here's the passenger side......NICE AND DRY!

 

here's the drivers side.......all wet with grease......and I dot see it coming from the backside of the wheel cylinder.......would this be the rear axle seal?

 

Could be axle seal or wheel cylinder or both. You will have to pull the drum and find out. Either way easy fixes and not the end of the world! Youre southern cars sure are a lot cleaner than our rust belt cars! Ours would be nothing but rust underneath!

 

are you loosing brake fluid? If so then you need a wheel cyl. Check teh fluid in the master cyl. and see if your low.

 

Thats a good idea....I never thought about that...I just looked at it this evening...nope....fluid still the same ....changed it about 1 1/2 years ago...maybe a little low...but thats normal..right?
Im going to do a change and flush later....

 

when I hit my brakes the grease causes the rears to lock up......dangerous if you ask me...

I went to Advance and got the drivers side axle seal..is this all I need?

 

should be no visible change in the fluid over time, expecially over a time of one year or so, which is realatively short. Id pull the drum off and check t he cyl. just to be on the safe side.

 

You might as well change the other side axle seal as well. If that one is leaking the other one has had just as much use. Youre not that far away work wise from changing it. New brake shoes might be in order as the originals are probably grease soaked, you just cant get that stuff of the shoes, it soaks right into lining.

 

I think I found the leak........heres a pic of it...is this the axle seal leaking or the bearing leaking or both?

 

Is this where the axle seal is....or is this the bearing? thats what it looks like...the bearing..

 

I just took all these 5mins. ago

Look at all the grease all over my brake shoes...

OK, when I remove the axle.....do I just undo the C clamp that under the diff. cover and then just PULL on that part with the lug bolts? or is there more to it than that?

or do I have to undo all that brake stuff?

 

Thas about all there is to it, just don't lose the clip, sometimes they're a PITA reinstalling, also don't let the pin get locked up where the oil flings back around in the front of the housing. Once it's apart you'll understand-very easy fix.

 

locked up? whadda mean? just un-blot and bolt right back on, right?

 

It's an easy in and out deal. I had 2 rear ends and was making 1 out of them, 1 drum the other disc, 1 a 2 series the other a 3 series, blah blah. I put "the one" together and could'nt get the rotor on the one side, my buddy moved one of the 4 axles and I had installed 1 drum brake axle and 1 disc brake axle, Tore it apart and there's a set screw that hold the pin in, I had the pin rotated in the wrong position and it slipped down. On top of the rear end housing inside there is a "tunnel" that feeds the diff oil back onto the pinion and the pin slid down into the tunnel part and I had a hellava time gettin it up enough to rotate the assembly around to get at the c clip. Basically a brain fart, trying to work too fast and too many spectators.

 

Is rear end fluid clear ...new? I know its back and smells when used...Im just try to figure out from where the leak is if its rear end grease? cause when i touch it its clear...........from my first picture that shows the leak.

 

i hate, no, detest the smell of gear oil. Youll be able to smell it. Hard to describe. The best way to find out what it smells like is to drop the eight or ten bucks for a bottle of it ant take a whiff. Might as well get the oil, always good to change the gear oil if your there. The oil should be quite viscus with a light to dark brownish color to it, depending on how much its used.

 

if its quite thin and doesnt smell to strongly then its probably the brake fluid leaking down onto the axle.

 

hey, once I take the C clamp off does and slide out the axle....does the axle seal and bearing come out attached to the axle or does it stay attached to the rear end housing? I got a place that can press it on for me ...but I dont understand how it all fits togther.... I have a 10 bolt 73 posi if that helps..

please let me know...thanks

I am going out there tonight and drain the rear...and I'll take some pictures of it...

 

are these the bolts that I take off to get the axles out? once I take these bolts off are any springs and Sh*t going to pop out? or is it just remove bolts, slide out axles? Please let me know....

is the carrier or what ever its called going to fall out once those bolts and axles are removed? Im just scared about doing this,,,but I guess thats how you learn....

 

I looked in my haynes manual and it says to remove this, which is called the "lock bolt" is only 1 bolt? I only see 1...does that 1 bolt lock both axles?



and it doesnt say anything about the bolts in my previous picture....so I guess I dont take them out,, huh?

 

are these the C-Locks? (marked in RED) it doesnt give a good picture in the manual?

also what are these marks? (in WHITE) are these normal?

 

The white marks are something left over from assembly. Harmless.

How to take it apart: remove the one little bolt with the 5/16" head, that has the white arrow and circle in one of your pics. It retains the pin. Slide the pin out. As long as the pin is there, the axles can't move inward, because the pin is in the way. So when the pin is out, push one of the axles in; the C-clip will probably fall out. They are up in the side gears, where you have the red circles. Once the clips fall out, the axles will simply slide out of the tubes.

