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1989 Chevy Silverado - new Axleshafts Installed - Photo 27988519

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  • Once the new differential locker was installed, the technician installed the new axleshafts. The original diff cover was cleaned and re-painted black, and each of the 14 differential cover bolts were replaced for a fresh clean look. Notice the small metallic tag installed by the technician; we love seeing this because it typically shows that the installer took pride in his work.
Once the new differential locker was installed, the technician installed the new axleshafts. The original diff cover was cleaned and re-painted black, and each of the 14 differential cover bolts were replaced for a fresh clean look. Notice the small metallic tag installed by the technician; we love seeing this because it typically shows that the installer took pride in his work.
Our donor Chevy Silverado was built in 1989, wore the 2500 badging, and featured six-lug wheels. GM offered this configuration to bridge the GVWR gap between the 1500 and the 2500 series. Today these light-duty 3/4-tons are easy to spot in wrecking yards-just count the lug nuts and cross-reference the model badging on the door. With the vehicle secured properly on a lift, Right Gear's technician started the teardown process. While this was happening, we unpacked a shipment of goodies from Randy's Ring and Pinion. They sent us everything we needed to make our 9.5 14-bolt a true contender for 35-inch tires and light trail work. Shown are a set of 4.56:1 gears and a complete installation kit, as well as an Eaton ELocker for added traction when the trail gets tough. Randy's Ring and Pinion also supplied us with a pair of their 1541H alloy axleshafts for the 9.5 14-bolt rear axle. Theses shafts are said to be 30 percent stronger than stock while remaining low-cost for an exceptional value for those who want to run a larger tire with stock power levels. Once the pumpkin was drained, we noticed a large amount of metal debris attached to the magnet inside the bottom of the center section. (We like magnetic drain plugs because they give us a clear picture of how much wear occurs inside a differential over time.) This truck had roughly 135,000 miles on the odometer. The vehicle's owner told us that the gear oil was changed twice during the truck's life, so this much-needed overhaul was, in fact, perfect timing for our donor truck. With both axleshafts and the factory open differential removed from the housing, the technician started the process of driving the pinion gear out of the housing. It took several hard blows from the hammer to free the worn pinion from the housing. Next, the technician turned his attention to readying the differential for new parts. Here you can see how the remnants of the old gasket were removed using a pneumatic grinder. Once removed, the whole inside was bathed with solvent to remove unwanted oil and debris. As the axle was being prepped for the new parts, another technician installed the new ring gear on the new Eaton ELocker. With the locker in place in the differential housing, the technician figured out exactly where to drill the access hole for the two-wire electric harness included with the ELocker. A 1/4-inch hole was drilled moments later. Setting up a good wear pattern is critical for trouble-free axle operation. As you can see here, the teeth of the our ring gear were set up to engage near the middle of each tooth (see where marking paint is thinnest); this engagement pattern will help distribute the torque over the whole surface of the gear rather than concentrating it to just the outer edges of the teeth.
This photo shows how the ELocker wiring arrangement looked after the grommet was installed in the 1/4-inch hole drilled by the technician. A little dab of silicon sealant can help keep water from entering through this grommet. Once the new differential locker was installed, the technician installed the new axleshafts. The original diff cover was cleaned and re-painted black, and each of the 14 differential cover bolts were replaced for a fresh clean look. Notice the small metallic tag installed by the technician; we love seeing this because it typically shows that the installer took pride in his work. With the axle completely buttoned up, we added two quarts of Max-Gear synthetic gear oil by Royal Purple. We picked this lubricant because it offers added protection to bearings and wear surfaces by coating them with a slippery film called Synslide. It's a term for the technology that Royal Purple developed by using a proprietary mixture of synthetic-base oil and high-tech additive compounds. We like this technology because it displaces water from metal surfaces and excels in protecting metal components in wet environments. It also fortifies the oil against the detrimental effects of heat, which causes oil to oxidize and wear out.
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