ChrisAU's '98 ECSB K1500 Build Thread

[bluex]

Now, it seems that the rear wheel bearing failure was so loud it was hiding a bit of a rear end whine. I think it may be the carrier bearing on the side that had went bad, the axle was so chewed up it had to have put an undesigned strain on that carrier bearing. Struggling with whether I want to go ahead and get it fixed or wait it out a while. I can get its done now for between $550-$750...idk.

Chris, you've had everything but the carrier out at this point. You could pull that and have the new bearings pressed on it and reinstall. It should go back to the same position with the factory shims and be fine. Just a thought to save you some $$, Pulling the carrier really isnt to hard. You should probably be able to have the bearings pressed on for $20-40 I would think. I put a different carrier (LSD) with new bearings in my S10, used the fatory shims and it was perfect. I wasted that money on the shim kit I bought. It really should be just a simple R&R to change the bearings and that price seems steep to me unless your changing all the bearings and getting new gears......

 

[ChrisAU]

Well I just ordered a new Yukon master kit after talking to Randy's Ring & Pinion, found a local shop that will do it all for pretty cheap. I just don't have the time or place to go into that again.

I did get my new passenger inside door handle installed, works great!

 

[ChrisAU]

Well I think I got the slow coolant leak fixed...while playing with the lower hose some more I noticed coolant on the top of the fins molded into the radiator wayyy above the lower hose. Hmmmm what could that be? Well there is a plugged nipple on that side, and I wiped the bottom of it with my finger and sure enough it was very wet. So I loosened the clamp on the plug and to my surprise it slid back a lot, about 1/4". I tightened it back up good, so hopefully that is done now!

Also pulled the DRL fuse, ain't nobody got time for that haha

 

[smrr1]

i forget. fuse 14 or 15? use to pull them all the time. now i just don't really care they are on. you are going to have a new truck by the time you're done with this one.

 

[ChrisAU]

Fuse 15

 

[96-1500]

Chris, you've had everything but the carrier out at this point. You could pull that and have the new bearings pressed on it and reinstall. It should go back to the same position with the factory shims and be fine. Just a thought to save you some $$, Pulling the carrier really isnt to hard. You should probably be able to have the bearings pressed on for $20-40 I would think. I put a different carrier (LSD) with new bearings in my S10, used the fatory shims and it was perfect. I wasted that money on the shim kit I bought. It really should be just a simple R&R to change the bearings and that price seems steep to me unless your changing all the bearings and getting new gears......

x2. Even I've done this and if I can do it, anybody can. Really quite easy. I didn't even get them pressed on or off, carefully cut the old ones off the carrier with a grinder (very carefully), beat them off and tapped the new ones into place using an old socket or something. Just make sure you get the torque right on the carrier bolts and everything needs to go back where it was. I did it in my gravel driveway.
Just a thought.

I can't speak for your work/financial situation but if I could save $400 doing a job myself and do it in an afternoon, I made time.

Either way, hope you get 'er straightened out before long. Having rear ends blowing up sucks. Happened to me twice on my 1500.

 

[ChrisAU]

With the time change I can't do this in my apartment complex parking lot, and I need it done before I travel for Thanksgiving which leaves me with one hour of daylight after the kits comes in (next Tuesday) which would be next Thursday afternoon. Just gonna drop it off Tuesday night.

 

[ChrisAU]

Alright well I'm dropping it off tomorrow, getting the rear end rebuilt basically, water pump, lower radiator hose, and t-stat replaced, as well as new shoes on the rear. The ones on it are pretty much non-existent thanks to the failed rear axle seals that have coated them in gear oil.

 

[ChrisAU]

Alright, new ring and pinion on the way...grrrr.

 

[Rewind]

Enjoy your new rear end.