It's the perfect example of something having nothing holding it together, it just can't fall apart as long as that little tiny bolt is in there.

You don't have to disturb the 4 big bolts beside the carrier.

The axle and bearing on the side that leaks are almost certainly wasted. Compare the axle to the other side to be sure. To remove the bearing, get a piece of ¾" or 1" electrical conduit, stick it through the axle tubes, and bonk it out from the other side. Tap the new bearing in gently; once it's all the way in, to put in the seal, use a piece of 2x4 laid flat against the seal with the seal perfectly straight and ready to go in its bore, and one strong blow with a BFH to put it in. Don't try to tap the seal in around the edge, it will leak every time doing it that way.

 

Alright , that "one bolt" is what keeps the pin in place and helps keep the axles from walking. Remove that little bolt, think it was a 10mm, and then you have to pull out the pin, this will allow u to push the axle in-towards the posi unit- and give it a little room to remove the c-clip-yes the ones you have circled are correct. Once you remove the c-clip the axle will slide right out, the bearing should remain inside the axle tube itself, if it comes out then it should be replaced as it's not supposed to. Once the axles out remove seal, reinstall new seal, lube around rubber, and slide in axle, then reassemble. You really have to shove the axle in quite a bit in order to reinstall the c-clip, sometimes it can be a pita. Everything about the rear end is so very simple, it just seems intimidating if you've never done it. You should have no problems, and if ya do that's what we're here for and your buddies, shops, etc... Son't worry, peice of cake.

 

Okkie dokkie.....I sure hope so...
hey and thanks a bunch guys.
The rear is so intimidating specially if you havent ever mess with it...Ive changed the rear grease before but never thought I would be taking my axles out...




I thank you all...:hail:

 

Oh yeah... the piece of conduit needs to be about 6' long.

 

I went outside and looked at it closer, are the C-Locks attached to the part with the springs? That looks to be one whole piece?
Am I correct?

 

No, that's part of your posi, the clips are all by them selves.

 

Well then where are the cilps? I looked but couldnt see them....I had my wife move the axles in & out but couldnt see the clips? Are they in the picture or in that same area?


are they behind that spring thing?

 

Did u take the pin out and then have her push the axle in, it should be "just inside" of the spider gear there-unless it fell out already-yes they do just fall out if the clip was in the right position, you should be able to see the groove near the end of the axle that the clip slids into-if it's not there, start fishin.

 

Might even have to tap the hub with a hammer to get it to go in far enough, like I said, they can be a real pita sometimes

 

No I havent taken the pin out...Im going to wait till the morning to start...I just want to know what Im getting into..

I was just looking to see if I can see the clips...So they are not visible until I take the lock pin out?



So they are farther in on the axle as IHI says?

 

 

Thank u Vader-pics say a thousand words

 

After looking at VADER'S diagram..(Thanks Vader) once I take the Lock Pin Bolt out, I have to slide the Pinion shaft out...(does it slide out easy)
Then the axles can move freely in/out and then I can see the C-Clips....
you know what sucks is the bolt is on the opposite side of the shaft and the clips where all the work is done.....MAN I hope I dont screw this up....


Guys seriously, sorry for all the questions and thanks for all your HELP....

I learn so much from ya'll........:hail:

 

You guys arnt going to believe this!....The Fu**ing Lock Bolt for the Pinion shaft is stripped!........My rear is drained and I dont know what to do....
You guys got any ideas?

The place where the bolt is is so tight.........I need to get it out.....


%&%&#&%)(^* Damn I so pissed at myself....






If you guys dont have any ideas, how would a garage take it out? Say if I had to get it towed there....

 

try and take a swivel socket that has the right size socket on it and hit it on there with a hammer but enuff to where it will lock on the bolt or try a smaller socket and hammer it on there and then see if that works.

 

If you mean the head of the bolt is rounded off, you may still be able to use a ¼" drive, 5/16 socket to turn it out. You *might* be able to hammer a 7mm socket onto it - an 8mm is just a bit bigger than a 5/16. If that won't work, try a set of Vise-Grips® to loosen it. Still no luck? Try a hammer and 'cold chisel' to get it turning. As a last resort, you may be able to (carefully!) tack-weld another bolt to the head of it and turn it out using that.
Hopefully that bolt comes out in one piece, unlike one of my past experiences:


PS: pick up a new retaining bolt at the parts store...should be less than $5. Also a new set of brake shoes and some brake cleaner; do not reuse those shoes....
Hope this helps...

