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Rear End Rebuild

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,009
Put the car on jack stands and ran the engine with the transmission in gear to make sure the rear wheels were straight. Found out one was bent.

When I turned off the engine I heard an odd wunka-wunka sound coming from the rear end.

Is such a sound normal when car is running in that manner? My 1st thought was worn bearings in the differential.

If I decide to get the rear end rebuilt does anyone know what a reasonable price might be for such work?
 

rvrtrash

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 25, 2003
Messages
3,649
Are you sure about the noise? If it's going willie wunka, your oompaloompa's are out of alignment. If it's wunka wunka, you might have a brake shoe dragging or it could be bearings (axle or 3rd member). A complete 3rd member rebuild with gear set will probably be about $700.00 . If you need axles and axle bearings, it'll be more. Glad I could help buddy! :grin:

Steve

God I crack myself up sometimes.
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,009
I've replaced the axle bearings so for now I'm going to assume they are ok.

I thought about brake shoes but it's more of a wunka wunka than a scrinch scrinch.
 

robert campbell

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Joined
Apr 10, 2007
Messages
4,321
Arlie,
I assume the wunka wunka sound came when you turned the engine off, but the rear wheels were still spinning down while up in the air. Correct? I assume it is an 8 inch non-posi.

If the above is correct, I bet any car, even with a brand new rear end, tested in the same situation would make all sorts of niose not normally heard when either loaded or unloaded. Accelerating or deaccelerating with the tires in contact with the ground. In your case the ring and pinion may have been slapping between an unload and load situation, and with the engine off standing outside, it sounded terrible. Also the rear end may have been bouncing between the right axel and left axel. If you observe a non-posi rear end when you slowly turn one rear tire you see the other rear tire turn the other way. So in you case the rear end was free wheeling and a bit corn-fused.

If under normal driving you do not hear anything and no vibrations, then not to worry. All old rear ends have developed a bit of play in the old "pumkin". Unless you are like David and running slicks on the strip, the 8 inch is a great rear end. Now if you have plan to race David in the near future and step up the HP, you gotta step up the rear end in strength!! If you play you got to pay!!!

I bet your rear end is just fine. When they start to loose the main bearings you will know it! It will be very noisy!!! Of course I don't have any idea on your stereo. Gotta turn that thing down once in awhile to see if the tires are still on the car....

Rob
 
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Mosesatm

Mosesatm

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 18, 2005
Messages
9,009
Arlie,
I assume the wunka wunka sound came when you turned the engine off, but the rear wheels were still spinning down while up in the air. Correct? I assume it is an 8 inch non-posi.

Rob

Rob, you are 100% correct on all counts. The rear seems to operate perfectly fine under normal driving conditions and makes no funky noises. It's only when I turned off the engine and let the wheels spin freely that I heard the sound. It is the standard 2.79 open 8".

Thanks for the input!
 
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