Rear Axle Tips

[BobWolf]

Last Friday at 2 am I 80 east bound New Jersey exit 19 my rear axle went Chernobyl on me yep, that sucked. Even though the sound it made was intresting I dont want to hear it again on my vehical. Had the shop drop in a bone yard unit in good shape and I plan on rebuilding the core and swaping that one in fairly soon. Ill be picking up the van this weekend Ill give feedback on the shop when I get the van. Anyway I wanted to know how to avoid this in the future if posiable in a C/V any tips. I know, the no brainer keeping the lube oil full and repairing it before the failure, what else works remember Im rebilding the old one but keep it realistic.

Back in my construction days my work trucks had a transmission and dif service every 12,000 miles or twice a year. Keep in mind that was when everything was still Dextron 3 and 90 weight. I ran posi units and the last work truck had a locker in the pumpkin. Would an Eaton or Detroit Locker be a good upfit for this line of work, or is that overkill, What gear ratio is ideal I want the best milage but also dont want to lug the engine on a parking lot speed bump. Any sugestions would be good.

Thanks
Bob Wolf.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Anyway I wanted to know how to avoid this in the future if posiable in a C/V any tips.

Aside from no more hole shots and no more brake torqueing,,There isnt much more you can do.In a peice of equipt when its time to give up the ghost its leaving no matter what you do..Sounds like it was just a equipt failure and not something you could have prevented. Unless you had the stereo to loud for the last fifty miles..

As far as changing what you have,,Ill leave that to someone else..As many gear boxes as I have changed over the years..I allways went back in with what the Manuf put in there.

 

[Moot]

So, one just has to ask, was the differential lube low? Any sign of leakage at the wheel ends? How many miles on this van? I believe you bought this van used so you don't really know if the rearend had ever been serviced. When buying a used vehicle, it is best to assume no scheduled maintenance has been done. Change out the differential lube, transmission fluid, oil, coolant and all filters. Other than that, I guess when it goes, it goes.

 

[BobWolf]

Milage was right 204000 K so it was probly time for it to go anyway.I did a complete P.M., coolant and dif oil change trans fluid looked ok when I bought it at 199000k.Ill be doing a trans. service this weekend fluid and filter. Whats the recomended fluid on this? I think its the 4L60

Bob Wolf

 

[roadeyes]

Question:

When you load, do you leave the van in park, or in neutral with the pb on?

As has been mentioned by myself and others in a few threads, leaving the vehicle in park when being loaded is very hard on the whole driveline and will lead to early component failure.

Either way it's worth mentioning again as a reminder to all.