rear diff

[engineeradam]

I wanted to change my rear axle seals, but after i pulled the rear diff cover off, i ran into some trouble. the kingpin seams to be stuck. is it possible the holding bolt is broke. its only an inch long. Is it suppose to be longer?

[DmaxMaverick]

If you're working on a 59 VW, it's a real bugger.

[engineeradam]

its an 1987 1500 4x4 with a coporate gm 10 bolt

[DmaxMaverick]

The bolt is only about an inch long. How did it loosen? Difficult? It's remotely possible the end seized, but there's not much holding it in, aside of the bolt head friction.

If it's original, the center pin may need a bit of persuasion. Try a punch and hammer.

[engineeradam]

the bolt pretty much turned out be hand. The pin is stuck. Ive smacked it with a punch and hammer a few times and no movement. It seems to be turning in the hole but not sliding.

[DmaxMaverick]

If it's turning, all of the bolt came out. You'll just have to get it past the groove its worn itself into. It's difficult to say without getting hands and eyes on. Has it ever been removed, to your knowledge?

[ronniejoe]

I had one stuck in a Camaro 10 bolt once. The rear end had been run low on oil and the gears had galled badly on the pin. They were nearly welded to it causing the diff to function much like a posi. I ended up cutting the pin with a torch to get the axles out, then replaced the carrier and diff gears when I went back together.

[engineeradam]

I cant get the dang pinion shaft out. I got all the locking bolt out which was broken, but no matter how hard i hit that pinion shaft it'll only move a sixteenth of an inch. Im i missing something? I can't afford a new rear end.:-(

[crashz]

Here's my suggestion: Put a tire on one side of the axle, fasten with a lug nut if you like. Grad ahold of the other axle shaft a work it clockwise and counter-clockwise, back and forth gently about a 1/8 turn or so each way. Careful not to get the tire spinning, cause when the pin does come out, it will stop the diff carrier dead on the case. By moving the shaft back and forth, it should loosen up the spider gears position within the carrier and allow the shaft to slide out.

Don't try this with you hands in the carrier. The weight of the tire will allow some momentum to the gears. And the spider gears of a semi-floater 14 bolt like to chew on anything. Mine ate a small screw-driver, so I can only imagine what it would do to a finger.

When you hear the "klink" of the pin dropping from the carrier, don't even look until the tire is off the other axle.

Good Luck!