Might want to remove the brake shoes for more room.

 

Yeah, at this point, I would take everything off on that side, (except the wheel cylinder....) Pull the seal, and see what's going on inside. Pretty sure the bearing on that side did indeed fail, probably lack of lubrication, and it got REALLY hot. Think I would start looking around for another axle for that side of the truck, as I suspect it isn't going to be re-usable......

 

Finally got it out nice groove in axle and bearings fell out also. Kinda blows since a shop did this side about 2 months ago and I don’t drive very far. I looked on rockauto for a new axle but they all seem to have slightly different lengths will that matter. Fractions of an inch. Thank you again for all the advice.

 

Well that bearing didn't spin at all ... Any 34 1/16" which is 34.06" (rounded) long axle will work. No idea why one of them is listed as 1/16 longer. I'd probably use the $72 one.

 

That bearing is burnt. Lack of lubrication. I would be having a chat with the shop that did the work, as they obviously screwed it up. My guess is, they didn't put enough fluid back into the diff after doing the work.

 

I'm wondering if it wasn't like this -- or close -- when the other shop did it. They just hammered in a new bearing, ignored the groove on the shaft and sent it out the door.

Or worse yet they just did the seal and nothing else.

If given to the new apprentice kid on a Friday afternoon I could say it's plausible....2 more months of driving later and the groove is REALLY bad since it tends to build a bur on the edge(s) as it wears out the "center"

Either way the shop was negligent or incompetent

 

do these need to come out ?

 

That would be far better thing to do. No risk of old race damage then.

 

sorry I already removed those figured they are repair bearings. All together except for seating the lug studs having trouble getting them to seat all the way. Taking a break from it today at frustration point.

 

I usually just tightened the little nuts as tight as I could using a spacer if I didn't want to use my press