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05-28-2010, 10:58 AM
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#1 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: louisville, ky
Posts: 502
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Axle swap chaos
Swapped the 10bolt/14ff with 4.10's out for 3.42's. After installing the rear axle I go to check the bearings and found outer portion of spindle on one side to have been damaged and cut/welded, poorly done with signs of misalignment. So I take both axles to local place to swap 3.42's into good housing, but these guys are slow and not real interested. So I find another 3.42 on Craigslist for $100 bucks out of 2wd 3/4 Suburban. He shows me a sticker from glovebox with 3.42 option on it. When I take the axle apart the ring gear is stamped 14*45--3.21 ratio--which I verify by counting teeth. I had heard these existed but never seen one around. So I'm back to square one. I could swap in a 3.23 front, but I assume that would be pretty hard on my NP 203, especially with lots of highway miles. It would be fine maybe with a 465/205 which may happen some day, but I'm not sure I want gears that high anyway. Any opinions or other front axle options? If nothing else I'm learning the hard way I need to be less stupid when buying stuff off Craigslist.
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05-28-2010, 04:43 PM
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#2 |
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Local Redneck Authority
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 584
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Re: Axle swap chaos
Why not set the gears up in the good housing yourself? it'll take a bearing puller, indicator and a gear setup kit. Use some emory paper to hone out your old bearings for setting up the new shims, then press your new bearings on when everything is set right.
 The best way to learn is to just do it, right? |
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05-28-2010, 05:53 PM
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#3 | |
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just can't cover up my redneck
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Columbus OH
Posts: 11,414
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Re: Axle swap chaos
In 3 sentences, you made that sound a whole lot easier than it really turns out to be....
Pay a professional.....and use synthetic lube, that is the simple way.
__________________
You can review the site's rules here. Quote:
Bad planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an instant emergency on my part.... The great thing about being a pessimist is that you are either pleasantly surprised or right. 
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05-28-2010, 11:16 PM
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#4 |
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: louisville, ky
Posts: 502
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Re: Axle swap chaos
Maybe I could do it, but I have no time to learn a new skill right now. I eventually found a local shop where the owner was my kind of guy. I delivered the two housings in my '70 Suburban and we ended up talking for hours, mostly about all the '67 to '72s we've had. The high point of my day was when I was picking up my axles from the other place. The surliest guy there reluctantly helped my load them in my burb, and I accidentally smashed his finger between a spindle and the tailgate. I laughed all the way home.
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