The SLuT, part Dieux

No Moa wrote:

toomanytoyz wrote:

IMPALADAKID wrote:

Matt Trakker wrote:

It's a 14 bolt, that's why it still "works", lol.

What he said. It almost looks like the magnet that should be bonded to the diff cover.

It's not. It's the spacer that goes under one of the spiders for sure.

So there is no spacer under one of the spider gears? How the hell does it even move? I would have agreed with Billy, and said the magnet.

Correct. It just floats, moves up and down at will. Explains the weird chuggy-groaning noises coming from back there sometimes.

Here's hoping it holds together for just a couple hundred more miles.

Think it really needs a whole new rear end? Is it a posi? Maybe get away with just cleaning it out real good and some new spiders? I'm no expert just been there before...

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That does look like the magnet that is sometimes laid in trans or engine oil pans.

I assume you checked it for magnetism, they are not very strong magnets, just enough to attract the small ferrous debris floating in the gear oil.

But the inclusion of a magnet like that in any kit is usually accompanied by a little tube of glue so it may be permanently bonded in there.

I believe the spacer bearings behind spider gears are spherical and have little oils retention dimples or partial slots in them.

They also determine the spider gear backlash clearance to a fairly close tolerance.

Did you or your mechanic inspect the teeth on both the ring gear and the pinion gear?

The hole in the middle is too small to fit behind the side gear, and I haven't been inside a late (egg-shaped) GM 14 bolt in several years.

I prefer the two previous HD versions, like the 10.5" unit with a 6 bolt pinion support flange, or the (pre73) monsters, where the "ham" drops in like a 9" ford.

Does your 14 bolt have the Gov-Lock feature, , , Hope not! . . I think they are also SPID designated as G80.
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Edit: I went back and looked more closely at your photo, and it DOES appear to show signs of having lived as a thrust spacer, by the circular shiny "wear" pattern.

Later on, I will look in some of my FSMs to see if I have an exploded view of that unit, like the collection of books covering my 2002 3500 dually.

Matt Trakker wrote:

Think it really needs a whole new rear end? Is it a posi? Maybe get away with just cleaning it out real good and some new spiders? I'm no expert just been there before...

Why bother when it's so cheap to just get a complete, bolt-in replacement?

Found a complete posi rear end for my truck today for 400 bucks. Including delivery to my mechanic! Woot! 400 bucks to upgrade to a posi (gov-bomb ) isn't so bad.

$400, what'a bargin.

Good fo' you, kehd. I bet you can sell the old one on CL too...

Bill, What was the outcome of the rear diff. situation?

I swapped in a used complete rear end.