle tomorrow and likely a bunch of bearings/seals and play the reassembly game. Guess I should read up on the pack/don't-pack wheel-bearing camps.

 

[riotwarrior]

Probably good idea clean out tubes and carrier real good....round toilet brush through tubes? Find one threads on broom handle then u can work at cleaning **** on a stick from afar

 

[79jasper]

Judging from the pics, I'd say that axle had a fair amount of water in it for some time.

Is there a way to safely remove rust from the ring gear? Or just run it and not worry about it?

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[Shawn MacAnanny]

I'd be more worried about the carrier bearings than ring gear. I've seen then pit up from water

 

[79jasper]

That also. But I was thinking along the lines of that rust dust coming off and getting into the bearings. Lol

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[Shawn MacAnanny]

Yeah iron oxide is no good for any metal wear parts. I clean iron from plenty of metals but wouldn't recommend the methods without the proper chemicals. The works toilet cleaner is 10% hydrogen chloride and it could be soaked in a solution with a gallon of that and 3 gallons of water overnight but you need to passivate it when removed so a baking soda and water rinse bath to neutralize acid then some engine coolant with scas to passivate the bare steel surface

 

[typ4]

That rust dust wont hurt anything, we just had a planetary blow up on our big Cat compactor, gear dust went thru the bearings and it didnt even mark them. Bearings are very tough.
I would go to six states, 60th and columbia blvd, for the bearings and seals, great quality and good service. Prices are higher than the local crapzone or napa but better stuff.
Get a tube of lubrplate 105 motor assy lube, lightly grease the bearings with it, mixes with all oils, follow the seal instructions to the letter. They change them up often.

 

[Oelmensch]

Judging from the pics, I'd say that axle had a fair amount of water in it for some time.

Is there a way to safely remove rust from the ring gear? Or just run it and not worry about it?

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Everything internal to the diff looks clean and well oiled, only the passenger axle tube has shown signs of water, and the hub (outside surface at least) looked oiled as well. Very weird that the only portion showing rust like that was in the axle tube itself. I was going to push bailing wire through to the diff from the passenger side and drag rags back through several times until I stop seeing chunks, then thoroughly go over everything in the differential housing to make sure nothing had snuck in.

Probably good idea clean out tubes and carrier real good....round toilet brush through tubes? Find one threads on broom handle then u can work at cleaning **** on a stick from afar

If only...

As best I can tell in one video I shared with typ4 earlier, I think the fluids had been low for a bit (the fluid level line inside the diff cover immediately after I removed it wasn't nearly as high as I'd expect it to be relative to the fill hole) which probably contributed to the bearing failure, but that doesn't explain how water would get in the passenger side axle tube. I also question if the previous owner had been aware of the (driver's hub bearings) problem based on how easy the driver's side lugs came off (just the 1/2" ratchet and serious effort) vs the passenger side required a 2' breaker bar and comparable effort with that; guessing the driver's side had been opened up more recently. The specialty hub socket should be waiting for me when I get home tonight so hopefully I'll be able to get things opened up and sorted out.

I called typ4's recommendation for parts, unfortunately they don't have all the bearings in stock so I might be ordering parts in. I was going to go to a local salvage parts retailer (RAM light trucks, also on typ4's recommendation), but it occurred to me that I saw the required axle in a truck at pick n pull and can save myself a healthy chunk of change in exchange for some elbow grease, so I'll chance that option first and see what that looks like. Plus, junkyard shenanigans are always entertaining... Worst case, I go to the other place tomorrow at lunch (work relatively close to there) and pay the full $100+ for their axle.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

Maybe it was parked on an angle and the water sat against the bearing and axle since it would have been heavier than oil. Or maybe it was a used axle and sat where it retained water somehow, or was left drained for a while. That is weird

 

[riotwarrior]

Was it used to back a boat into water....hot axle cooled can draw water in vent tube maybe if deep nuff

Or bad seals ....

 

[Oelmensch]

Was it used to back a boat into water....hot axle cooled can draw water in vent tube maybe if deep nuff

Or bad seals ....

No clue, I was told it was an old farm truck by the previous owner. It was on a farm when I picked it up and test drove it and the interior and hay inside definitely smells like farm, but I really don't know the history beyond that. The chassis and hardware isn't really rusty (for the age) to any degree that would make me think it might have been underwater with any frequency and there is only a gooseneck hitch (no rear frame mounting holes drilled that I saw), but that isn't a guarantee that it hasn't been dunked by any means.

Axle flange seal/o-ring (passenger side) looked to be good, but I haven't had the hub off to inspect the seal/bearings so I should know more tonight. Looking at the hub-nut from the outside (picture previously) it definitely didn't seem to have been wet, it just drooled old gear oil when I pulled the axle out of that side.

 

[IDIoit]

If you need a 4.10 DRW REAR DIFF, I have one. 250$

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

If you need a 4.10 DRW REAR DIFF, I have one. 250$

that's an $600-800 axle.

 

[Shawn MacAnanny]

I have one in my parts truck I'd let go for $100 if you pulled it yourself haha. Limited slip too