The Stupid Axle Questions Thread

[98_k1500]

Can you turn the driveshaft?

 

[michael hurd]

Either remove the bolts holding the half shaft assembly in, or remove the bearing from the knuckle. The bearing may be toast, or maybe the diff is packed up. Easier to tell that way.

 

[SwampHound]

Can you turn the driveshaft?

With the truck in park and 2WD, I can turn the drive shaft clockwise and counter clockwise.

 

[Wagonbacker9]

are the front hubs turning?

 

[SwampHound]

are the front hubs turning?

No, they just sit in place.

 

[MartyW]

Hi to all, Here are my dumb axle questions.

Last year we acquired a 1997 GMC K2500 7.4L 4wd Suburban for towing a camper. It is 8-lug, GT4/3.73 with G80 locker, GVWR 8,600 lbs, with GAWR RR of 6,000 lbs for the rear axle. I hope this is a full floater rear axle but not positive. Are all the 8-lug 2500 rear axles full floaters or not? If not, how can I tell?

We believe that all the rear differential components have the same mileage as the burb, currently at 149k miles, and we changed all fluids to new, including differential fluids, when we got it last year. We want to use this burb on long towing trips, and so, if there is any better-than-standard fluid(s) to put in the rear differential I'd like to do it before we do much towing to protect it as much as possible. It currently has standard GM fluid with additive for the G80 limited slip.

We've pulled with this burb once so far and that was a 6-hour haul pulling about 7,000 lbs through the Tn hills, and the 7.4L & 4L80E handled the load great with no problems. But after that haul I thought I detected a little more/louder hum noise in the rear-end for awhile. It may have been my imagination, but I don't think so, and it seemed to settle down again after a few days of not towing. Anyway, it made me think of trying to protect that rear end for future towing which will be near our book max tow weight of 8k lbs with weight distributing hitch.

All opinions greatly appreciated and many thanks

 

[jps4jeep]

Hi to all, Here are my dumb axle questions.

Last year we acquired a 1997 GMC K2500 7.4L 4wd Suburban for towing a camper. It is 8-lug, GT4/3.73 with G80 locker, GVWR 8,600 lbs, with GAWR RR of 6,000 lbs for the rear axle. I hope this is a full floater rear axle but not positive. Are all the 8-lug 2500 rear axles full floaters or not? If not, how can I tell?

We believe that all the rear differential components have the same mileage as the burb, currently at 149k miles, and we changed all fluids to new, including differential fluids, when we got it last year. We want to use this burb on long towing trips, and so, if there is any better-than-standard fluid(s) to put in the rear differential I'd like to do it before we do much towing to protect it as much as possible. It currently has standard GM fluid with additive for the G80 limited slip.

We've pulled with this burb once so far and that was a 6-hour haul pulling about 7,000 lbs through the Tn hills, and the 7.4L & 4L80E handled the load great with no problems. But after that haul I thought I detected a little more/louder hum noise in the rear-end for awhile. It may have been my imagination, but I don't think so, and it seemed to settle down again after a few days of not towing. Anyway, it made me think of trying to protect that rear end for future towing which will be near our book max tow weight of 8k lbs with weight distributing hitch.

All opinions greatly appreciated and many thanks

Full float axles would have an external hub that has inner and outer bearings that sit on a spindle where as the semi float will have an axle and flange with a single bearing that sits in a race inside the axle tube. The easiest way to tell if you have full float is, (assuming you have wheels with center caps) remove the wheels, if there is a protruding hub with 8 bolts exposed, it is a full float. If you only see the drum and lug nuts, semi float.

 

[MartyW]

Thanks jps4jeep, from that description it is definitely a full-floater.

 

[wutong]

Good post!!!

 

[deadbeat]

I think I am in the right spot. Are the front differentials in a 97 1500 and a 93 1500 a direct swap if they are the same gear ratio? I've searched for over an hour. I found the transfer cases are the same but can't find out about the front differential. Any help appreciated.