2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Looking for differential shop in AZ

[SVanDyke]

Hello everyone, I"m hoping someone out there has a suggestion for this problem. This morning when I was pulling out of the driveway turning right I lost something in the rear end. There was not a bang or pop or anything, just stopped getting power to the ground. The truck will still roll freely, but when it's in gear, the driveshaft spins but the wheels are not receiving power. So it looks like probably the ring and pinion. This isn't a common thing is it? I couldn't really find any other threads on it. If anyone knows of a good shop in the Phoenix AZ area that can do a good job setting up a ring a pinion, I would appreciate it greatly! By the way, it's a 1999 3500 5sp Dana 80. Thanks!

 

[Straight6Jeff]

Is there fluid coming out of the pinion flange? Could be the spider gears let go. Do you have a lsd? Could also be a broken axle shaft.



Do you have the time or space to pull the cover and shafts?

 

[SVanDyke]

As of two hours ago, there was no fluid leaking anywhere. The truck has the camper package, and I'm pretty sure it has the LSD(it always makes a mess out of our gravel driveway). So with the LSD it would have still tried to move I think.

 

[SVanDyke]

Also, when I arrive home from work, I'll pull the cover and see what's inside.

 

[SVanDyke]

Ok, got the diff cover off and the ring a pinion look fine, from what I can tell the axle shafts are ok as well. the tag on the diff cover said limited slip lube only. when I spin the driveshaft, the pinion turns the ring gear , but there is a clunking noise from inside the limited slip housing, this is as much as I can tell so far, I'm going to try and get a better look at the spider gears, but they look fine from what I can see also.

 

[SVanDyke]

Ok, I made a bonehead move..... I forgot to release the parking brake last night when trying to spin the wheels. This morning, with the truck in gear, the driver side wheel will not spin(because of LSD), but the passenger side will, and it makes a clunking noise. When spinning the passenger side and viewing the open rear end case, nothing is turning and the spider gear on the inside isn't either, so looks like broken axle shaft. Anyone have any idea how much one of these might run? Are they hard to replace? Thanks.

 

[Straight6Jeff]

If it is a broken axle shaft, they are easy to replace. Pop off the ccenter trim cap, take out the 8 9/16 bolts, and pull the shaft out. depending on how much of the shaft is remainng in the carrier, you might be able to ge a strong pole magnet to fish the piece out.



You don't even have to take the wheels off to get the axles out.

 

[SVanDyke]

Thanks Straight6. Any ideas as to why this might have happened? Seems that a one ton should have some pretty tough components. I rarely tow anything, and when I do, it's only around 2000-3000 lbs total. And don't drive the truck all that hard. Anyone else have this happen?

 

[SVanDyke]

Well, sure enough, it's a broken shaft, about 5" from the outer flange. Bummer. Anyways, replacement shafts are rarer than gold around here. Nothing else looks out of whack. Any ideas as to the cause? Thanks!