Steadily Depressin', Low Down Mind Messin', 8.75 Rear End Blues

[RusTy/SE]

With apologies to Jim Croce, here's the story my 8.75 gave up over the past week.

Monday I picked up the driveshaft and rear end from the shop planning to r & r them. The first two signs that something bad happened in the past showed themselves straight away; a '741' carrier housing instead of the expected '489' along with outward protruding lumps on the outside.

Knowing i'd be working out of town, I decided to simply leave the rear turned carrier-up and let gravity determine the extent of damage.

This morning here's what I found...

[TROUBLE987]

NOW THAT SUCKS!!!so whats the game plan..dana?or 83/4?

[RusTy/SE]

8 3/4. Non numbers motor and trans so i'll locate a replacement e-body rear to rebuild stock.

[Bullitt-]

Russ, not the end of the world..... Hold Your Head Up.... ARGENT                                                                                     

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5fYPz8dKbg&feature=related

.

[Moparal]

I will be home in a few weeks, come on over. I got a 70 e body rear with good axle bearings. No center, but talk to wade   he may have a 1 legger layin around his garage that says #9.   

[brads70]

Bummer! Too bad we are so far apart, I've got a used 3:90 one legger for a spare that I'd let you have , but shipping would be nuts!

[Moparal]

ship it anyways

[72bluNblu]

Doesn't look that horrible. Provided you can actually get the axles out of it and remove the 3rd member (ie, all that stuff isn't fused together) the housing itself should be pretty easy to fix. I'd clean it up, find the holes, hammer the dents and then weld or braze the holes up. The leak may even be above the normal oil level.

Of course, that all would depend on it coming apart, sometimes when the gears go south they don't come apart very easily.

[Bullitt-]

I have a suspicion that there was water in there & it froze...why else would there be equal & smooth bumps...don't think a gear would. 

[Chryco Psycho]

this is basically where I ended up , I just decided to spend my $$ on a Dana instead of fixing the 8 3/4"

[Moparal]

Russ, if you want me to build you a dana, give me a shout.   Im ok with what you want or need either way you turn

[72bluNblu]

this is basically where I ended up , I just decided to spend my $$ on a Dana instead of fixing the 8 3/4"

Definitely not a bad idea. But I'm pretty good with a hammer and a welder, so that's typically the direction I lean.

To be clear, if that were my housing, I wouldn't be spending any real money on it to fix it. Just a few hours and a few welding rods. Which is a ton less than a new rear. But I'm also assuming that's the only problem, and of course it might not be.

[RusTy/SE]

Thanks everyone 

Al, you have a pm