Battling the Hydra...

[showbizkid]

Some of you might remember my tale of breaking off a bolt in Barney's rear end a couple of weeks back, whilst tightening up the bolts on the cover to fix a steady drip. Which stopped dripping, leaving my driveway clearn.

Well, last weekend I figured I'd better top off the diff lube, so filled it up and drove around... to find the pinion seal leaking nicely when I returned. (Sigh.)

So I took it to my driveline shop (in biz over 35 years and highly trustworthy) and told them I needed the pinion seal replaced, and while you're at it, let's pull the axles and pack the axle bearings. Quote: about $400.

Well, I get a call back from Jerry this afternoon. Seems there was a bit more to be done than I'd expected. Because the diff lube ran low due to the leaks fore and aft, the pinion bearings probably ran dry and feel like gravel. Gotta replace those, so need to disassemble and service. Also, found the U-joints looser and sloppier than I had thought they were, so those gotta get done as well.

They didn't get the axles out yet to check the bearings... but did find, when dismounting the rear wheels, that the tire shop who mounted my Chrysler steelies cross-threaded the wheel studs. Chewed 'em up pretty well... so those will need to get cut out and new ones mounted.

All told, my $400 job should run about a grand

On the bright side, I don't have a car payment!

[GThawkwind]

I know how that goes. My Daily driver spun a rod bearing. I'm a mechanic, my brothers a mechanic, his good friend is an ex machinist. We'll do it ourselves so it'll be cheap! Yeah right bearing set 60$, oil pump 50$, well there's the parts not too bad! But then there's the crank needed turned, and it munched a rod, a full gasket set, it needed a new water pump all these parts needed shipped in too, and then the belt was bad and the plugs were fouled, and pretty soon I stopped counting so I could pretend it wasn't that expensive. That's life though right?

[JimC]

...On the bright side, I don't have a car payment!

That's a good thing! We gave up having debt a few years ago. It's nice, because when something breaks we don't have to decide between paying the bills and replacing the broken stuff. Now if we could only set aside a little more every month, I might not have to work til I'm 80!

Have you considered that it might be more cost effective to just replace the rear axle? If you've got a 27 on there, there are people who will virtually give one of those away. Even a 44 is going to cost way less than a grand installed.

[GThawkwind]

That's a good thing! We gave up having debt a few years ago. It's nice, because when something breaks we don't have to decide between paying the bills and replacing the broken stuff. Now if we could only set aside a little more every month, I might not have to work til I'm 80!

Have you considered that it might be more cost effective to just replace the rear axle? If you've got a 27 on there, there are people who will virtually give one of those away. Even a 44 is going to cost way less than a grand installed.

Really for that kind of money you could go TT, what did it come with?

[showbizkid]

Ha... it's GOT a 44 TT

[GThawkwind]

Ha... it's GOT a 44 TT

Well in that case for the money I would go with a freshened(you know new seals, pinnion bearings) Dana 44 TT........but thats just me.

[showbizkid]

Update: talked to "the old man" (shop owner, and the only guy who gets to work on old or oddball vehicles) Friday and he told me that after completely disassembling the rear axle and thoroughly examining everything, the rest of the axle looks good - no crunchy axle bearings, no fractured spider gears, etc. They've spent the last week getting the hard parts needed to rebuild, and I should have Barney back by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, if all goes well.

Gotta tell you, after two weeks without my Studebaker, I'm really going through withdrawals . Even my wife says she misses the car... and that's an unprecedented milestone

[JoeHall]

Sounds like you do not do your own maintenance, so must rely on others' honesty & competence. The u'joints, pinion seal, pumpkin seal, and re-packing of bearings would take maybe six hours, but never know what else you might run into in the course of routine maintenance. Guess labor adds up fast.

How much oil did you need to add when you topped the differential off?

Did they mention any problems with the rear brakes?

[showbizkid]

Joe, I do my own as much as I feel comfortable with. Although I am capable of tackling most mechanical issues, there are situations that induce me to farm out - such as a pinion seal and bearings! I don't have the tools or space to commit to that sort of operation, and there's always the "wife factor", a/k/a, "I thought you said it was only a two hour job; why is my driveway covered in parts?"

No issues with the brakes; I had that system completely done by a personal friend about 3 years ago. I put in about a pint when I filled the diff - it was obviously much lower than I thought.

[sweetolbob]

Posted by showbizkid

I put in about a pint when I filled the diff - it was obviously much lower than I thought.

IIRC 3.8 pts capacity so still about 3 pints in there so the issues should be limited to what you describe. Bob