Broke it already!

[Psycho71]

Was doing a test run in the burb this evening. Took a drive up the road and back just checking things out. Got back into my driveway, locked the hubs, dropped it in 4lo and gouged on it pretty hard. My driveway is gravel. Heard something pop, and then pop again as it was deccelerating. Looked under it and the passenger axle shaft spit the cap of the u-joint out. It was getting dark, so i unlocked the hubs, put it in 2hi and drove it on up to the house and parked it. Not sue what happened at this point. I did lay down under it and turn the front drive shaft, and the driver side axle spins. The passenger side is locked up on the stud for the lower ball joint. So it doesn't appear to have any internal damage.

I see these came in 28 and 30 spline versions. Any way to know this w/o pulling a shaft to see? Am thinking of just getting a new set for it and replacing these. Just not sure what spline I have and don't want to tear it all down and have it sitting immobile until my new shafts arrive. Seems like there are a lot more 28 splines out there, but my luck I would order 28's and need 30's.

It's an '85 K20 burb.

Thanks,
     Jay

[bake74]

     The only way I can tell you to check is raise the front end, pull of the diff cover and count the shafts inside your spider gears, of course you will need someone to turn the axle slowly and you should mark the first one, I have done it this way before so it is possible.
     Do you know what axle you have and get the numbers off it and post them, maybe someone on here has a way to tell with that information.

[beastie_3]

You said the axle shaft is bound up on the ball joint?

[Blazin]

When I bought my new axles for my 10 bolt I had one place tell me there was two spline counts also. I had never heard of this either. I argued with the guy a little, and he swore up and down. I ended up getting mine from Randy's Ring and pinion. The guy there told me there was only one spline count 28. He had never heard of a 32 spline in a 10 bolt! I told him I hadn't either but the I could have been wrong.

[roadrage41]

gm switched from 28 to 30 splines about mid production year 1988

[Psycho71]

You said the axle shaft is bound up on the ball joint?

It's not really bound up. But when the cap let go on the u-joint, it allowed the stub to slip down and come to rest against the lower ball joint stud. This is keeping that side from turning, but since it's an open differential up front, it forces the driver side axle to turn. Not a big deal, but turning the drive shaft by hand, it feels like nothing is hurt inside the diff.

[Psycho71]

All the research I've done so far points to it being a 28 spline. But I'm not gonna chance it. I'll pull one of the shafts today to find out for sure.

[Irish_Alley]

I doubt the cap just came out it sounds like a broken yoke on the axle shaft I think the only time it would be 32 splines if it was in the rear not the front. I was finding axle shafts for my Dana 44 for about 40 bucks on ebay

[Psycho71]

Just yanked one out and confirmed, they are 28spline. Found a local guy on another forum who just replaced his 10 bolt with a D60. Working with him now to get the axles out of his, or the whole thing. Haven't pulled the broken one yet. So not sure exactly what happened yet. Will update when i dig into that side. If the yoke is broken, I'll need a new axle anyway. If not, I'll have a spare set for both sides.

[Irish_Alley]

Do you mean if the yokes broken it means new axle shafts? Not new axles

[bake74]

     I would think if the axle shaft broke it was where it got smaller by the splines, where the spider gears are.

[Irish_Alley]

NA that's solid the weakest part in the yoke it only maybe 1/4"

[Psycho71]

Do you mean if the yokes broken it means new axle shafts? Not new axles

Yes, that's what I meant. Work has been hectic the last few days, no time to mess with it yet. Picking up the complete new front axle assembly Saturday for $50, so I'll have plenty of extra cheap parts! Just hope I can get it all in good running order for a run next weekend. Coming down to the wire on that. Still have to get it tagged and inspected. And get the stupid power window in the tailgate working, again. I wish I could have found one with doors, and not this stupid tailgate!