Diesel rear axle help.

[Downeastbeast22]

Hey all feel like I’m about to puke over this so hopefully someone can help. Going thru a real rough patch in life all around and today I found out my axle is trashed.

Gathered parts over the past year and a half to do a 6 inch lift and a bunch of other stuff. Just before taking it off the road to tear into it I noticed the back tires seemed to be locking up. I hoped it would be the rear brakes dragging. It wasn’t. I just now jacked the back end up and took off the rear wheels and drums and my axle has a ton of play it feels like my pumpkin is full of rocks it seizes up and jumps teeth it’s a mess.

TL;DR
My question is what do you guys with experience recommend. I don’t have much cash and live in east bum f*** the truck is a diesel so I don’t want to mess with the gear ratio plus I have a lift kit going in and I want my parts to fit.

Should I replace or rebuild?

What should I keep in mind when doing either one?

Numbers, stamps, tags, measurements, possible junk yard upgrades ie limited slip?

I’m just not sure what to do. I’m a fisherman and the season starts like now so I need this thing done like now and what was supposed to be a brake job and shocks/springs in the rear just kinda got allot worse.

Thanks for any input.

 

[4WDKC]

what gears does it have now, what size tires are on it and what were you swapping on? if you can locate an axle close by that could be the quickest turn around.

 

[Downeastbeast22]

I’m not sure how to I D it. It’s has 8 lug axles it’s a 14 bolt and I found

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[Blue Ox]

Why does everybody who wants to identify a rear take all kinds of pictures of numbers but never the whole cover? I guess they just like doing things the hard way?

Do the drums just pull off or do you need to pull the axles to get them off?

 

[4WDKC]

if its original theres a sticker in the glove box with a bunch of 3 letter codes like G80,GT4 grab all the codes that start with G and look them up, the only other option is to pull the diff cover and locate numbers or count teeth.

 

[4WDKC]

Why does everybody who wants to identify a rear take all kinds of pictures of numbers but never the whole cover? I guess they just like doing things the hard way?

Do the drums just pull off or do you need to pull the axles to get them off?

They think the numbers stamped on things tell the gear ratio like engine/head numbers tell you what it is.

 

[Blue Ox]

I'm going to go ahead and guess it's the 9.5" semi-floater. It's not a particularly good axle, but there's only one avenue to making decisions. Pull the cover off and A) see how bad it is. B) look at the ring gear and see if it has a ratio on it or count the teeth.

Yes, a junkyard rear is the fastest way to turn it around.

The "upgrade" is to swap in a 10.5" full-floater, but they're not usually that easy to find, and there will be a couple of modifications like driveshaft length.

 

[Downeastbeast22]

The drums pull off....

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[78C10BigTen]

I see chunks in the oil... ring teeth look decent, maybe the limited slip setup has puked some parts? If so maybe buy an after market posi, swap ring and put it in?? get @Honky Kong jr in on the advice lol

 

[78C10BigTen]

Looks to be 3.73's if i read that right...

 

[Blue Ox]

Yep, the infamous 9.5". And a gov lock too. Lucky you. How do the rest of the teeth look?

If I'm remembering correctly 11/41=3.73

 

[Downeastbeast22]

Yes blue this is what I’m finding out kind of a **** axle sorta thaught I had a better one.
Anyways looks like the ring teeth might be alright is it possible to just throw in a different traction unit and ring gear.

Would it be worth it to try to swap to a better 14 bolt?

 

[dvdswan]

If you are going to buy a traction unit for the axle, IMO, find a 14 bolt with the same gear ratio and upgrade that one. If this is going to be a mainly off-highway vehicle you could go with a lunchbox locker as a cheaper option.

 

[Blue Ox]

You may be able to gut the Gov bomb and use the rear with the open differential to get you going for now. I'm not 100% on the technicals of that. I junked my Gov bomb along with the rest of the rear after it went bang.

You may be able to search it here. I know it's been done before. I not someone else will probably jump in here.

Regarding an upgrade, unless you're going mountaineering or racing I would avoid a locking rear. They have some undesirable characteristics in a street vehicle.

 

[Downeastbeast22]

Yeah I deffinetly will not be going the Lincoln locker route. An open diff would be ok but I would prefer to get a different better designed axle that will all but bolt in. If it’s a better axle that I could put a limited slip or eaton unit in or something later that’s fine.

I’m putting a 6 inch lift consisting of ord custom springs a shackle flip their sway bar disconnect kit new shocks and 35’s

I’m planning on some adventuring with my family some trail use mostly on the road but capable to play when I want is what I’m trying to accomplish.