Gordinho80's Rear Axle Upgrade

[Gordinho80]

We got another grenaded 8.0" rear axle.

Happened yesterday leaving our campsite from night 1 at TECORE. Going up a rock ledge, my front diff was not engaged (suspect disconnect/actuator, good thing I just bought a spare). Trying to make it up the rocks, the back spun a little too much and then all of a sudden... BANG, CRACK, POP! This came at the exact same time as a low oil pressure warning from being on the incline. Killed the engine and strapped my truck up the guy in front of me... lowered me back down to level ground. We couldn't see anything broken, so I let the oil level return, started the truck and tried to inch forward, more grinding and then another pop. That one finally punctured the diff cover.

Rory took a bunch of pics and I'm pretty sure James got video of it. Will have to wait until they get back later today to make sure. I took this pic after getting to clearing and making sure I could limp home.



I kept the truck in neutral and winched up part of the hill and then was pulled up the rest and out to a flat clearing. Took out the driveshaft and got the front up in the air to play with the disconnect. We got the front diff engaged and the fronts going. I was able to limp off the mountain in front wheel drive. I got to Advanced Auto, cleaned up the crack, and put some jb weld on to help hold oil. Couldn't get the fill plug off, so I filled diff from the breather tube. Limped home from VA stopping periodically to make sure diff had oil.

So now I'm looking for an 8.6" axle and I'm thinking its time to regear! Found a 2002 Envoy XL axle with 4.10s only about 1 hr from me from an LKQ location. It is listed with 115k miles... no indication of a locker, but it is only listed at $300, so I don't think it has the G80. Detroit and ARB lockers are a little too pricey for me at this time, as I will also have to find a front diff with 4.10s to match.

Any suggestions or words of wisdom for me while on my search?

[fishsticks]

Welcome to the club! I remember looking at a picture just like that of mine.

An open 8.6 is exactly what you want. Go get a No-Slip locker. They are $450ish. I have beat on mine repeatedly with no ill effects. If you're keeping the 4.10's then no need to resetup gearing.

Personally I'd get a rebuild kit for it at over 100K miles, but then you're setting up the gears again, though I suspect they will be VERY close already.




I'd regear your front diff. Finding a 4.10 front is going to be tough.

[Infamouz]

Sorry dont meen to hi jack thread, but since its in topic I had a question. I just bought a open 8.6" axle assembly from Ebay and I didnt pay attention to were it was coming from, so when I recieved it it was full of rust on the brake parts, axle shafts, just the end parts, ect. So my question is will all those parts from my stock 8" axle fit the 8.6 with no problems? Just incase you were wondering or needed to know my stock axle has 3.42 and the new one I just bought has 3.73 and it came off an 02 with 63000 miles, I also intentionally got it so I can delete abs and stabilitrac. And upgrading to 4.56 and locker in future. Thanks.

[Nakashige]

or go to the 9.5 semi float off a ss like hardtrails

[NC_IslandRunner]

So this is just after the diff cover blew


And this lovely shot was Mario removing the driveshaft


Our guts just twisted when we heard the rear go.

[v7guy]

Wish I was down there for that instead of sitting here at work.

[Gordinho80]

Nick's axle is an option... 3.42s so I wouldn't have to regear my front. It also has a No-Slip locker already. I could always regear down the line, as I would have the 8.6 axle already. This would get me up and running a little quicker and easier, I think, but it also is 5 hours away.

[The Roadie]

Sorry to hear.....My Tread Lightly side forces me to ask if you picked up all the oil contaminated dirt. My axle death was on snow so it wasn't quite as hard to clean up. Now I also carry some oil spill kitty litter.

Infamouz: The axles are different - more splines (stronger) on the 8.6". Pretty sure brakes are interchangeable, but not sure about the E-brake parts.

[Infamouz]

Sorry to hear.....My Tread Lightly side forces me to ask if you picked up all the oil contaminated dirt. My axle death was on snow so it wasn't quite as hard to clean up. Now I also carry some oil spill kitty litter.

Infamouz: The axles are different - more splines (stronger) on the 8.6". Pretty sure brakes are interchangeable, but not sure about the E-brake parts.

Thanks Rodie, ill have to wait now and see what im going to do.

[Nakashige]

Mario If you can work something out I have a meeting in wilton ct its ny border southern ct next monday if you can work something with nick I can meet you there

[Gordinho80]

Sadly, Bill, I did not. I realized this well after getting off the mountain. FAIL on my part. I did pick up some trash left behind from others at the camp site.

Ben, that would be absolutely AWESOME! That cuts my trip in half!! Will carrying a 300lb axle be an issue during your trip down?

[Trail X]

Mario, I looked through my video and I had stopped the video right before the fatal blow. I'll try to incorporate as much as I can into the big video compilation. Kenny got some good video of the extraction at least.

[Gordinho80]

Thanks James. Would have been interesting to have video/audio of the grenade... but oh well. I thought I saw Kenny hook up his Go Pro on his rear window when we did the extraction.

[fishsticks]

Infamouz: The axles are different - more splines (stronger) on the 8.6". Pretty sure brakes are interchangeable, but not sure about the E-brake parts.

Brake hardware is the same. I'm using EXT e-brake cables to avoid triggering the e-brakes when getting all flexy. I kept the other hardware off my old axle as spares. It all interchanges. Even the control arms.

Axles are both different spline count and slightly different length.



Infamouz: Rust on the axles isn't a big deal unless it's on the polished seal/bearing surface. Just steel wool it off. Swap your old brake hardware over if you don't want to look at other rusty parts.

[Gordinho80]

Got the axle off...

As James had suspected... the axles themselves were only being held in place by the calipers. Not sure if this was for the entire ride home, but it most definitely was the case for at least some of it, as the brake calipers were a little worn by the rotors. The pass side bearings were shot to hell, you'll see the wear in the rod.







And I just noticed now... when I took the axle off... look at my driveshaft...

[onelow1ton]

Glad to see that the axle held together long enough for you to get home

[Trail X]

Yeah, that's an accomplishment that it was that destroyed and yet still allowed you to drive 6+ hours, some of it being rather rough!

[fishsticks]

So did the right hand bearing cap come apart? It's hard to see in the pic.

You broke the whole carrier, gratz! I just blew apart my thrust block.

[Gordinho80]

I took all the guts out of the pumpkin last night. Going to clean everything up this week/weekend and post pics of everything.

[OregTrailBlazin]

Yeah, that's an accomplishment that it was that destroyed and yet still allowed you to drive 6+ hours, some of it being rather rough!

You don't think the 6+ hours of driving had anything to do with how destroyed it was?