Pete

(oops....image was a .gif not a .jpg)

 

I went to the store: Advance, Auto Zone and the Chevy dealer and got all the stuff I would need...2 cans of brake cleaner, 2 cans of degreaser, Drivers side axle seal and bearing, differential cover gasket, drum brake bearing grease, 3 bottles of GM rear gear oil and 1 bottle of GM posi additive. Cant get the new brake shoes til I get the old ones off...That was going to be my last job...

I was all set and ready to tackle this beast...


Then the damn bolt rounded off...Ive already went and got a pair of needle nose vis-grips but they wont hold....

I have no clue....doesnt Craftman make some kind of socket that will take rounded off bolts loose.?


How much tork does that damn little bolt got?...


DAMN!!!...

thanks guys..........

 

What I always do, is to use a 6-point 5/16" wrench, and a hammer... a few taps and it usually backs right off. I haven't broken one yet. A 12-point tool might trash the hex.

 

I hate to even tell you this but all 3 that I took apart that day came out real easy like they're supposed to, I wonder if someone was'nt in there before and maybe locktited it? like posted above it "should've" easily come out with 1/4" drive ratchet and socket. There have been many times this has happeened on other bolts I've dealt with and like mentioned earlier, get the next smaller socket-6 point of course and hammer it on, it'll be tough since it's close quarters in there, but what else ya gonna do? Make sure the socket is a "name brand" cause I've seen all too many taiwan and china sockets that are'nt exact, plus the outside diameters of the cheap sockets are usually bigger than say a name brand like Mac, Snap-On or Matco, they use better material and can get away with smaller sidwalls, and ALOTA of times that "little bit" is all ya need to get onto a bolt or a nut square. Let us know what ya figured out.

 

Ditto. Always use the box-end of a 6-pointer for that bolt. Even though you think it is rounded off, a 6 point wrench might work if you make sure it is fully seated onto the bolt head.....

Also, no need to have it towed to the garage if you can't get the bolt out. Just replace the cover and refill it and drive it there. But before you take it there and get raped, try everything you can think of to get the bolt out (don't worry about hurting it since you already have a new retaining bolt sitting on the bench, right? ).

 

I'll tell you what, that SOB lock pin would not come out....whoever thought of making those DAMN 12 point wrench outta be shot....cause that what I used to try and get it out...
anyway after going to Advance back and forth...all day me and my back door nieghbor was like...we need someone with a MIG welder but my friend wasnt home and the neighbor down the street wasnt home.........SO!...we ended up yankin out the rear end so we could take it some where and try the weld crapp.! After we gotta it out the neighor with the mig welder showed up and we welded a wrench to the bolt and OUT IT came...easy too! Pissed me off.....went thru all that work,,,,if I would have just waited 2 hrs I could have done it while the rear was in the car...but no thats its out, I painted it and cleaned all up under where it sits...


TRIAL & ERROR!!!....I learned the hard way .....broke a sway bar bolt....


NOW ,,,,whats I good way to ge the bearings and seals out?

also when I put my springs back in, should I have marked where they were...cause I did but I cant find the mark anymore...


thanks guys and sorry for the long wait on my progress..



once again I say you guys have been a great help!

 

 

how in the heck am I going to get a piece of conduit thru that liltte hole...and around those springs? I thought about that from you last post.....wont I mess something up trying to jam that in the hole?

 

other than the piece of conduit and getting a bearing puller. which auto zone or advance doesnt have.....how can I get em out?

 

You don't need a bearing puller.

You need a piece of conduit.

Just do it, you'll see. If the axles will fit through the tubes, so will the conduit.

This really isn't rocket science, or even brain surgery. You stick the conduit through the axle tubes and stand on one side and just knock the bearing out on the other side.

What do your axles look like?

 

WELL DAMN! I finally got the bad axle seal and bearing out...it was a pain...must have been heated in there from all the years...I had to cut part of it with a roto zip tool...and then twist it out with a pair of needle nose pliers. A friend let me borrow a dent puller and theat wouldnt do it until I had it broke loose with the cutting tool.....anyway,


do I have to grease the new bearing with that bearing grease? Like the front bearings?
Someone told me that I dont have to just maybe put a dab of rear end grease on it to get the lubed a bit....and work it in...

true?


Im not EVEN! going to mess with the side thats not leaking..."if it aint broke dont mess with it" if that eventually starts then I'll know how to do it...

 

LOL after all that trouble and you have it all apart you arent going to fix the other side!!!! come on now dont be lazy fix it!

 

too late!....LOL..........

Doing all that was a pain in the A** for my first time with all the problems I had...............If have to do again, I can probably do in 30mins..

Why in the hell did they put the rear end filler hole in a damn place you cant really get to it. GM...I swear sometimes!!!