Replacing part of an axle tube.

[DeCaff2007]

So, I have found a suitable replacement. Let me say thought, that pretty much every rust belt GMT400 has the axle eating away in that same place, just some are worse than others. I pulled this sucker out of the yard and threw it in the back of my Wife's jeep, because that's all I have to haul things with at the moment. Luckily, she supports this addicting burden of a financially decimating hobby, and only asks that I fix whatever I break.

The first axle I found was only a 5 bolt, from an 89 C1500, RCSB, 5.0. Super clean and would have been an easy pull, but again, only a 5 bolt. Then, I found a 94 GMC 2500... the gauge cluster had the needles as opposed to those silly white bars. Now it's mine. The rear, however, was crustier than my current junk, but the cover had 14 bolts. What's that mean?

When did this go from being fun, to being heartbreaking and painful? I pulled this axle off of a 97 K1500 ECSB that was smashed in on the passenger side. It's pretty clean, it's still got the drum backing plates, and most importantly, it's a posi . Also, the 3+1 leaf springs on the same truck looked REALLY nice, but I had no way to get them off. The rest of the truck was crusty and rotted through. How'd the rear turn out so clean? I pulled the cover and it's got a G80 chunk in it. I have a chunk I'll be using, so this one will go in my 83 Grand Prix... if it will fit.

You must be registered for see images attach

Waiting on tear down and rebuild. Shouldn't be too difficult. I already have most of the parts that I need, and my other set of drum brake backing plates are already sandblasted and painted.

You must be registered for see images attach

It's actually good weather out today, so I should get this blasted sooner than later.

 

[stutaeng]

So, I have found a suitable replacement. Let me say thought, that pretty much every rust belt GMT400 has the axle eating away in that same place, just some are worse than others. I pulled this sucker out of the yard and threw it in the back of my Wife's jeep, because that's all I have to haul things with at the moment. Luckily, she supports this addicting burden of a financially decimating hobby, and only asks that I fix whatever I break.

The first axle I found was only a 5 bolt, from an 89 C1500, RCSB, 5.0. Super clean and would have been an easy pull, but again, only a 5 bolt. Then, I found a 94 GMC 2500... the gauge cluster had the needles as opposed to those silly white bars. Now it's mine. The rear, however, was crustier than my current junk, but the cover had 14 bolts. What's that mean?

When did this go from being fun, to being heartbreaking and painful? I pulled this axle off of a 97 K1500 ECSB that was smashed in on the passenger side. It's pretty clean, it's still got the drum backing plates, and most importantly, it's a posi . Also, the 3+1 leaf springs on the same truck looked REALLY nice, but I had no way to get them off. The rest of the truck was crusty and rotted through. How'd the rear turn out so clean? I pulled the cover and it's got a G80 chunk in it. I have a chunk I'll be using, so this one will go in my 83 Grand Prix... if it will fit.

You must be registered for see images attach

Waiting on tear down and rebuild. Shouldn't be too difficult. I already have most of the parts that I need, and my other set of drum brake backing plates are already sandblasted and painted.

You must be registered for see images attach

It's actually good weather out today, so I should get this blasted sooner than later.

The 14 bolt differential cover axle with 6 lugs is the 14 bolt 9.5" ring gear semi-float axle. It was only found under the 2500 Light Duty trucks with 6 lugs, but some 1500 4x4 with the RPO code F44 apparently also got the same axle. It's a pretty stout axle compared to the regular 10 bolt axle, and a direct swap. The brakes are also better.

...it's what @Schurkey was talking about in post #10...

 

[someotherguy]

Yeah.. the 9.5" 14 bolt semi-floater would have been the score. Maybe go back and give it a closer look, before it disappears. Way stronger than the 8.5" 10 bolt.. just pull the cover first and be sure it's the same ratio as your front end. You can count the teeth, or simply look for the numbers stamped in the side of the ring gear and do simple division. For example you may see a 41 and 10, that's a 4.10. 41 and 12, is 3.42..

Example:

You must be registered for see images attach

While you're at it, from the 94 you got the cluster out of - get the dash harness connector end to the cluster with some wiring, and the connector to the DRAC module (circuit board in white plastic enclosure, hidden behind glove box) and its connector pigtail too; you'll need them to swap that cluster into an 88-91 truck. They are very much not the same setup as 88-91 and the cluster is not a direct swap at all.

