Rear end locked up!!!

[Mike]

I always pack my bearings.

 

[sle2115]

Haha, true dat!
I use Kendall Super Blue grease for all my bearings and that stuff is da ****! So I guess I'll pack the back ones with it too from now on.

You won't be sorry. I have done this for a long time and honestly, I have seen NO ill effects. I had a 66 F250 for 12 years or so and it hauled all kinds of stuff with no problems. I've had this truck for a couple years and replaced all the bearings when I did the rear axle, again, it's hauled and hauled as that is all I use it for, and no problems. I used Amsoil grease and gear lube, total synthetic, which is what I use in everything that gets gear lube.

 

[6 Nebraska IDIs]

Pics of the Carnage

Man it was bad. The lock nut was welded to the axle, which screwed the threads up when we took it off. The front bearing failed which is what caused the lock up, and there was plenty of oil in there, it ran out of the hub when we got it off. You can see whats left of the front bearing there, the cage broke apart, all the rollers slid together and welded themselves into one big piece (the thing that looks like the race, IT ISNT) and a few littler ones. The spinning bearing blistered the axle tube pretty badly as well.

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But after an 2 hours of cleaning the threads up, and polishing the tube I think we're ready to put it back together...
EXCEPT, upon closer inspection after curiosity got to me as to what caused that front bearing to fail, I looked down inside the axle tube and the whole inside of that tube is lined with a 1/4" thick layer of fine gravel! YES GRAVEL!
***? We just bought this thing a year or so ago and the guy we bought it from said it had just been rebuilt. I guess it wasnt.
I'd have to say its a safe bet that the gravel was the culprit here.

 

[zpd307]

*** would be the appropriate comment here!

 

[subway]

you sure it is gravel, could be fall out from the bearing failure. you might want to replace that spindle. depending on how hot it got it could have comprimised the heat treating of it.

i would also be tempted to flush out the center incase anything worked its way back.

i have learned unless you know the guy or saw it, never trust anything that someone has claimed to rebuild......

 

[riotwarrior]

From what I see...that spindle is NFG...I would not use it if it was me...or If I had to it would be an emergency trip to get home only.....

Looks like it is time for a new rearend. Those scores are way to deep and the spindle is compromised to a point where I would be cautious of it shearing off under load!

Safety is never expensive......loss of life or limb is!