Well rear axle is off, putting the breaks on the "new" axle before mounting. Almost done It's been a LOOONNNGGG day so far.
well, got the brakes all setup on the new axle. Decided to "check the diff fluid" before actually installing the axle cause, well it's "easier to get at the plug out here". Well, I'm glad we did. My FIL thinks the diff case is empty, no fluid. Put the socket driver in the plug, and well, the plug is still in the diff case, messed up one 2" 3/8" extension, and tore up the plug. Damn thing still wont budge. My FIL has a "bolt out" set at his work, he's going to bring it over to see if we can get the plug loose tonight. ONE SIMPLE LITTLE THING is keeping me from putting the axle on!!!!
Sometimes a Little heat carefully applied can help or a few smacks with a hand "impact driver", Once you establish a firm "fit" with your tool: Leverage is your friend. "E-z outs" work but be extra careful, you don't know what anguish is uintil you snap one off and try to drill into one. A goodquality tool has savedmy bacon more than once.. I've used a snap-on allen wrench to remove a set screw my off brand chinese crap tool messed up. They're expensive; But they flex less they don't round like butter. matco, or craftsman are also very good...
the plug is rounded and some tools are rounded (yeah, the cheap ones). We tried the heat (used that with the U-bolts, man they were a pain), tried leverage (while we could), tried using a hammer to break it loose. Nadda Actually we broke 3 "cheap" sockets working on the u-bolts. went out and bought one designed for an impact driver and that got most of them off. I did break one u-bolt, but I have replacements on hand.
sorry, no pics. the job is done. And I STILL have the "CLANK"!!! Even though I have checked and re-checked the u-joints I'm prolly gonna replace them as well. What would be next transmission? What did I get myself into???
bet you're pissed (hence the problem troubleshooting by e-mail)... does it drive okay? just goes clank when you put it in drive? is there a "carrier bearing halfway down the driveshaft? stick a big screwdriver or pry bar under it and and see if the driveshaft moves around, my ranger eats those. what happens if somebody watches/listens under the truck as you put it in gear(safety first!!!!!). does the driveshaft "load"(takeup the slack) against the rear diff?? maybe move around a bit ? Do you have your foot on the brake when you drop it in gear,? does the truck move at all when you drop it in gear? ( brake issue) Hate to say it; the only thing between the back of the crankshaft and the rear diff is the auto trans/and torque converter and then the driveshaft. You seemed pretty sure your rear diff was out.I don'think wecan make any more suggestions without being absolved of liability. take the drive shaft out, put the output shaft back into thetail of the transmission ( or atf will comeout) put it in gear: clank or no?( you just eliminate the diriveshaft and rearend and brakes. onlything left is the trans (torque conveter is just a viscous coupling) an impeller that throws oil against some fins to providea fluidcoupling of two rotating parts.no metal to metal contact in the torque converter. isita 4wheel drive??? we never got into the transfer case( don'thave one so I'm out at this point.
Hokay I let the cat in; brushed my teeth, put my jammy's on laid down and a thought came blasting through!: Its an automatic ( right?) check your ENGINE idle speed I'll bet its too high and the clunk is all the slop (lash) in the transmission AND drive shaft AND THE rear end being taken up at once. OR JUST WARM IT UP AND TURN THE IDLE WAY DOWN try it SEE if it makes any difference.
Hmmmm, I had a chevy did the exact same thing and it was a U joint in the center of the drive shaft. Honestly, I would suggest having a good mechanic do the diagnostic at this point before replacing anything else..ya can still do the repairs yourself, just run it and and pay some fella 20 bucks and then ya can get to wrenchin' on the right thing!
Replaced the U-Joints yesterday. Not hard, but not real fun either. I did have one bad one, one "low" on grease but still working and one that was just fine. The bad one was the one next to the transmission, the one with "low" grease was the middle one. Next up, maybe tonight, or Thursday night, will be draining the tranny fluid and replacing the filter. Woohoo, another night under the truck!
Nope, dagnabbit!!! Got the transmission fluid & filter changed. It does feel like it shifts smoother, but the noise is still there. Gonna take the truck to a transmission shop when I get the money. The transmission that is on the truck is a C6. It's supposed to be one of the easiest to work on , we'll see though. thanks all for the tips and advice.
DANG IT, DANG IT, DANG IT Finally got the truck up to highway speed today, REAL bad vibration around 55. Thinking I might have the drive axle out of balance from when I changed the U-joints. Either that or my "new" axle is bad. Gonna make some inquires at a local garage to see if they can look at it. When it rains, it pours, and it's pouring down on my truck
Question, or rather clarification. I haven't had a chance to do this yet (working 2 jobs sucks sometimes, and I'm sure the neighbors don't want me workin' on the truck at midnight). I have a 2 part drive shaft, I will remove the u-bolts from the differential to disconnect the driveshaft, then pull the slip off the front DS. IIRC, the slip joint was keyed so it would only go on one way (one of the slip joints was keyed anyway. There is another one at the transmission). So I need to remove the U-Joint rotate 90* then re-install and test drive. If the slip joint is not keyed, should I just adjust 1/4 turn then test? If this does not work, I'm taking the truck to a shop to check over everything, perhaps something is just out alignment from the axle switch. THanks
If you had the drive shaft separated and it isn't keyed, you'll be in a trial and error situation rotating splines one by one if it isn't keyed. Look closely, it may be match marked if not keyed. The other thing is the center bearing. I had one on a Chevy that was rubber mounted, and the rubber deteriorated allowing the drive shaft to wiggle way more than it should have, and actually hit the frame with a pretty significant clunk when the clutch released. (Also shook enough to churn butter.) The 90 deg rotation might have to be repeated at the front if it doesn't work on the diff end.
This is the part to rotate. if you took it completly aart for the tranny too then it my need to be spun over. Yea Im not sure if he marked it when taking apart, but those are balanced and need to go back the same as they came off, and the carrier bearing Ghirt is talking about can cause it to, but if it didnt do before change, then im guessing the shaft was not put back the same as it came off, just a guess, been there done that. I also had a pinion gear wear bad enough that when you got to 50 mph it sounded like the transmission was growling really bad only between 50 to 65, then it would ease up on each side of those speeds. rebuilt the pumpkin on the rear end and it went away.
Another way of marking your driveshaft with paint to ensure that it gets reinstalled the way it came out as to not knock off the balance of the driveshaft.
