This was my final setup, drive side. ...   Thu Mar 7th, 2019 07:18 pm

I *obsessed* over the gear pattern since this is my first one.  Earlier in this thread you can see pics of my different pinion depth/backlash ...   Thu Mar 7th, 2019 07:16 pm

Ding ding ding!  Nothing fancy. ...   Wed Mar 6th, 2019 03:12 pm

Scrambler82 wrote: I know you searched and you wanted a specific gear/posi/rear end size, but why didn't you go Explorer Rear Axle ? The Explorer Axles come ...   Sun Mar 3rd, 2019 10:04 am

She is gross. ...   Sat Feb 23rd, 2019 07:11 pm

So far so good!  Diff is nice and quiet, and runs pretty cool, especially considering it is still breaking in.  Shot a heat gun at ...   Sat Feb 23rd, 2019 07:08 pm

Its under there! ...   Sat Feb 23rd, 2019 06:04 pm

Scrambler82 wrote: Have you run the engine during its layover ? Yeah I have been charging the battery and starting the truck up and going through the ...   Fri Feb 22nd, 2019 08:02 pm

Yup!  On schedule for tomorrow morning.  Got the shop all cleared out and have all the hardware painted and ready to go. I'll snap a bunch ...   Fri Feb 22nd, 2019 08:00 pm

I think it is all going together and under the truck this weekend.  This will be 3 years since it was parked...and it might be ...   Tue Feb 19th, 2019 07:40 pm

Another pic of the ebrake lever fitment: Part number included for reference. ...   Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 05:57 am

I'm thinking Yukon for the axles.  They are made from 1541H and they seem decently priced. ...   Tue Jan 22nd, 2019 05:54 am

Brakes are going back on.  It's a little easier without the axle hub flange in the way. After realizing I had accidentally scrapped my e brake ...   Sat Jan 19th, 2019 12:47 pm

So here is a funny thing: Found a lever that is supposed to be for an AMC 20 axle used on Jeeps that looks almost identical. After ...   Sun Jan 13th, 2019 11:35 am

I am an idiot and tossed out my ebrake levers (that attach ebrake cable to shoe) on my 10" drum rear 8.8 axle.   Anyone have some ...   Wed Jan 9th, 2019 07:49 pm

I'm going to get new axles.  With 200k on the originals they are a little worn. Any recommendations on good replacement axles?   Yukon?  Motive?   Or just go Dorman? ...   Mon Dec 31st, 2018 08:08 pm

Everything is going home for real now! ...   Mon Dec 31st, 2018 02:21 pm

Yeah the difference between holding a .001 and a .0005 on flatness is huge! Thanks for the encouragement.  I'll keep forging ahead. ...   Sat Dec 1st, 2018 08:13 pm

Thanks for the reply! I can see the logic in your suggestions.  I would like to add also that one of the things I've been going ...   Sat Dec 1st, 2018 07:01 pm

Any input on the patterns? ...   Sat Dec 1st, 2018 12:04 pm

Drive side comparisons on the three different setups.  Keeping backlash in spec was not possible on setup three with the .010 shims that came in ...   Sun Nov 25th, 2018 12:09 pm

Coast side: ...   Sun Nov 25th, 2018 09:05 am

Moved pinion further towards ring gear.  Brought the pattern down slightly, made backlash a little tight so I opened it up.   Current setup: Pinion preload 25in/lbs Pinion shims ...   Sun Nov 25th, 2018 09:04 am

My original gears which had a very similar drive and coast pattern, were very quiet (before the contamination of the fluid in the housing) ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 09:13 pm

They are a Ford Racing 4.10 kit.  I would hope the Ford gears would set up nice 😐 ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 09:11 pm

Yep, it's dead nuts .008-.0085 checked in four locations.  My first drop in with factory cast shims had it at .011 so I tightened it ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 06:04 pm

Coast side from original setup: ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 04:35 pm

After looking over tons of images on the internet, it appears that the pattern I have is a lot more pronounced, possibly indicating that the ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 04:33 pm

And coast side: ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 04:10 pm

Got my first gear pattern witness. Great heel to toe contact. Set backlash dead on to .008".  Looks like the pattern is sitting high on the ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 04:09 pm

Made a pinion flange holding tool from some scrap. ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 01:09 pm

Races installed. ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 01:07 pm

All the external work is complete.  Chased threads in axle housing (cover bolts), installed races for pinion bearings, installed axle bearings and seals, pressed on ...   Sat Nov 24th, 2018 01:03 pm

Very good advice. Went with a small 4oz deadblow instead 😉 ...   Fri Nov 23rd, 2018 07:55 pm

First time I've rebuilt one of these, so there a lot of things that are taking me a lot of trial and error.... ...   Fri Nov 23rd, 2018 07:34 pm

Back at it everyone....pics to come tomorrow. Starting to set up the ring & pinion. ...   Fri Nov 23rd, 2018 07:28 pm

Fired it up over the weekend to hear it run.  Love that truck.  Can't wait to get it back on the road, but when I ...   Tue Sep 4th, 2018 08:38 pm

No upgrades, per se,  unless you count the Trac-Lok as an upgrade (which I do, since it came factory with open diff). ...   Tue Sep 4th, 2018 08:37 pm

You and my wife both are trying to keep me out of the shop.  I'm one of those people who doesn't deal well with inactivity.   However, ...   Sun Sep 2nd, 2018 10:48 am

Well, the three day weekend is here and I woke up sick this morning...... Looks like I'll just get some painting done this weekend, not much ...   Sun Sep 2nd, 2018 10:43 am