Chevelle updates

[VintageMusclecar]

THANK YOU STEVE!!! I've been looking for that exact info and haven't been able to find it! Mine's a `95 2500 series gas, and that's exactly what mine's done--wears out the front brakes and barely uses the rears.

Since I'm not registered on that forum, I can't get the .pdf to open. Is that forum a quick register site or do I have to wait for admin approval? Is there any way you could send me the .pdf file?

As far as getting the Chevelle back on the road, I have another 12 bolt ready to go under the car. It's a Nov. `66 dated unit (the car is a December `66 build) I bought from our own Scuncio a couple of years ago and had built with a rebuilt posi, a 3.73 gear (the car currently has a 4.56 which I originally installed with the intent to test back-to-back against a 3.73), a Mark Williams billet drivers side carrier cap and Strange street/strip axles (with c clips). Obviously I'm not going to cut the `66 rear for c clip eliminators, but the current 12 bolt is a garden variety `68 unit, so repairing it and upgrading to c clip eliminators is an option.

I need to crunch the numbers and see what it'll take to "bullet proof" the `68 rear end--billet cap, c clip eliminators, top shelf differential and race axles vs. going to a Strange bolt-in S60 Dana rear end. I really don't want to go with a 9" Ford, but if worse comes to worst it will be a consideration.

At least I can get the car back on the road quickly for now, will just have to forego trying any super-hard launches.

[VintageMusclecar]

BTW, I owe a MEGA-HUGE thanks to Sam Griffith and to Doug Perry!

Sam came out to spectate and Doug was running the Green Monster. Both came to my aid to push the car back around to the access road, and Sam even went so far as to retrieve my Suburban and trailer for me--even had to back it down the access road several hundred feet, which was MUCH appreciated since yesterday was my first time ever towing a trailer, and my back-up skills are still in need of refinement. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/frown.gif[/img]

Doug rounded up a few big dudes from the staging lanes to come over and help push the Chevelle back up on the trailer (no winch and no come-along--won't make that mistake again!)

So again, THANK YOU to Sam Griffith and Doug Perry (and the random mystery dudes from the lanes)!

[mockingbird812]

Well it was perfect Wx for test and tune. Now if only the car cooperated. It was nice to see you and Rachel and Doug. I'll post some photos later.

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VintageMusclecar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">THANK YOU STEVE!!! I've been looking for that exact info and haven't been able to find it! Mine's a `95 2500 series gas, and that's exactly what mine's done--wears out the front brakes and barely uses the rears.

Since I'm not registered on that forum, I can't get the .pdf to open. Is that forum a quick register site or do I have to wait for admin approval? Is there any way you could send me the .pdf file?

</div></div>

It's a great website. You can register pretty quick there without grief. I am NJsteve there, too.

If we could figure out a way to post PDF's it would be much easier here... I printed it, scanned it and now am posting it for your reading pleasure. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/grin.gif[/img]

The article was from 2001 so GM knew about this when the trucks were still new and under warranty. You can probably ignore the brake shoe set part # portion of the update as any modern set of rear shoes cross reference to that part number now (15 years later).

This TSB was the subject of numerous lawsuits against GM, who refused to acknowledge that a defect existed and only repaired the problem if the customer complained of the &quot;truck pulling to one side under heavy braking.&quot; If those magic words weren't used, the dealers refused to replace the metering valve under the TSB. NHTSA tried to get them to admit to the problem and issue a voluntary recall (much like the rusty brake line issue) but GM fought them all the way. And the Bankruptcy and reorg meant that they never had to do anything about he problem after the bailout in 2009.

When I did the metering valve replacement I also replaced all the rear brake parts via rockauto.com. Got a great price on the 50-lb. brake drums and all the assorted hardware. Probably didn't need to replace the drums since they were never used in all those years but I had already ordered them and it would have cost me way too much to ship them back. Those drums can be a @%#%$ to remove - they tend to freeze to the axle hub. When we got my drums off we noticed that the shoes had never fully applied in almost 20 years. They were glazed with age and still at full thickness. I replaced the wheel cylinders, springs and shoes just in case they were frozen up from sitting so long. BTW, the wheel cylinder bolts and bleeder screws are real fun to get to with the heavy duty leaf springs so close to the backing plates.

BTW you could just swap that 10&quot; rear with the full floating axles and 13&quot;x3-1/2&quot; brakes from the Suburban into your Chevelle and it should take the torque quite nicely.

[earntaz]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: earntaz</div><div class="ubbcode-body">9&quot; next? </div></div>

Eric mentioned he is contemplating a Dana rear. Always like the look of a Dana peeking out from underneath a Chebby!</div></div>

Yep -- that will work just as well ... TAZ

[VintageMusclecar]

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

[VintageMusclecar]

Well, there's good news and &quot;I'm not too sure&quot; news:

Popped the cover off and no chunks fell out...matter of fact, I couldn't see anything wrong with the carrier or the gearset at all.

Here's what I did find...the &quot;good news&quot;

Drivers side axle:



The passenger side axle appears to be undamaged, I don't even see any twist to the splines. I couldn't get the remnant of the drivers side axle to slide in far enough to dis-engage the c-clip groove, so I had to pull the whole carrier out.

Thank <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline">GOD</span></span> the carrier pin retainer bolt didn't break!
[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/eek.gif[/img]

Here's what was left of the drivers side axle:







Again, the ring &amp; pinion appear to be undamaged:




Here's the &quot;I'm not so sure&quot; news--

While turning the diff to get the U joint strap bolts out, rotation felt very &quot;clunky&quot;. As soon as the driveshaft was disengaged from the rear end, the ring &amp; pinion rotated freely.

I've had enough for today so I'm not going to check it right now, but if that new transmission is hurt, the car's going to a 400 Turbo.

More sometime over the weekend.

[SuperNovaSS]

Eric,

Sorry for the bad news. Glad to hear about the good news. I can't imagine the transmission and the rear going at the same time but I guess i the car was really biting it is possible. You are an awesome guy but I don't see us going to Vegas together.


Jason

[PxTx]

The glass is clearly half-full. Glad to see it was an axle. A reasonable fix, and I'm optimistic for you and the trans. Thanks for sharing and quickly posting the carnage pics.

[njsteve]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: VintageMusclecar</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Well, there's good news and &quot;I'm not too sure&quot; news:

Popped the cover off and no chunks fell out...matter of fact, I couldn't see anything wrong with the carrier or the gearset at all.

Here's what I did find...the &quot;good news&quot;

Drivers side axle:









</div></div>

Crazy question but what is the brown stuff on the inside of the broken surfaces? Is that rust? If so that would indicate a preexisting fracture that was old enough to rust. Or was it the residue from you pounding it out of the carrier with something?