Diff imploaded

[johhnboy]

Ok, so my 90 V1500's diff s--- the bed on me this past weekend, according to the PO both diffs had been rebuilt not long ago, apparently, like everything else the PO told me, this is not so true. No big deal, i expected to re-do this truck myself any way, just not this deep this soon. Anyway, long story short, I need to put new guts in my diff. My questions are these, can I go back with a locker, (should I)? I do tow a tandem axle 16' trailer with 4wheelers and dirt bikes, camping gear etc quite a few time a year approx 500 mi each way in the hills and some minor offroading. Would that make a difference in going with a locker or open? Next, how do i measure the size of the diff, it is a 10 bolt, 3.73 gears, I've seen measurments listed from 7 1/2, to 8 5/8. Is that the measurement across the ring gear or the flange where the ring gear bolts to on the carrier. I've seen some lockers on flebay for some decent $$. Is it worth going with something in the 10 bolt or should I be looking for a 14 bolt. And what is the difference between semi float and full float. Here's some pics of what came out of my housing. You can see where the bearing and sleeve sheared off so the carrier housing is worthless, and the the spider gears are eaten up. Thanks for any input.

 

[HotRodPC]

What size tires are you running in this thing? Must be the weight of Suburbans, but it seems to me, I see more Suburbans with 35x12.50 tires grenading 10 bolts, and even a couple of 33x12.50's. And yep you need a new carrier. Converting to a 14 bolt is not a bad idea, but then you'd need to convert your front axle to 8 lug hubs and you'd need to get 8 lug wheels.

14 bolt Full Float is stronger than 14 bolt Semi Float, but 14 bolt Semi Float is plenty strong and will hold up in your Suburban just fine. Either one out of a 3/4 ton Truck or Burb should bolt right in. Your other option is a later model 6 lug 14 bolt Semi float out of a 88-98 truck and have the spring perches modified to fit your Suburban.

 

[johhnboy]

I am running 305's on it, the PO had 32's. I dont think the diff has ever been touched to tell the truth. That being said, the truck has over 270k on it, original motor, trans rebuilt (supposedly). It runs like a top, doesn't burn a drop of oil or coolant, no drips other than steering fluid, shifts great. Just trying to figure out what to put back in the rear end. After reading my original post, what I meant to say was can I put in a posi carrier not a locker or with it being 4wd is it even worth it.
Also, how do you measure the gear, is it across the ring gear or the flange the ring gear bolts to?
And back to the semi float vs full float, what does that mean? And what is the difference?
Thanks.

 

[Linville33]

From what I have been told the full float you can snap an axle and stay driving on it where as a semi if it breaks it can slide out of the housing(may be talking out of my ass.) My 87 10bolt is the 8.5in ring gear I so I would think the would be the same maybe not

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[HotRodPC]

I am running 305's on it, the PO had 32's. I dont think the diff has ever been touched to tell the truth. That being said, the truck has over 270k on it, original motor, trans rebuilt (supposedly). It runs like a top, doesn't burn a drop of oil or coolant, no drips other than steering fluid, shifts great. Just trying to figure out what to put back in the rear end. After reading my original post, what I meant to say was can I put in a posi carrier not a locker or with it being 4wd is it even worth it.
Also, how do you measure the gear, is it across the ring gear or the flange the ring gear bolts to?
And back to the semi float vs full float, what does that mean? And what is the difference?
Thanks.

Being 270K, and maybe ran low on gear oil, it's possible it wore out the bearings and then the carrier starts walking and wobbling and there you have it. So it's possible it wasn't due to be a weak axle.

Sure you can put in a Limited Slip Posi unit instead of a Locker. Auburn makes a good one, and so does Eaton. Now I forget which, Foamy has pointed out he chose one over the other cuz one is rebuilable and one is not. It's pretty much disposable. Use it till the posi quits working then you buy another one. PowerTrax by Richmond gear also makes a unit that Skysurfer has been real happy with. Is it worth it being 4x4? Hell yes it's worth. If you have front and rear peg legger differentials, you actually are only a 2x4 in my opinion. 1 wheel in the front and 1 wheel in the rear. So a LSD in the rear could give you up 3 wheels, and a unit in the front too, could give you 4x4. I say could, cuz they LIMITED SLIP. If they were spools or Lockers in front and rear, then I'd be more apt to say you'd then have a 4x4. Some like to do Locker in the rear, and a Limited Slip up front so you don't have the torque steer issue near as bad. And then some will do locker front and rear and only lock in 1 front hub unless they need both locked in.

Semi Float is actually carrying weight and is held in the housing by a C clip in the spider gear. The axle is being floated in a bearing. A Full Float Axle can be taken out of the axle without even jacking up the vehicle because it's not holding any weight. All the weight is on the hubs and hub bearings themselves not dependent on the axle to be there. The only thing the axle is there for is to propel the hub and the axle is actually just floating in the hub and supports itself bolted the hub on the outside of the hub.

