Am I justified in my frustration?

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go-fish

go-fish

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I bought what I was told was a GOOD “rebuildable core” 68-70 B-body 8.75 from a member here.
I was at a swap meet and was neighbors with the Chrysler Performance West member’s space ( not an official CPW Club space). I spied an 8.75 rear over there and asked what it was and was told it was a good rebuildable core out of a B-body for $350. CPW is a good club and I trust them.
Sounded great so I paid real quick but had to get back to a customer at my swap space. Throughout the course of the day when I was away they brought it over. I kind of ignored it until I went to load it in my car.
When I was loading it I noticed it was seized up. Pinion and axles don’t spin. Well, they were gone already and $350 is still a decent price if I can free it up, right?
I get it home and start working on it. I slide hammered the fvck out of the passenger axle and it’s not budging. The backing plate nuts were missing so someone’s already tried this and gave up I think.
I decided to fill the rear up with WD40. Looking at the pinion gears from the fill hole reveals very rusty gear lands. I was able to get the driver’s side axle out but the pinion won’t spin and the passenger axle is still stuck as it ever was.
This is where it gets very frustrating. I go to dump the WD40 out of the drivers side axle tube and out comes a slurry of WD40 and seeds and acorns!
I have been in touch with the seller and he says the guy he got it from had the axle out and he put one back in. Ok, how long was the axle out to get that rusty and full of mouse food? Which axle was taken off? I bet it was the one that came off easily. The passenger axle and gears were exposed to the elements for how long? All questions the member won’t answer.
I know the definition of a core but this is ridiculous. I’ve used heat, penetrating fluid, and been slide hammering this thing for days. Pinion and axle still stuck. I loosened the third member to try to create some play. I even pulled against this axle, very briefly, with a truck. I decided quickly that I didn’t want to warp the axle if I could get it free and abandoned that idea. I might go back to that idea if a couple more days of soaking in WD40 doesn’t work.



[URL]https://youtube.com/shorts/phnY8A11yog?feature=share[/URL]

 
Its allways buyer beware, you could have easily saw that it was seized before you bought it. I'm sure in the excitement of finding it, you were just hoping for the best. That being said, it IS a rebuildable core, gears, bearings, axles and differentials are all available new. It sucks, but I can see both sides of the story!
 
Looks like you got your money's worth and sounds like your doing everything within reason to get it apart. We've all had our share of Jackie Gleason Sav-A-Buck capers which this sounds like it may become which will add insult to injury if you've got to abandon and purchase another.

Is this a Suregrip rear and what's the 3rd member #, I think with persistence you'll get it apart but at what cost to the internal components.
 
I know it’s buyer beware and totally accepting of the fact that I should have tried to spin the pinion. Just frustrating as all heck, especially since this guy is a fellow member. I do feel he wasn’t “up front” as he could have been.
 
Man that blows... Doesn't matter what anyone else feels. If you are frustrated with the deal, that's your prerogative.

Lessons learned. Core means different things to different people...

"Trust but verify" always... Hope you get it worked out.
 
We always attached a length of chain to the wheel studs and attached a wheel or other heavy item to the other end of the chain. Then you just throw what ever you used away from the axle. Worked every time. Now, that being said. The housing was still always attached to the vehicle. No reason you couldn't make it work though. Bet it comes right out in less than four throws. Depending on your beef and how pissed you are at it.


Slide hammers are for city boy's.
 
Blind Squirrel said:
We always attached a length of chain to the wheel studs and attached a wheel or other heavy item to the other end of the chain. Then you just throw what ever you used away from the axle. Worked every time. Now, that being said. The housing was still always attached to the vehicle. No reason you couldn't make it work though. Bet it comes right out in less than four throws. Depending on your beef and how pissed you are at it.


Slide hammers are for city boy's.
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That’s a pretty darn good idea!
 
All 8.75s have a center spacer captured by the cross-pin. The longazz punch idea will not work.
My guess is that the clutch is seized on the axle splines.
Or, if a cone-type, then possibly the two splined parts are slightly out of sync, and or also seized on the axle splines.
I think you will have to rock the axle back and forth, with the pinion locked, to break the rust-bond.
Just guessing.
 
go-fish said:
I know it’s buyer beware and totally accepting of the fact that I should have tried to spin the pinion. Just frustrating as all heck, especially since this guy is a fellow member. I do feel he wasn’t “up front” as he could have been.
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You gotta watch people.... I got popped on a motor last year and am now hesitant about any purchase anymore. I blame myself for not taking 30 seconds to really look at it but the seller seemed like a square egg and I was overwhelmed with other things in life..... It sux and we move on. Nothing else to do....

