Rear differential help

[marshjosh93]

I think my rear differential is locked up. Destroyed my u joint and the bracket to the pinion. Replaced it. Tried to pull off very gently and it blew apart again.
It's a 95 k2500 cheyenne 4x4. I found a 95 1500 4x4 for parts. Will the diff gears out of this fit into my diff carrier?

 

[df2x4]

Do the differential covers have the same number of bolts and look the same?

AFAIK the K1500s usually got the 8.5" 10 bolt, while the K2500s could have the 9.5" 14 bolt.

 

[GoToGuy]

You really should look this up in parts book for your model and what your thinking is probably a bad idea.

 

[marshjosh93]

I don't know about the parts truck, I have to travel an hour to go get it. Wanted to ask people who would know before I did all that just to find out it won't work.
Goto guy, any particular reason it's a bad idea?
The reason I was considering it was because it was told they have the same gearing. I'm not planning to change the carrier, just the gears. My carrier is fine, I think it's just the gears.

The driver wheel doesnt wanna spin when I try, but passenger side spins just fine. Thus my theory of it being the diff.
Any other suggestions or knowledge would be excellent and appreciated

 

[thinger2]

If you can still read the RPO codes on your truck it will tell you which differential and what gear it has.
On a 94 there is a sticker on the glovebox door with a bunch of 3 digit codes.
Being a k2500 it will quite likely have a "G80" code
That is the famous Eaton Gov lock.
And you need to look at the gear ratio too.
The diff from the 1500 is probably not the same unless it was ordered that way.
And it really doesnt matter to you and your problem.
Putting a NEW gear set into a diff is tricky.
Putting a USED gear set into a different diff is more trouble than its worth.
Especially into a G80
If you want to do it yourself, you would be better off figuring out what diff and what gear you have and trying to find a good one in a boneyard.
And keep in mind a G80 from a truck is not the same as a G80 from a car.
GM used the same RPO code for all "Traction Control" diffs back in the day.
When you look at G80 posts and info online you need to make sure they are talking about the Eaton from a truck and not a diff from a camaro or a Firebird
Not the same.
Personally, I have about 260k on my G80 but I baby the thing.
The damn thing gets its oil changed more often that I do.
Its like a little gremlin following me down the road.
If it is a G80 and its turned into a bucket of shrapnel.
There are a some people here who have gotten rid of it.
I havent done the homework on that yet but I am really interested in that idea.
Hopefully somebody will pop up and fill us both in on that process.

 

[Supercharged111]

So you're not planning to change the entire assembly? Good luck with that. Sounds to me like you ate spider gears or a diff. Crack yours open to see what you have before committing to a fix action. Or just plan to change the whole axle out.

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

An example of a 10 bolt G80 - AKA Gov Bomb

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[marshjosh93]

I appreciate the help guys. I guess I'll tear it open and take a look.
Before I do, I there anything I need to know? If I open it and that's not what's wrong, there's not any major thing I need to know about putting it back together?

 

[thinger2]

I don't know about the parts truck, I have to travel an hour to go get it. Wanted to ask people who would know before I did all that just to find out it won't work.
Goto guy, any particular reason it's a bad idea?
The reason I was considering it was because it was told they have the same gearing. I'm not planning to change the carrier, just the gears. My carrier is fine, I think it's just the gears.

The driver wheel doesnt wanna spin when I try, but passenger side spins just fine. Thus my theory of it being the diff.
Any other suggestions or knowledge would be excellent and appreciated

Have you pulled the rim and the drum off?
Are you sure you dont have a broken brake shoe stuck in the drum?
Did your wheel bearing come apart and jam up that side axle?
Did you pull the cover off and find crunchy chunks?
It does sound like a diff failure.
But no matter what plan you end up with, it all has to come apart.
And look at the evidence when you take it apart.
Is the pinion bearing loose, are any of the parts superheated and purple cooked
Do you have a burn mark or a groove on the axle shaft from it riding out of round on a bad bearing.
That type of thing.
I dont think the parts truck is a good idea.
If I had an identical truck sitting next to mine with the same gear and the diff.
And I had the combined awesome mechanics on this forum here to help me do that swap.
It would take two days and the first day would involve them telling me not to do it.

 

[stutaeng]

First thing's first. Look under at the cover (14 bolt vs. 10 bolt diff. cover) and figure out what axle you have. If this a 2500 8 lug, then you have the 14 bolt 9.5" semifloat axle or the 14 bolt full float 10.5" axle.

If you have the 2500 6 lug, it's a 14 bolt 9.5". The only 1500 axle that will interchange is those kinda-rare 1500 14 bolt 9.5" also with 6 lugs. I think that's correct.

If the donor truck is a standard 10 bolt, nothing will interchange into your 2500.

You need to pop your cover and see what happened first as was stated.