The Stupid Axle Questions Thread

RTSHauling said:

Do they make new front hubs for a 95 C3500HD with the I beam front axle? All I have been able to find is DRW rear hubs from ACdelco. Thanks in advance!

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Used to be able to easily look 3500HD-specific parts up on Napa's website but they no longer have it arranged that way. From what I can see on their site, GM partsdirect, and Rock, ... not looking promising.

Yours are damaged somehow?

Richard

someotherguy said:

Used to be able to easily look 3500HD-specific parts up on Napa's website but they no longer have it arranged that way. From what I can see on their site, GM partsdirect, and Rock, ... not looking promising.

Yours are damaged somehow?

Richard

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Yeah I was having the same luck between those sites too. Mine arent damaged but I figured it would be nice to just get a fresh hub since im replacing just about everything else in that general area.

What's to go bad on the hub, though? I went through this recently on my 92 3500HD, I had about 1/4" of vertical play in the kingpin knuckle; in fixing that, I also replaced all the bearings and races so the hub is basically brand new now, I can't think of any reason you'd need to replace the hub instead of just fresh bearings.

93 chevy k1500 front wheel bearing question. My first 4wd. Since the truck is 4wd do the front wheel bearings need to be repacked with grease as part of regular maintenance ?

yeehoo said:

93 chevy k1500 front wheel bearing question. My first 4wd. Since the truck is 4wd do the front wheel bearings need to be repacked with grease as part of regular maintenance ?

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4WD's have a sealed "unit bearing" - no repacking. They wear out; you replace 'em.

Richard

Some 8.5 inch, 10 Bolt Rear Diff and JB6 brake questions for a 1999 K1500 Suburban:

What size bolts keep the Cover on the Differential? Parts diagrams that include 4 different options:
1: 11515755 M8(x1.25)x16 Flanged Hex Head
2. 15521977 3/8-16 x 3/4 Serrated Flanged Hex Head
3. 00563592 5/16-18 x 7/8 Flanged Hex Head
4. 12471307 M8x1.25x22.6 Flanged Hex Head

For the cover bolts, are the internal threads on the differential threaded through or are the blind where I should get the exact length?

What bolts fasten the left and right JB6 rear drum backing plates (15650130 and 15650129) to the axle and do they require lockwashers and/or backing/jam nuts? The 8.5 Diff diagrams I've seen have a flange hex heads going into the axle holes (don't know if they are threaded)and fasten with a lockwasher and nut on the other side, but the service manual calls for a lockwasher between the bolt head and backing plate and threads directly into the axle body.

For the anchor pin nut on JB6 rear drum plates: can any alloy 3/4-16 nut work instead of GM's round nut with a flat (P/N 03760300)?

How critical is the length of the 5/16-18x19/32 bolts that hold the Wheel Cylinder to the backing plate? Can I get away with 5/8 long bolts with lockwashers?

Niolin said:

What's to go bad on the hub, though? I went through this recently on my 92 3500HD, I had about 1/4" of vertical play in the kingpin knuckle; in fixing that, I also replaced all the bearings and races so the hub is basically brand new now, I can't think of any reason you'd need to replace the hub instead of just fresh bearings.

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Sorry for the late reply, thats pretty much exactly what I ended up doing. Sandblasted and painted the original dustshield and caliper mounting bracket and threw a new abs wheel speed sensor in. Got it all buttoned up now.

thinking of 10.5 swap from 9.5. i saw that the u-bolt plates have different part numbers but they are discontinued now. can the 9.5 plates be used? are they weaker or something?

Here’s a pic of mine when I was changing the seal

So I’m doing the 14 bolt sf swap. And dropping 4.10s in it. I’m wanting to find a front diff and build it and just swap it in. My buddy has one out of an NBS. My question is, will a front diff out of an NBS truck work in a 96 K1500?