JW
 
Any chance that you could return it and get your money back? Try pounding the axle in. Maybe you can shock it loose. Or stand it on end and pour Evaporust in in. Leave it in for about a week and give it a try.
 
I have been trying in contact with the seller today. I don’t know if he saw this thread but I do know he has integrity. He PayPal’ed me a hundred. He obviously didn’t think it would be in this bad of shape. He still wouldn’t answer how long the Diff was exposed out in the elements but he did admit that it was sitting outside with one axle removed before he got it and put the other axle in it. It WAS long enough for it to get thoroughly rusted and become food storage for mice though. Who knows how many times it got rained on before he reinstalled the axle.
When I first contacted him he didn’t believe a word I was saying then I sent him the video and pics.
He either started feeling guilty or maybe he just wanted me to go away.
If this thing comes apart undamaged the $100 will go to a ring and pinion cause I can tell by looking through the fill hole the pinion is rusted to **** and can’t be reused.
I do have an S60 that is A-body spec in my mini tubed 70 ‘cuda I’ll use if the 8.75 housing end or 489 case is shot.
Been wanting to do a 9” floater in the ‘cuda anyway.
I’ll give the WD another day try the chain and weight idea, and last resort is back to pulling on it with the truck. Maybe get a gallon of PB Blaster too.
What I WON’T do is put the one axle back in and sell it as a “good rebuildable core”, LOL.
 
replicaracer43 said:
Its allways buyer beware, you could have easily saw that it was seized before you bought it. I'm sure in the excitement of finding it, you were just hoping for the best. That being said, it IS a rebuildable core, gears, bearings, axles and differentials are all available new. It sucks, but I can see both sides of the story!
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It’s buyer beware, but when ur a seller knowing he is ******* over the next guy is not. I take everyone at their word which actually meant something years ago. Did I get fucked over? U bet. Did I ever get any compensation? Sometimes. Anybody that had that should of been upfront about it’s condition. I hope this member chimes in. I’d like to hear his side of the story. Kim
 
oldkimmer said:
It’s buyer beware, but when ur a seller knowing he is ******* over the next guy is not. I take everyone at their word which actually meant something years ago. Did I get fucked over? U bet. Did I ever get any compensation? Sometimes. Anybody that had that should of been upfront about it’s condition. I hope this member chimes in. I’d like to hear his side of the story. Kim
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His take on it ‘Buyer Beware’. He says I should have inspected it closer. I should have.
I would like if he chimed in and finally answered how long the rearend was open to the elements before he reinstalled the axle and sold it. Obviously it was a long time.
He admitted that he got it from someone who had the axle out, he got it from them and put an axle in. On what evidence is he going off of saying it was a “good rebuildable core”. He lied to make a sale. Wouldn’t be a good sales strategy to tell people up front about the rearend spending a lot of time opened up to the elements.
 
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Put the plug back in the center section and fill the tube with diesel. Let sit a day or two. Then slide hammer out the stuck side. Hope it works out.
 
Double up on what Blind Squirrel was telling ya. Chain one axle shaft around a GOOD tree. Chain the other axle to a good ol 4x4 truck with low range.... It'll come apart! Oh, yeah. Take all the fasteners loose first. Lol!
 
I don't know. I see "rebuildable core" a little different here. Opinions vary, but MINE is on a rear end a rebuildable core "should be" one that may need every bearing and seal, but the ring and pinion as well as carrier and axles are in salvageable condition. You know. All the "hard parts". ESPECIALLY for $350. Bearings and seals are wear items. I mean, when any of us here do a complete bearing and seal replacement on one what do we call it? "I rebuilt the rear end".

But yup, you bear a BIG (perhaps half.....maybe more) responsibility for not inspecting what you bought. $350 is a lot of money to "me" and no matter who it was, I would have inspected it. It sounds to me like it was a $100 housing, axles and backing plates. Or, did you get backing plates? I didn't see any.

All "that", PLUS it's not right for an A body. You've got easily a grand worth of parts and work ahead of you. That's the part that should be on your radar. IMO, you've got a $100 piece of a rear end there.

Maybe the seller doesn't know how long it was outside. Honestly though, does it matter? What the HELL will that change at this point? Nothin.
 
