8.8 cross-pin bolts?

[4x4junkie]

You can zip-tie it, it shouldn't spin (and if it does break the zip-ties, you'll know something's up with it).

I'd like to see this tire wear also. Funny tire wear can cause what sounds like a rumble if it's worn right (or wrong lol). Couldn't hurt to try some different tires on it if possible (you've already tried rotating them I presume?).

 

[bottledgt]

OK, got this all apart and partly back together.

The cross-pin bolt looked EXACTLY like Evan's picture. It broke right at the last thread, apparently many years ago (the broken part was not at all fresh steel, and the bolt felt normal coming out, not like it was twisting off). The Fabbri Associates kit took it right out, with the exception that the drill bit is a little too long and the rear stabilizer bar had to come out to accomodate that. It may be far less of an issue on a spring-over axle.

The axle bearings looked good -- the axle shafts are less than perfect (some dull discoloration -- not the bright shiny polish I'd like to see), but don't appear to be pitted at all. The companion flange was not floppy BUT the nut wasn't nearly as tight as it should have been (no more than 40 ft-lbs to remove) and the pinion just fell out of the diff. No press fit onto the front bearing. The bearings LOOKED good, but I think the front bearing has been spinning due to the loose fit. I opted to replace it ($15 for Timken). The new bearing had a nice interference fit; it could be felt pressing in as the nut was tightened.

Questions:

1. I had an unbalanced driveshaft; it has since (and recently) been balanced. That did not make the noise go away, but it did take away most of the shake that had accompanied it. The noise now sounds more like a speed-dependent rubbing sound than a grumbling (I think I was hearing the driveshaft shake). There was SOME shaking still, but much less. Does the front pinion bearing sound plausible for this?

2. I had an extra piece at the end of the day (this does NOT happen often). It's the thin spacer between the companion flange and the bearing. I suspect I know the answer, but I can hope anyway -- do I need to pull the flange and seal off or can I put this thing in the small parts box for the gear swap I'll eventually do (it will be some time)? What purpose does it serve? Oiling? The space was taken up by the crush washer.

3. I had one new bearing and one old bearing. Which preload spec should I use? I opted to the low side of the new spec. It's set at 20 inch lbs rotating now. Is this too tight?

Thanks a bunch, guys.

PS: you guys may enjoy this. My son just told my wife that he pees gear oil (it's synthetic Mobil 1 and it still looked rather yellow).

the front bearing is not supposed to be tight. sometimes they are rusted when you have to beat them out, but you get the point. also, the pinion nut was probably fine when you took it off. removing torque has nothing to do with how tight it was.yes you need to put the oil slinger back in, but you have to put a new crush sleeve in to do so. and 20 in lbs should be ok. id rather be a little on the tight side though. bearings wont get tighter, but they will get looser over time, so i always accomadate for that

 

[MAKG]

Yeah, I bought another pinion seal ($18 -- ouch) and put the slinger back in. It's running now.

I don't often end up with extra parts. Very annoying.

When I took the companion flange off to do this, the pinion slipped out of the front bearing. I was just wrong (another $15 wasted).

 

[bottledgt]

so , youre saaying you reused the crush sleeve and bought a new seal? hope that dont bite ya later. you coulda reused the seal if youre careful.

 

[MAKG]

The only way I could get that seal out was with a 3-foot wrecking bar. It wasn't round when I was done. I suppose I could have done the whack-the-bearing-with-an-axe-handle trick that I do on brake rotors, but I'd rather not drop a new bearing onto the ground.

I reused the crush sleeve because the shop manual said it was OK as long as I checked preload and got to spec at a torque above 160 ft-lbs (I did; it was closer to 220). But I do have a spare crush sleeve just in case. If it backs off, I'll replace it.

I also reused the pinion nut because I simply couldn't find another. With red Loctite.

 

[bottledgt]

you can ease out a seal with a screwdriver and hammer around the outside and pry little by little. the crush sleeve, well, nobody ever really gets it anyways so go ahead

 

[MAKG]

People use replacement crush sleeves enough for Help! to sell them. Same deal with cross-pin bolts. But not pinion nuts (unless you have a GM rear).

 

[bottledgt]

ford has em in stock all day

 

[MAKG]

ford has em in stock all day

But not all weekend. This is a daily driver, and if it turns out to be a problem, it will be replaced properly.

 

[bottledgt]

the nuts not a big deal. you can recrimp the end in a vise to distort the end and apply red loctite. ive done it many many many times in a pinch when that was all that was stopping me from doing the job

 

[MAKG]

I'll check that it hasn't backed off (220 ft-lbs, remember?) after a few weeks. If it checks out, I'll leave it be. Otherwise, I can very easily replace just the pinion nut.

And I won't hesitate if it's a problem.

 

[Mutant Pony]

Did you check the carrier(differential side)bearings? You didn't say that you had. I just did an explorer with a similar problem and that is what it was.
I have removed many of those broken cross bolts through the years. Some I got out with a screwdriver or pic. I have had to cut the main pin out with a torch before.

 

[bottledgt]

the torque means nothing on the nut...never go by the torque...

 

[scotts90ranger]

Napa and autozone had the pinion seal that said it was for the 7.5 and 8.8 for $10, but with the discount I get at Napa I got it for $6.50.

my 7.5 is about toast anyway, when I realized my pinion was a little loose I didn't hesitate much to just replace the pinion seal (was leaking), reuse the nut with some red loctite and crank the thing down, tightened up the pinion and the leak stopped from the pinion at least

and about the cross pin bolt, yep, been there, when I replaced the spider gears mine came out in two pieces, luckily it broke with a thread left like yours and backed itself out with the threaded part.

 

[Pavoner]

Cross-Pin bolt Extractor Kit - north of 49 N??

When I was taking apart an explorer 8.8 the cross-pin bolt broke.

There are bolt extractors made for broken cross-pin bolts. There was a thread on here somewhere. A quick search brought up nothing for me though.

edit:

Think this is what they referred to:

http://www.etoolcart.com/differentialpinionshaftlockboltextractorkit.aspx

Anyone know what store might carry this in Canada (Calgary), I have a leaking Right Rear Axle seal on my truck and would like to do the work this weekend-(doing rear brakes at the same time), I would feel much better about opening up my Diff with this extractor kit in hand, but due to the timing ordering off the net is out of the question...