 

[HotRodPC]

From what I have been told the full float you can snap an axle and stay driving on it where as a semi if it breaks it can slide out of the housing(may be talking out of my ass.) My 87 10bolt is the 8.5in ring gear I so I would think the would be the same maybe not

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This is partially true. If you have a Locker and snap one of your axles in the full float you can keep moving cuz the axle is just floating in the hub. If the Semi Float snaps, you could also keep driving, but it's likely that the axle, wheel and drum will come off the backing plate because the axle is held in at the spider gears with a C clip, where semi float is bolted directly to the hub and can't come out even if broke, and even if it did come out, the hub stays in the place and you don't lose a wheel. Keep in mind, this only true if you have locker

 

[Linville33]

Ahh my uncle briefly explained it to me when I asked the other day so it wasn't as in depth as yours

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[HotRodPC]

Ahh my uncle briefly explained it to me when I asked the other day so it wasn't as in depth as yours

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The reason it has to be a locker or Limited Slip Diff, is because if it were an open or standard differential, and your axle broke, then of course the spider gear with the least resistance or less traction is going to be the one that spins, so the broke axle spider will just spin and the other wheel can't do anything about it. If it's Locked up then both spiders are doing the same thing so even with a broke axle, you still have the other side to propel or move the vehicle. On a LSD, once the broke axle side has slipped (ie LIMITED SLIP)enough, then the LSD will grab the other axle and move the vehicle too.

For a good explanation on the difference between Open Diff, Limited Slip Diff (LSD) and Lockers, this is a good read on this page with some detailed explanation.
http://www.rocky-road.com/powertrax.html

 

[bucket]

If your semi-floater is equipped with a locker and disc brakes, you can keep going too. The caliper will keep the rotor and axle from coming out.

 

[HotRodPC]

If your semi-floater is equipped with a locker and disc brakes, you can keep going too. The caliper will keep the rotor and axle from coming out.

True That Too !!!

 

[Driver4r]

If your semi-floater is equipped with a locker and disc brakes, you can keep going too. The caliper will keep the rotor and axle from coming out.

This reminded me of a kid i know.....
He drove on a front wheel bearing untill all of the balls were gone, then drove it home like that. The only reason the front wheel stayed on was cause of the brake caliper.

It was a 01 1500, nice truck.

 

[bucket]

This reminded me of a kid i know.....
He drove on a front wheel bearing untill all of the balls were gone, then drove it home like that. The only reason the front wheel stayed on was cause of the brake caliper.

It was a 01 1500, nice truck.

Yep, I've seen that a few times. People are crazy, lol.

 

[HotRodPC]

I've seen people drive on rotors chewed up so bad, the smooth surface was gone and it was chewing on the webbing of the rotor. It looked like Sun. I've seen that twice and 1 of those, the drove it until it spit the piston out of the caliper. Now that is bad. How does that even happen?

 

[bucket]

I've seen people drive on rotors chewed up so bad, the smooth surface was gone and it was chewing on the webbing of the rotor. It looked like Sun. I've seen that twice and 1 of those, the drove it until it spit the piston out of the caliper. Now that is bad. How does that even happen?

Seen that a lot too. Even have personal experience with it, not just customer cars that came in. My brother in law used to have an old Bronco, he thought it was cool that a quick tap of the brakes would lock up the LF wheel. He tried to show me, but the wheel locked up and wouldn't unlock... and then shortly after there were no brakes at all. Apparently the caliper puked it's piston right there, because when we removed the wheel, the piston was gone. A few days before, he had heard something fall off the truck and bonce down the road. It was probably the remains of his brake pad.

A few years ago I bought an running and driving S10 just for the bed. The brakes had a slight pull, but other than that everything was fine. When I put the truck on the lift for inspection of what I had just bought, I was somewhat startled. The backside of the LF rotor was gone, yes gone. Even the cooling vanes were half worn away. It was a few things that caused that I think. The caliper slide pins were shot, the brake hose was kinked, and the inside pad had evidently worn down long before I bought the truck.

Anyway, that's how it happens. Excessive neglect.

 

[HotRodPC]

Seen that a lot too. Even have personal experience with it, not just customer cars that came in. My brother in law used to have an old Bronco, he thought it was cool that a quick tap of the brakes would lock up the LF wheel. He tried to show me, but the wheel locked up and wouldn't unlock... and then shortly after there were no brakes at all. Apparently the caliper puked it's piston right there, because when we removed the wheel, the piston was gone. A few days before, he had heard something fall off the truck and bonce down the road. It was probably the remains of his brake pad.

A few years ago I bought an running and driving S10 just for the bed. The brakes had a slight pull, but other than that everything was fine. When I put the truck on the lift for inspection of what I had just bought, I was somewhat startled. The backside of the LF rotor was gone, yes gone. Even the cooling vanes were half worn away. It was a few things that caused that I think. The caliper slide pins were shot, the brake hose was kinked, and the inside pad had evidently worn down long before I bought the truck.

Anyway, that's how it happens. Excessive neglect.

Very Excessive. I can actually seem someone actually getting jail time or a huge civil lawsuit for gross negligence if their brakes failed due to this type of failure. If I was on that jury, I'd be finding for the State or the Plaintiff. Bad brakes is one thing, but to go that far is actually criminal IMO.