Found too much traction while I was plowing this morning, I guess.








Looks like I'm heading to NAPA for a strap kit and a new U-joint. And doing some bolt extraction.

 

Yeah, that's an "Ooops" alright.

Might wanna check on availability of the yoke as well... Getting those bolts out can be a real drag.

 

the u joint was probably on its way out to begin with, plowing snow just helped it along...

 

Yeah, but for $160 I'll do my best to get the old ones out first, haha!

Probably. I definitely killed it though; I was shoving back a very large snowbank (We got 24+ inches of blowing, drifting snow yesterday and last night) when she blew. But, at least it crapped out in my own driveway instead of across town at a client's!

 

160 bucks? Holy smokes... That's outrageous. I think I paid around 30 for my front one when I snapped off some bolts.....

 

I hadn't shopped it around too much; when I called NAPA to check pricing & availability on the joint and retainers I had them check on the yoke too and he said he could special order it in for that. If it actually needed to be replaced I'd be looking someplace like Rock Auto or the local scrap yards first, I think.

But, the old bolt actually came out pretty easy. I just welded a nut onto what was left of it and it backed right out.

 

Mine always break off flush, or slightly below the surface, and then snicker at me when I try to remove them.....

 

Ouch. That does suck, when that happens. And extractors never seem to get the job done; they just break off and make it that much harder to drill out the broken nub.

BUT...
What sucks more is that the straps popping were just a symptom of a deeper problem...Apparently my spring perches were rusted and collapsed, which let the axle wrap about 20 degrees, and it stretched the U-bolts at the same time. So it looks like I'm doing some more extensive repairs than I was originally expecting
Check out the angle on that diff cover...

 

It would make fluid changes more effective.......

Yeah, you have some work ahead of ya.

 

Glad I've got a welder, I guess. Got a replacement set of universal 3.5" spring perches in the mail yesterday, so tomorrow I'll have to take her apart and get working.