More rear end woes :\ Need help!

[Spidey]

Left for work and got about 2 blocks from home, and there was a jerk and POP and now a clunking that is wheel-speed dependant. The front drive-shaft and front axles are not in, and nothing appears wrong with the rear driveshaft. I'm thinking maybe a rear axle shaft but I suppose the wheel would come out right? Any ideas?

 

[Spidey]

Looking over it more, it appears there is now fluid leaking out where the rear driveshaft flange meets the rear end.

 

[Spidey]

Picking up another complete rear axle for $275 from my buddy at a salvage yard Friday, going to drop the one on the Jeep tomorrow, guess I'll find out what it is then.

 

[ThunderbirdJunkie]

Pinion bearing let go or what?

 

[Spidey]

That's what a friend had said to me. This being my first vehicle with a rear axle, I'm not all that familiar, but I will be soon!

 

[Warren.fischbeck]

Does it move under it's own power?

 

[Spidey]

It does, I was very easy on it limping it back home though, but it seemed to accelerate fine, just a very loud clunking.

 

[Warren.fischbeck]

Sounds like a pinion or ring gear tooth broke, but I've been wrong before...

 

[Warren.fischbeck]

Good thing you have a friend that earmarked that other rear-end for you.

 

[Spidey]

Definitely a good thing, ***** they can't get it pulled til Friday but I'll live, he has worked at the salvage yard as long as I've known him, his family and the family that owns it are very tight.

I'll post my findings tomorrow when I pull the rear axle, going to keep it for anything salvageable. The thing that ***** is I just sent payment yesterday to Mike(Inc) for his 3.73 R&P, knowing mine were bad(just whining) but I figured they'd hold up til his got here, doh!

 

[Spidey]

Got the thing dropped in about 2 hours, not bad at all, hardest part was honestly getting the brake lines undone from the brake assemblies.

So what I found was a spider gear came apart, not sure why or how, when I changed the fluid a few weeks ago everything appeared and felt fine, but who knows with the muck being in there. I fished a few chunks out, going to disassemble the rest tomorrow. Here's a few pics for everyone's enjoyment, lol:

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images