Help an Old Timer out, Guys!

[LeoS41280]

Axle shaft shouldn't need any work. It is the original one I assume. You said you replaced the bearings and seals. I also assume you mean axle bearings. A lot of times when the axle bearing goes out it also takes out the axle. Because it is the inner race for the bearing. Are you sure the new bearing was the correct one? Is it seated all the way in the axle tube?

[Short_Bed Silverado]

How did you get the c-clip off the axle without removing the spider shaft?

Thanks for the reply, LeoS41280!

 

Real simple--I removed the small threaded cross-pin and then merely slid down the spider shaft real gentle like and the top and bottom spider gears just remained in place. They seemed to be "floating" in thin air. I guess their teeth were engaged in each side gear, so they just kind of "hung" there, both up and down, defying gravity.

 

Once the big spider pin was removed, I bumped the axle flanges in a bit and VOILA--the "C" clips just fell out, kerplunk.

 

I've been told to keep the spider gears and side gears in the same relationship, tooth-for-tooth, so that when I go to re-install the axles, all will be as before. I've kept them thus (or at least attempted to!).

 

I was figuring when I finally re-installed the axles, as long as the splines started catching and lining up, I would then quickly re-remove the big pin, re-install the "C" clips and all would be well.

 

The plan I had ain't working so far....

 

As suggested here, should I just take the spider pin and spider gears out all together, get the axles in, attach the "C" clips and then re-install the spider pin and gears? Is it a pain to properly re-align the spider gears with the side gears? How do I know they are meshing properly after I re-install spider gears?

 

THANKS!

[Short_Bed Silverado]

Axle shaft shouldn't need any work. It is the original one I assume. You said you replaced the bearings and seals. I also assume you mean axle bearings. A lot of times when the axle bearing goes out it also takes out the axle. Because it is the inner race for the bearing. Are you sure the new bearing was the correct one? Is it seated all the way in the axle tube?

Yep--original axles in there.

 

I replaced the two rear axles wheel bearings as well as the oil seals on the end of the tube. The "old" bearing sets rattled a bit, but not a whole heck of a lot. One of two of the actual roller bearings looked worn and tapered a big. No big deal though. I've seen plenty worse ones.

 

Yep--like Ivory Soap, I'm pretty sure I used correct new bearings. I miked the "old" ones and the "new" ones H x W x L and they all matched up ('cept the new rear wheel bearing was .005 smaller and tighter than the old used bearing.

 

The saga continues....

[Short_Bed Silverado]

Whoops! sorry to leave items out:

 

the Ivory Soap deal= 99.9999% sure and pure!

 

and yes, they were properly seated to depth in the tube--I used the depth rod portion of my dial caliper to take a "before" and an "after" depth reading in the tube. They are the same. Smack dab "on the money" and seated as the old ones were.

 

here's a pic of the axles in the whole of the side gear, but no splines get engaged.

 

A mystery!

 

 

[gmtech4]

Axle shaft shouldn't need any work. It is the original one I assume. You said you replaced the bearings and seals. I also assume you mean axle bearings. A lot of times when the axle bearing goes out it also takes out the axle. Because it is the inner race for the bearing. Are you sure the new bearing was the correct one? Is it seated all the way in the axle tube?

i agree,take that seal out and watch the shaft go in ,it'll stop at the bearing ...

 

it makes no sense that the shaft wont go in ,the only thing changed to prevent this is the bearing ,,,,

 

let us know !!

[Short_Bed Silverado]

Thanks, men!

 

Let me give it a try.

[Short_Bed Silverado]

We may have a WINNER and a SOLUTION here:

 

I took my trusty micrometer and miked the diameter of the axle shaft's bearing surface which goes inside the wheel bearing. They are both at 1.621-1.6205 inch.

 

Every stinking rear wheel bearing replacement I could find which includes: TIMKEN, Advance Auto, AutoZone, O'Reillys, DuraLast, and Raybestos shows an ID bore size of: 1.6142 to 1.6177, which they all show on-line as "fitting your vehicle." Hummm...

 

Me--like a dummy--failed to try to see if the rear wheel bearing fit "dry" on the removed rear axle before I installed it!

 

Live and learn.

 

I think we've found the problem, Men! That few thousandths of an inch must be the gremlin!!!

 

(GM oem part #12479031 or AC Delco #RW2010)

 

The only two rear wheel bearings replacements I can find with an ID bore of 1.625 are NAPA and SKF.

 

I am sure gonna raise the roof with my supplier!!!!

 

Thank you, Men!!

[gmtech4]

leo wins and im second place !!!!! lmao and Kenneth loses !!!! glad we can help "ol boy "

[scooby5121]

I FAILED to have mentioned that,,, I aaaasssssumed it was the correct inner bore diameter.

Damm 10 pound sledge hammer was the next approach LOL...

 

Kidding aside, my best friend works for Timken bearing. They Import most of their bearings and seals from China

he told me in the last few years. HIS specs sheets would of revealed the difference, not like the auto suppliers have.

Great Patience and nerves were tolerated by Short bed_Silverado !!!!

[Short_Bed Silverado]

Thanks, Guys--BUT you are all winners and heroes to me! Rob, Eric, Adam, and Leo, the whole lot of you!

 

A tip 'o my Hat to you all!

 

Patience? Hey--what's an old-timer like me got but TIME & PATIENCE!!

 

You're right, Eric--my 10 lb sledge was looking like an alternative--glad I didn't!

 

P.S. Eric,

 

Yours truly is smack dab due south right below you here in Canton, Ohio, home of TIMKEN bearings. My neighbor, who works at TIMKEN was called in early today, a Sunday, because one of the specialty lines still running USA made bearing was down for the count.

 

I didn't know that a good portion of the vaunted TIMKEN bearings were made in China!! I have got to rib my neighbor about that.

[gmtech4]

ken,u made this the best thread in a very long time !!!! with pics and everything !!! good job and ty

[Chris]

ken,u made this the best thread in a very long time !!!! with pics and everything !!! good job and ty

 

And not one Stealership comment.

 

I had to do it Rob

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S4 using Tapatalk 4

 

 

[Short_Bed Silverado]

And not one Stealership comment.

 

Yessir, Chris! I've learned over the years it does no good to gripe or complaint--SINCE NOBODY LISTENS ANYWAY!

 

Thanks, Chris--boy are you lucky being in California--no road salt or liquid calcium like they toss everywhere here come winter. We Midwesterners literally have millions of tonnes of salt underground, which they mine and then glob onto every path known to man or beast come the first white flakes. I think the salt miners are in cahoots with the body shops and replacement parts industry here.

 

The underside of my 1500 looks like it's 1,000 years old!

 

A lot of pickup owners here are getting their trucks sprayed with some proprietary lanolin/polymer "wash" every fall to avoid the ravages of the salts. Some swear BY it, others swear AT it. We shall see....