Rear End Questions?????

[Psycho71]

OK, I am going to have to do some rear end work I guess. I was puttiing the new Track Bar in my newly aquired '71 longbed today. I noticed grease on the inside of the driver's rear wheel/tire. At first glance I thought, "OK, busted wheel cylinder, no problem". Then I looked closer after finishing the track bar and could "see" the drum off-center of the backing plate(?). So I jacked up the truck and low and behold, the bearing is out. "Gone" to be more specific. Evidently it has been that way for some time. I just got the truck a couple of weeks ago, and just drove it 1/2 mile to my house. Lucky I had to replace the track bar.


Anyway, I am very mechanically inclined and will do this project myself. I am thinking about changing the ring and pinion, while I'm in there, to 3:73, thinking about it so far. I have yet to get any numbers off of the housing to ID the rear end. I know it is a 12 Bolt, but not the series#. My questions are;


"No Ratio Change"
Is there a website or piece of literature that will have a complete exploded view?

Is it going to be possible to replace the outer bearing w/o disturbing the ring and pinion?

Do you feel it might have damaged the ring and/or pinion?

Any special parts or tools that will be needed? Aside from the Bearings and Seals (and of course, all of the brake parts it ruined)?



"W/New Ratio Gears"

Should I even attempt this myself? I do A/C work. Can presently rebuild any part of this truck except Trans. and Rear End. If I can take it apart I CAN put it back together. I just know there are tips/tricks to anything this specialized.

Any literature or tutorials available? I am not inclined to do this (new gears) until I can find some thing of the sort.

This will be the first of many major projects with this truck. I pride myself on doing whatever I can, myself. And plan on doing everything but the tranny myself if I can. Any help anyone can offer on this topic is more than welcome. I do not need the truck as a daily driver so response time, or the truck's down time, is not ctritical, just that I get it done right.

Thanks again,
Jay