I lost my Teeth! A Must See!

[DeucesWild11]

So here it is a bad.. very bad differential.. I wanted to post separately so that more people could see and avoid what I have encountered. I hope the Mods don't scold me for starting a new thread, but I really wanted to show as many people as possible what I found when draining my differential fluid. I didn't want this issue to get lost in my original post/problem.

The problem/symptom well nothing at first. I have been driving my truck with nothing but smiles lately.. I think this one was brewing for a while. Then a few days ago I backed down my driveway and then Bang.. Bang.. twice and it stopped. I tried to go back up the driveway and same thing.. it's been parked since then.. I posted this issue which led to some great members telling me to drain the differential. The pics are what I found. I didn't think you could kill these things.. you can.. and I never took mine off road.. but who knows what happened between 1973 and 2011.. It was a firetruck with less than 2,000 miles on here, I figured things like this would be the best parts on the truck.. NO.. But then again she was bobbed and perhaps someone put another rear end on her..? At this point it's only speculation.

If I had only drained it when I bought her back in Nov11 I may have avoided having to go and buy a new rear axle. Now I plan on draining the front as well to make sure that is OK.

Rule of thumb, check all your fluids when you get a new truck! Both differentials (3 if you have a standard 6x6), Motor, transfer case, Brake fluid and coolant. Also make sure to grease all the zerks on the truck.. Take it from me now I have to find a new rear end! (but I have a couple lined up thanks guys!)

 

[m16ty]

The good thing is differentials are a dime a dozen. You can buy a whole rear axle for $200-$300.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Thanks yeah I have seen them in the $300 range up to $1500 for a rebuilt.. I think I'll stick to a stock take off.. I still have a hard time figuring what did that much damage.. perhaps one tooth just floating around breaking off another one at a time..?

 

[gimpyrobb]

Those look like spider gears, not the teeth from the R&P. I have a pumpkin I can send, but they are heavy! Want me to pull some parts for you?

 

[197thhhc]

Maybe the axle was used under a monster truck before it was put on your truck.

 

[islandguydon]

Thats a first for me. Hope all goes well on the replacement and make sure you check the front.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Gimpy , thanks for the offer/parts.. not sure what's on the inside but I know I drained the differential and that's what came out.. For $350 or so I can get a whole new.. well new to me rear end with probably more parts than what I need but that's not too bad.. Seems like those teeth broke off all in a similar fashion.. I suppose I could replace the spider gears or the whole rear end and have some spare parts..? not sure what is easier at this point..

This sucks for me but I find it funny that I can put the plug back in, put it into 4x4 and still drive the truck.. that's what I love about these trucks!!! OK that silver lining will wash away as soon as I start to swap out the rear ends..

 

[ODdave]

those look like spider gears, not the teeth from the r&p. ?

locker time !!!!!

 

[DeucesWild11]

ODdave, sorry I am a little bit of a newb still, what's the Locker reference and how could that help? I never put unnecessary strain on the rear end. I would back down my driveway from time to time but didn't think that would ruin anything.. Are you referring to lockers on the hubs.? I don't have them and not sure in what way that may help.. Thanks!

 

[Heath_h49008]

Or those spiders were welded at one point...

 

[ODdave]

No, If it is just spider gears which it looks like, Now is the prime time to put a locker in it. Pull it apart and see if anything other than the spider gears are dammaged, If not then spend the lil extra and put a locker in it. If its a bober it would be probably the best upgrade you could ever do. I think there around $500.

 

[gimpyrobb]

What Dave is saying is the locker replaces the spider gears.

 

[DeucesWild11]

I'll have to search on the locker.. still a little wet behind the ears on this stuff and I don't want to tun this thread into a tutorial. I am all for preventative maintenance and upgrades and I am the kind of guy that will spend $500 up front to save double that down the road. If you could steer me to a thread or TM on that locker you are talking about that would be great! Thanks!!

 

[gimpyrobb]

Start at post #251

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-...1-all-stuff-i-did-my-deuce-right-here-26.html

 

[73m819]

CHANGE out the compleat axle housing, with all the big chunks, there is a million little bits in there, you WILL NEVER get ALL the fines out of the housing, bearing, ect. not even if you do a total 100% strip down, EVERY PART COMES OUT, GETS CLEANED, STILL no matter how well you clean things, these fines WILL GET in the bearings, causing more trouble down the road. As cheap as compleat rears are from others that are neutering deuces, you can not afford not to. FIX IT RIGHT NOW, OR KEEP FIXING IT IN THE FUTURE.

 

[flighht2k5]

Maybe the axle was used under a monster truck before it was put on your truck.

They used 5 ton axles for monster trucks.

 

[DeucesWild11]

Thanks for the info ODdave, Gimpy and Ron. I'll see if I can make my current axle into a locker after I get the new replacement in. I got a rear end lined up for pickup this Sat, thanks 25thIDAirAssult!

I will take off the bell housing to inspect the gears and make sure all is OK. Now the question I have is what caused this massive failure to happen to the rear end? My truck was bobbed could that have something to do with it? Perhaps the axle is not the correct length? What should I look for to make sure all is OK. Thanks again for your help guys! This site is awesome!

 

[Heavysteven]

I would just keep it simple and replace the whole axle. A locker both axles thus providing power to both wheels. Watch "My Cousin Vinnie" again.

 

[erixun]

They used 5 ton axles for monster trucks.

Not entirely true, Boyce equipment in Ogden Ut uses/used 2 1/2 ton axles under monster trucks....

 

[kastein]

I'd replace the whole axle since getting the third member up and out of the diff housing without removing it from the truck is going to be a bear of a job anyways. Then once your old axle is out, break it down to find out what's wrong with it and maybe start shopping for a locker if it is just spider gears.

Also if you properly flush the housing out you should be able to reuse most everything, I'm not sure why 73m819 thinks it'll be that much of a problem. All the heavy bits come out or at least sink to the bottom, the light stuff mostly stays suspended in the oil so getting 99% of the oil out gets 99% of the fine particles out. Drain before disassembling, remove center chunk and disassemble, inspect for damage, run the parts through the parts washer, flush housing out with gasoline then acetone (make sure to flush the axle tubes via the spindles/sloshing the fluid back and forth) then reassemble. Make sure your drain plug has a magnet in it (all of mine have had one) and that should pretty much cover you.

My rule on torque specs is that anything involving bearing clearances or preload force requires a torque wrench (bearing caps, pinion nuts etc) while everything else (housing bolts, suspension etc) gets "good-n-tight", with the number of grunts required depending on the size and criticality of the bolt.