8-3/4 with no gear oil :(

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DrCharles

DrCharles

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I screwed up big-time... While building my Dart over a 22 year period off & on, somehow I'd forgotten to put the gear oil in my new Dr. Diff 8-3/4, and it locked up yesterday after driving less than five miles on straight dirt roads at 25-35 mph :(

Got it towed home, pulled the wheels, drums, driveshaft. By then it was cooled down and had un-frozen, and I can turn the pinion, but not with my fingers. I stuck my finger in the hole as far as I could reach and no oil. So at a minimum the pinion bearing is toast, and probably the carrier bearings too. :BangHead:

My plan is to pull the pig (halfway there already) and get a bearing/seal kit from Cass. I had spec'ed the crush sleeve eliminator so I don't have to worry about that. The Sure-Grip should be OK since it wasn't doing anything in a straight line. But what are the chances that my ring & pinion are junk also?

I've never set up a rear before (and wasn't planning to learn this month) :rolleyes: but I'll have to check the pattern and backlash once I replace the bearings. The alternative is to ship that heavy chunk both ways and pay for labor too...

Any thoughts?
thanks
Charles
 
Yup. May as well tear it completely down.
 
Over a span of 22 years, a lot can happen, up to and including forgetting important stuff. No need to taunt the guy for making a human mistake. Best we can do for him is give him the advice he so humbly and bravely asked for.

That said, an idea for the OP. This is how I've always done it and it's still no guarantee......but say you're building one and you do what you did. RIGHT THEN make a tag and put around the steering wheel "NO OIL" in whatever there's no oil in. That will greatly lessen the chances of this happening again. I know it doesn't help now, but maybe on down the road.
 
DrCharles said:
I screwed up big-time... While building my Dart over a 22 year period off & on, somehow I'd forgotten to put the gear oil in my new Dr. Diff 8-3/4, and it locked up yesterday after driving less than five miles on straight dirt roads at 25-35 mph :(

Got it towed home, pulled the wheels, drums, driveshaft. By then it was cooled down and had un-frozen, and I can turn the pinion, but not with my fingers. I stuck my finger in the hole as far as I could reach and no oil. So at a minimum the pinion bearing is toast, and probably the carrier bearings too. :BangHead:

My plan is to pull the pig (halfway there already) and get a bearing/seal kit from Cass. I had spec'ed the crush sleeve eliminator so I don't have to worry about that. The Sure-Grip should be OK since it wasn't doing anything in a straight line. But what are the chances that my ring & pinion are junk also?

I've never set up a rear before (and wasn't planning to learn this month) :rolleyes: but I'll have to check the pattern and backlash once I replace the bearings. The alternative is to ship that heavy chunk both ways and pay for labor too...

Any thoughts?
thanks
Charles
Click to expand...

OH!, that sucks so much I can't even come up with words for it.
 
Wow! That’s terrible but don’t beat yourself up too
bad we all make mistakes.
 
No one got hurt. The car did not get totaled. That problem is fixable. You got off easy. :)
 
Unfortunately, I knew because I have done it myself to a perfect set of 3.91 Sure Grip in less time. I now label everything with a RED "NO LUBE" tag where I can't miss it. See Post #6 above. BTW I hope I am wrong, but that was my experience.

P1010006.JPG


P1010003.JPG
 
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Might be easier to swap another center in and complete the shakedown, then work on the offending unit at your leisure.
 
Thanks guys for the support, but I'm still disgusted with myself for making such an expensive mistake. Although it could have been worse (like on the pavement at 60 mph!)

Here's what the ring gear looks like. Definite wear front and back. In fact it looks like the pattern slid right off the inside of the gear (probably as the bearing got looser). No metal flakes anywhere, but I can't turn the pinion with my bare hand so its bearing is obviously melted. Ring gear backlash isn't horrible - haven't put a dial indicator on it yet.
DSCF0091.JPG
DSCF0092.JPG
What do you think?
 
Just for future reference........

Anytime I assemble a differential the lube goes into the assembly.