RustyRatRod said:
I don't know. I see "rebuildable core" a little different here. Opinions vary, but MINE is on a rear end a rebuildable core "should be" one that may need every bearing and seal, but the ring and pinion as well as carrier and axles are in salvageable condition. You know. All the "hard parts". ESPECIALLY for $350. Bearings and seals are wear items. I mean, when any of us here do a complete bearing and seal replacement on one what do we call it? "I rebuilt the rear end".

But yup, you bear a BIG (perhaps half.....maybe more) responsibility for not inspecting what you bought. $350 is a lot of money to "me" and no matter who it was, I would have inspected it. It sounds to me like it was a $100 housing, axles and backing plates. Or, did you get backing plates? I didn't see any.

All "that", PLUS it's not right for an A body. You've got easily a grand worth of parts and work ahead of you. That's the part that should be on your radar. IMO, you've got a $100 piece of a rear end there.

Maybe the seller doesn't know how long it was outside. Honestly though, does it matter? What the HELL will that change at this point? Nothin.
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I’m right there with ya Rusty. To me a rebuildable core would include a good ring and pinion not rusted to ****. See the first pick. My big error was taking someone for their word because they’re in a reputable Mopar club and he’s a member on this forum. Figured he would care about reputation and representation of his club.
In the back and forth emails we shared he started listing prices of all the individual parts of an 8.75 rearend saying I should be happy I got such a good deal. Axles-$100. Yeah, if I don’t have to damage one pulling the damn thing out. Third member -$350. Okay, if I could get it off and the thing isn’t too heavily pitted on the machined surfaces. Backing plates - $50. Yes, they’re there and they might just end up being the only salvageable part.
He thinks I should feel lucky to have got such a “good” deal. I’ve got quite a few hours labor in this thing and have only got one axle freed. I’ve got $25 dollars worth of WD in it. About to have $23 worth of PB in it. I thought the ring and pinion is good to use from a rebuildable core but that’ll have to be another $150.
Most of this guys posts on here is For Sale ads. I’d be suspicious of anything this guys selling now.
 
go-fish said:
I’m right there with ya Rusty. To me a rebuildable core would include a good ring and pinion not rusted to ****. See the first pick. My big error was taking someone for their word because they’re in a reputable Mopar club and he’s a member on this forum. Figured he would care about reputation and representation of his club.
In the back and forth emails we shared he started listing prices of all the individual parts of an 8.75 rearend saying I should be happy I got such a good deal. Axles-$100. Yeah, if I don’t have to damage one pulling the damn thing out. Third member -$350. Okay, if I could get it off and the thing isn’t too heavily pitted on the machined surfaces. Backing plates - $50. Yes, they’re there and they might just end up being the only salvageable part.
He thinks I should feel lucky to have got such a “good” deal. I’ve got quite a few hours labor in this thing and have only got one axle freed. I’ve got $25 dollars worth of WD in it. About to have $23 worth of PB in it. I thought the ring and pinion is good to use from a rebuildable core but that’ll have to be another $150.
Most of this guys posts on here is For Sale ads. I’d be suspicious of anything this guys selling now.
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I guess he figures all your labor for blasting it apart with dynamite and cleaning everything up is worth nothing. Oh well.
 
go-fish said:
I’m right there with ya Rusty. To me a rebuildable core would include a good ring and pinion not rusted to ****. See the first pick. My big error was taking someone for their word because they’re in a reputable Mopar club and he’s a member on this forum. Figured he would care about reputation and representation of his club.
In the back and forth emails we shared he started listing prices of all the individual parts of an 8.75 rearend saying I should be happy I got such a good deal. Axles-$100. Yeah, if I don’t have to damage one pulling the damn thing out. Third member -$350. Okay, if I could get it off and the thing isn’t too heavily pitted on the machined surfaces. Backing plates - $50. Yes, they’re there and they might just end up being the only salvageable part.
He thinks I should feel lucky to have got such a “good” deal. I’ve got quite a few hours labor in this thing and have only got one axle freed. I’ve got $25 dollars worth of WD in it. About to have $23 worth of PB in it. I thought the ring and pinion is good to use from a rebuildable core but that’ll have to be another $150.
Most of this guys posts on here is For Sale ads. I’d be suspicious of anything this guys selling now.
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Can you post pictures of the ring and pinion?
 
....and remember to, these ARE 50 plus year old parts we're talkin about here, so there's "THAT".
 
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