Your rear end hunt should be concentrated strictly on 4WD GMT400's; the 2WD 5 lug you found was a poor choice not just for the lug pattern, but it's also several inches narrower than your 4WD rear end. Same applies on the 14 bolt - keep in mind that they came in both 2WD and 4WD versions of the "light duty" (7200lb gvwr) 2500's, and in the aforementioned RPO F44 K1500's. All three of these trucks will be 6 lug pattern, but the 2WD 2500 will have a narrower rear end same as other 2WD's and not a suitable replacement for a 4WD truck.

Richard

 

[Supercharged111]

LD 2500 is what I pulled both diffs out of to get the 4.10 ratio on the cheap. TBI era truck.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Lots of good info here thanks. So, that gauge cluster - it was out of an automatic and my junk is a 5 speed. I don't see that being a problem, however, the PRNDL will always be in P now. That's ok.

Also, the connector for said cluster looks exactly like mine, regardless of the year difference. I won't be able to head back to the yard again this weekend, so let's hope something is available when I go there again.

That 9.5 semi floater, while a good score, looked worse than my current axle. Rotted bad. I only mention that rear because I didn't know what the different cover meant.

Last, but not least, I started to tear down the "new" 8.5 rear, and I always have a Hell of a time removing wheel bearings. The drivers side came out with a slight fight. When I went to pull the passenger side, however, one of the sawhorses supporting my axle gave way and everything came crashing down to the floor. When I say gave way, I don't mean tipped over... the sawhorse BROKE. I've never had that happen before lol.

I've been wanting a set of these puppies, but could never justify the cost:

Auto Dolly M998084 Auto Dolly Engine Stand Axle Adapters | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Auto Dolly Engine Stand Axle Adapters with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Axle Assembly Adapters at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[PlayingWithTBI]

When I say gave way, I don't mean tipped over... the sawhorse BROKE. I've never had that happen before lol.

I've been wanting a set of these puppies, but could never justify the cost:

Auto Dolly M998084 Auto Dolly Engine Stand Axle Adapters | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Auto Dolly Engine Stand Axle Adapters with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Axle Assembly Adapters at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

Meh, you don't need those, just throw your axle up on your little work bench, JK

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[someotherguy]

Lots of good info here thanks. So, that gauge cluster - it was out of an automatic and my junk is a 5 speed. I don't see that being a problem, however, the PRNDL will always be in P now. That's ok.

Also, the connector for said cluster looks exactly like mine, regardless of the year difference. I won't be able to head back to the yard again this weekend, so let's hope something is available when I go there again.

The manual version of the cluster just has a blank plate there with a black sticker on it, easy to do the same with your automatic cluster and remove the indicator needle.

Your truck is an '88, right? If the cluster you got has the same connector as yours, then the truck in the yard isn't a '94. It'll be an 88-91.

Richard

 

[DeCaff2007]

The manual version of the cluster just has a blank plate there with a black sticker on it, easy to do the same with your automatic cluster and remove the indicator needle.

Your truck is an '88, right? If the cluster you got has the same connector as yours, then the truck in the yard isn't a '94. It'll be an 88-91.

Richard

It's an 89, actually, but AFAIK, 88/89 are the same.

That very well could be. I don't look at the VIN's nor the door tags to see what year the vehicle is. The yards around here puts a yellow sticker on the chassis of the vehicle, denoting year/make/model. I'm guessing they aren't always accurate. I mean, if the yard is going by the title (which, by law, the yard can't take the vehicle w/out a title), there's really not much room for interpretation there.

Long story short, I will double check the connector. I don't even need to go back to the yard, as I can check it on my own junk.

That's another project for another time. Right now, I need to concentrate on getting this rear built and installed.

I called it quits yesterday after everything came crashing down. Maybe today will be better.

 

[b454rat]

Dunno where in PA you are, but im just over the border in NY. One junkyard has a metric **** ton of these. Even then they arent that rusty. Must be ur from western part by Erie?

 

[DeCaff2007]

Nope, NEPA. I'm guessing you are referring to Harry's. Yep, we've all spent more time/money there than we care to admit.

Got the axle sandblasted yesterday. Also sprayed it down with Metal Prep. That will keep it from re-rusting until I can rinse the grit off and paint everything.

On another note, I need to start looking for a driver side floor pan and some decent cab mount bushings.

On yet another note, my Wife keeps telling me that this truck is going to look ghetto with the cab being red/black and the bed being blue/gold. I'd love the whole truck to be black. Not sure that that's happening, as I don't know the first thing about auto body, and I'm SURE I don't have the time nor patience to pull it off.