well the a bearing went out on the p/s rear axle and messed the whole axle up shavings broken parts shavings. this will be the 2x with this axle. i am in the search for another axle for it but 3.73 gearing, locker, disk brakes, and 8.5 housing. makes it kinda difficult have made multible calls to salvage yards and no luck.
Maybe try looking for a Zr2 rear axle. There is another member on here that has one and the wider stance is nice as well. Also on ebay if you check s10 warehouse there are usually some available.
If you are looking for a 8.5" axle it will have to be a ZR2 axle. Ours are 7.625"
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving! - ThunderIIKE7CSK
Newer model std. trans. blazers like my 2005 also came with 8.5" rear end and cast iron front diff. Though, my blazer is geared 3.42 so a Z would be a better possibility.
I just replaced the bearings and seals on my 03. The passenger side bearing was cracked in 2 places and the seal was leaking. After replacing both, the thing still leaks. I am thinking maybe it's a crack in the axel bearing housing.
[size=75][b][color=blue]2003 Blue Crewcab[/b][/color][/size]
DLP wrote:I just replaced the bearings and seals on my 03. The passenger side bearing was cracked in 2 places and the seal was leaking. After replacing both, the thing still leaks. I am thinking maybe it's a crack in the axel bearing housing.
I had a problem with after market axle seals that would leak. Buying the OEM from the dealer fixed that.
I tore back into the rear axle today. The leaking was at the axle housing and not the shaft. I mic'd the seal and housing. They were just about dead-even. I thought the seal would be a bit larger around. I did notice that there was a little dent/bump in the housing. Thinking I might have done it when I pulled the bearing. But it was leaking before I tore into it the first time. So I cleaned and ruffed-up the housing and used a little silicone. No more leak!
Sorry I didn't mean to Hi-Jack the Captian's thread. But this next question is about our rear axle. While I had the cover off, locking bolt out and the pin out to get to the axle retaining key, one of the spider gears fell out. I played with it until I figured how they had to be turned to line the pin hole back up. I put the axle shaft back in, put the clip on and reset the 2 loose gears and domed shims. Slid the pin back in and locktighted the set bolt. My question is, do the 2 spider (loose) gears need to be timed or lined up? I did see on both gears a double dot like a timing mark. I know that it is always best to set gears back the way they come apart so they wear the same as before. But I didn't see these marks until after I had the gears out.
[size=75][b][color=blue]2003 Blue Crewcab[/b][/color][/size]
They are not timed. If you got the pin through, they are lined up right. You did just fine.
"Speed doesn't kill, suddenly becoming stationary does." - Richard Hammond
"Speed is just a matter of Money - How fast do YOU want to go?"-Mechanic from Mad Max-
If at first you don't succeed - Don't take up Skydiving! - ThunderIIKE7CSK