If it will not be used for weeks / months etc., I store it on jack stands so the axles can be turned once in a while to make sure the internals stay covered in a protective film of oil.

Case in point. This photo is from an original Dana 60 assembled in 1969. It was stored inside for decades without spinning the axles.

You can see how over time, the moisture that entered via condensation caused rust to the point of pitting on the ring gear that was exposed above the level of the lube.

1969 B-body Dana 60 7.JPG
 
DrCharles said:
Thanks guys for the support, but I'm still disgusted with myself for making such an expensive mistake. Although it could have been worse (like on the pavement at 60 mph!)

Here's what the ring gear looks like. Definite wear front and back. In fact it looks like the pattern slid right off the inside of the gear (probably as the bearing got looser). No metal flakes anywhere, but I can't turn the pinion with my bare hand so its bearing is obviously melted. Ring gear backlash isn't horrible - haven't put a dial indicator on it yet.
View attachment 1715438276 View attachment 1715438277 What do you think?
Click to expand...

Those teeth got HOT. I don't know man. It would always be in the back of my mind if I reused them.
 
DrCharles said:
Thanks guys for the support, but I'm still disgusted with myself for making such an expensive mistake. Although it could have been worse (like on the pavement at 60 mph!)

Here's what the ring gear looks like. Definite wear front and back. In fact it looks like the pattern slid right off the inside of the gear (probably as the bearing got looser). No metal flakes anywhere, but I can't turn the pinion with my bare hand so its bearing is obviously melted. Ring gear backlash isn't horrible - haven't put a dial indicator on it yet.
View attachment 1715438276 View attachment 1715438277 What do you think?
Click to expand...
Ouch!
I have seen worse but that is pretty bad. I would replace the gear set. If you were to reuse those gears they would be very loud and have a short life span.
Sorry, I feel your pain, best to rebuild the whole unit and put it behind ya and forget it ever happened.
Good luck
 
RustyRatRod said:
Over a span of 22 years, a lot can happen, up to and including forgetting important stuff. No need to taunt the guy for making a human mistake. Best we can do for him is give him the advice he so humbly and bravely asked for.

That said, an idea for the OP. This is how I've always done it and it's still no guarantee......but say you're building one and you do what you did. RIGHT THEN make a tag and put around the steering wheel "NO OIL" in whatever there's no oil in. That will greatly lessen the chances of this happening again. I know it doesn't help now, but maybe on down the road.
Click to expand...

CORRECTO MUNDO , I ALWAYS WROTE MY SELF A NOTE AND PUT IT UNDER THE WINDSHILD WIPER , IN FRONT OF THE STEERING WHEEL .
Dammit Ray , I cant keep my caps button off !
 
Already heard back from Cass. Guess he does read his emails on the weekend :)

He also says the sure-grip is probably ok, but I do need new gears.
(And bearings of course).

Looks like I will be learning how to set up gears for Christmas :D
 
A friend of mine did the same thing with a Pontiac Trans Am he rebuilt, multi year process, and the rear was one of the first things he rebuilt. Was so excited when he finally got it running, he started driving it around. Very soon the rear started making noise
 
I always leave out the plug, radiator cap off, oil fill cap off, ....ship it back and just bite the bullet.
 
Put a tag on mine tonight that said NO OIL. This same thing would have probably happened to me too. This post saved my ***.

20160723_223338.jpg
 
Don't beat yourself up, we've all been there in some way, shape or form. Many moons ago when my Cuda was a factory driver I had hastily checked fluids, added some coolant before a drive to my niece's soccer game of which I was running late. On the ride home the car overheated which was odd. Also strange was the color and texture of the coolant all over everything. I rolled the car back in the shop after getting pulled home and as I opened the door looking left my eyes locked onto 2 identical colored jugs on the bench. One was anti freeze, the other... hydraulic oil for the fork lift. Yep, I loaded the radiator with hydraulic oil. I can laugh now and the upside is, that's the day I decided to tear the car down.
 
I'll throw a few bucks to PayPal if that helps you?Get a few other people to follow. And we can make this less hurtful. :)
 
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