Project hit a snag - broken 14 bolt

[webfoot]

I guess I should have taken the cover off first!

I took the driver's side axle off and no gear oil puked out on me, and only a little on the passenger side. What I saw was disgusting, even for gear oil. I replaced the wheel bearings, seals, and brakes.

Well, I guess I'll be pulling those axles out again!

What are my best options? These gears are rumored to be 5:13s, but I haven't spun them around to see the ratio or count teeth.

How does somebody even crack one of these carriers? (no lube, right!) My brother also just pointed out that some of the teeth are cracked.

[mike16]

broken teath are probably from the bolt heads inside the housing and getting caught up between moving parts

[v30crewcab]

its a gov-bomb. they're known for exploding.

[webfoot]

I think what I am going to do is just throw a used open diff in there now and get a new pinion & gear set. What a heart breaker. For that amount of money I could have bought most of the AC stuff!

[snj8198]

that's too bad but I have seen it often. some 14 bolts are literally junk yard jewels gotten for $100-200, add oil and never touched again. others get the full make over and the kid's college fund and blow up. but the gov-bomb unit is usually the culprit. many here have had their gov-loc 14bolt last forever in stock applications and basic usage. but add tires, torque, towing, etc and they come apart, sometimes in spectacular fashion.

[obijuan]

Scatter-master

[mike16]

master Blaster?

[webfoot]

Originally Posted by snj8198

that's too bad but I have seen it often. some 14 bolts are literally junk yard jewels gotten for $100-200, add oil and never touched again. others get the full make over and the kid's college fund and blow up. but the gov-bomb unit is usually the culprit. many here have had their gov-loc 14bolt last forever in stock applications and basic usage. but add tires, torque, towing, etc and they come apart, sometimes in spectacular fashion.

Just glad I pulled the cover and discovered this before I started driving it. If the fluid that came out of the axle tube didn't look so nasty I probably would have just made sure the level was fine and drove it.

Plus it has that cheesy Spectre chrome diff cover on it and I couldn't stand the sight of it!

[special-K]

A Gov-Lok will last if you know what you have and how to drive it. That didn't describe the average American. If you understand how something works you will avoid destroying it by using it properly. The average numbnut says, "It's got a locker". That used to mean you had a Detroit Locker, now about any traction device gets called that. And, people still run what they call 'locker' like they have a 'Detroit'. I'm not saying it's the best design, and auto makers don't design anything for off road abuse anyway. Its not an off road traction device. It's an improvement over open rear for poor traction instances on the road or on soft ground. I ordered my '92 K3500 with every and any option I wanted. I didn't get the G80 because I wanted my truck beefy for any off road construction work situation. I installed a Detroit Locker when it was about 6 months old to have more than what I needed. Since then, I have had a Suburban and a Jimmy with G80 rears and 35/12.50s. No problems at all. I never took either to the test off road, but they did go off road and into some sloppy stuff that may hang up a vehicle with open rear. When my tires spin, I like to see if I can get going w/o 4wd. With the G80 I usually could. Let the tire spin just fast enough for the ball ramp to engage (and you feel that), then let it rip. This would suck off road all day when you are off and on it constantly. You would be babying that G80 all day long. It's just not an off road play toy rear. It's one that will keep you from getting stuck where most other vehicles would be.

[Bigdav160]

The Gov loc in the 14 bolt has a better reputation than the 10 bolt. That said, the open case has a stronger 4 pinion design rather than the 3 pinion in the Gov loc. With the open case you can add a Detroit design differential.

I run a Gov Loc in my 14 bolt but I'm saving my open case in the event I suffer the same failure.